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Wings Over Arabia

By Roger Harrison

Saudi Arabia plays a pivotal role in the world’s energy economy, yet  its landscape and history is still relatively little known outside its borders.  The Holy Land of Islam, whose followers comprise over 27 percent of humanity, the Kingdom presents an air of mystery to the vast majority non-Muslims. That is simply because they will never make the journey to this land, which has contributed so much to human history.

Since the days of the incense and spice trails over three millennia ago through the emergence of Islam and the learning that it produced to the world’s biggest single producer of oil, the deserts of Saudi Arabia have at once been inaccessible to most and a fertile source of ideas and wealth, a mystery to many and beautiful in their elemental harshness.

Wings Over Arabia is the record of two princes, HRH Sultan Bin Salman Bin Abdulaziz and HRH Bandar Bin Khaled Al Faisal, and a British professional expedition leader and adventurer John Bally who, among his numerous skills, is also a glider pilot-trainer.

 HRH Prince Sultan (right) and John Bally run through a pre-flight check.

HRH Prince Bandar ready to roll out on the first day.

They launched a unique and ground-breaking a expedition, flying at low altitude over the Kingdom over the mountains, wide deserts and coastal areas that both conceal and reveal significant historical sites and great natural treasures.

Map: The route followed

The sand-sea of the Nafud

The ten thousand kilometre circular route started from the capital Riyadh and took in during the following days a wealth of environments. North from Riyadh over the red Nafud desert, west to the Red Sea coast, then inland to the ancient Nabataean city of Mad’ain Saleh. This city was the southernmost reach of a pre-Roman empire that had its capital in Petra (in modern Jordan) and stretched southwards.  

Lush circles of alfalfa and small rectangular market gardens contrast against the arid desert between Riyadh and Hail. The Qassim area is also noted for its high quality dates.

The flight took us south over the remains of the Hejaz Railway, made famous by its being targeted by T E Lawrence at the time of the Arab Revolt, directly over the Holy city of Medina, over dormant volcanoes and the lush highlands of southern Aseer province to the modern sprawls of Jeddah and Riyadh. This book of the journey reveals the Kingdom in all its splendour.

HRH Prince Sultan over Jebel Abyyad, a dormant volcano north of Medina with a distinctive ash cone

A low pass over the Prophet's Mosque in Medina. The tomb of the Prophet is below the green dome

As a photographic record of a journey that cannot be repeated, it is a visual history. The text, written by the photographer, compliments the photographs and occasionally dives down from the high altitude of the camera to describe and detail, with ground level images, a point of particular interest. The German steam locomotives that pulled trains packed with pilgrims, and later Turkish troops, are shown rusting and alone in the desert left there since the railway went into disuse are a case in point. They are a mute testament to the varied and sometimes violent events that have shaped the modern Saudi Arabia.

While much of Saudi Arabia is sandy desert, large areas are harsh volcanic rock that would in the event of a problem make for,what John Bally described as, "an interesting landing".

Line astern over the south-western province of Aseer. Not all the Kingdom is arid; Aseer has greater rainfall than London!

This is a book to dip into, reflect on and will encourage the casual reader to follow up with further reading on one of the most harshly beautiful yet incredibly hospitable countries on earth. It presents the Kingdom not simply as a source of oil, but as a valuable and often under-valued part of the history of the region and indeed, of mankind.

The inhabitants of Abha in the south west got a chance for a close up look at the gliders.