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By Steven Donaldson

PUBLISHED: 14:27 GMT, 28 May 2013 | UPDATED: 16:31 GMT, 28 May 2013
Alex Oxlade Chamberlain, Kieran Gibbs and Carl Jenkinson aren't renowned for their heading ability in a team more famed for free-flowing passing on the deck.
But the Gunners trio have been showing off how competent they can be in the air if required... by landing an Emirates airline A380 at Dubai International airport.


Of course, the England stars were not given the responsibility of landing a real life jet, but did pretty well in a simulator at the Middle East hub.

Scroll down to see the Arsenal players get behind the controls of the Emirates A380 Runway success: Arsenal players Alex Oxlade Chamberlain, Kieran Gibbs and Carl Jenkinson have been getting to grips with the controls an Emirates A380 plane in a simulator at Dubai international airport

Chamberlain, Gibbs and Jenkinson are in the Middle East as part of the club's committment to soccer schools region, and have already led a special training session at 7he Sevens facility nearby.
For the simulator, the players were talked through the basics of piloting, before jumping into the cockpit.
Chamberlain was first at the controls, guiding the plane - which in real life is a double-decker beast, carrying up to 853 passangers and costing around ?250million - home with consumate ease.


'I've got it under control boys,' the 19-year-old joked. 'We're down in one piece.'
A slightly more nervous Gibbs was next, and admitted afterwards: 'I don't think I'll be a pilot anytime soon.'
Good in the air: They are in the Middle East as part of a visit to the Gunners' soccer schools in the region
However the drama was reserved for Jenkinson, who managed to bounce the craft on landing, sending shudders through the flight deck.

'I was more excited going in there, but then when I was actually in the seat, I was quite nervous,' the right-back reflected. 'It was a lot more difficult than I anticipated.'


Leading the adventure was Captain Warren Coles, who seemed impressed.

'You all did really well - a little bit of confusion between the controls initially, but you got it at the end,' he said. 'You might have blown the tyres slightly but overall I was pretty impressed for a first go.'

Well, at least there's an alternative to being a landlord or cab driver when they eventually hang up their boots...

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