IRON MAIDEN have just checked in with the following update:

"It was always slightly less nerdy than train-spotting, but now plane spotting just became pretty damn cool.

The Maiden plane (as yet un-named of course!) is out of the paint shop and currently in service with Astraeus, flying from Gatwick and around Africa and the Middle East!

The plane still needs it's name, and maybe a little more artwork, but other than that everything's ready to go and Maiden depart the UK on January 30th - more details to come. For fans who want to catch a look at the plane, we'll post arrival and departure times on the web once the tour kicks off.

Check out these pics and excuse the miserable British weather!"

Iron Maiden's Somewhere Back In Time World Tour 2008 schedule is as follows:

February

1 - Mumbai, India - Bandra Kurla Complex
4 - Perth, Australia - Burswood Dome
6 - Melbourne, Australia - Rod Laver Arena
7 - Melbourne, Australia - Rod Laver Arena
9 - Sydney, Australia - Acer Arena
10 - Sydney, Australia - Acer Arena
12 - Brisbane, Australia - Entertainment Centre
15 - Yokohama, Japan - Pacifico Yokohama
16 - Tokyo, Japan - Messe
19 - Los Angeles, CA - The Forum
21 - Guadalajara, Mexico - Auditoria Telmex
22 - Monterrey, Mexico - Monterrey Arena
24 - Mexico City, Mexico - Foro Sol Stadium
26 - San Jose, Costa Rica - Saprisa Stadium
28 - Bogota, Columbia - Simon Bolivar Park

March

2 - Sao Paulo, Brazil - Palmeiras Stadium
4 - Curitiba, Brazil - Pedreira Paulo Leminski
5 - Porto Allegre, Brazil - Gigantinho
7 - Buenos Aires, Argentina - River Plate Stadium
9 - Santiago, Chile - Pista Atletica
12 - Puerto Rico - San Juan Coliseo
14 - New Jersey, USA - Izod Center (formerly Continental Airlines Arena)
16 - Toronto, ON - Air Canada Centre

June

27 - Bologna, Italy - Arena Parco Nord (Gods Of Metal Festival)

28/29 - Dessel, Belgium - De Boeretand (Graspop Metal Meeting)

July

1 - Paris, France - Ominisport De Bercy Arena
2 - Paris, France - Ominisport De Bercy Arena
5 - London, UK - Twickenham Rugby Stadium
9 - Lisbon, Portugal - Parque do Tejo ( Super Bock Super Rock Festival)

11/12 - Spain - tba?

16 - Stockholm, Sweden - Stockholm Stadium
18 - Helsinki, Finland - Helsinki Olympic Stadium
19 - Tampere, Finland - Ratinan Stadion
22 - Trondheim, Norway - Lerkendalstadium
24 - Oslo, Norway - Valle Hovin
26 - Gothenburg, Sweden - Ullevi Stadium
27 - Horsens, Denmark - Horsens Gods Bane Pladsen
31 - Wachen Open Air Festival - Wacken, Germany

August

2 - Athens, Greece - Terra Vibe Park
4 - Bucharest, Romania - Cotroceni Football Stadium
7 - Warsaw, Poland - Gwardia Stadium
8 - Prague, Czech Republic - Slavia Football Stadium
10 - Split, Croatia - Split City Stadium
14 - Basel, Switzerland - St Jakobshalle