Iron Maiden are soon to crash a gigantic, shrieking jet-plane into cinemas worldwide – which is to say, release a documentary.

Iron Maiden: Flight 666 will depict the band's Somewhere Back In Time tour, which took place somewhere back in time ... in the spring of 2008. In a press release, the band offered many pertinent numbers: 13 countries, 45 days, 70,000 kms and almost half a million face-painted fans. The title's number 666 goes without explanation, but we assume it is because Iron Maiden like scary multiples of three.

Of course, no one goes to an Iron Maiden film to see the band recite statistics. No, they want to see one of the world's biggest heavy metal bands pilot their own aeroplane. Iron Maiden did just that, circumnavigating the globe in a customised Boeing 757 filled with (OK, one more number) 12 tonnes of equipment.

Shot by Banger Productions – who have made two other inane, successful documentaries about heavy metal music – the film features footage of frontman Bruce Dickinson in the cockpit, flying the aeroplane. And Dickinson, we are certain, follows to the letter every statute of the 2006 Convention on International Civil Aviation.

Did we mention the 757 was nicknamed "Ed Force One", after their mascot Eddie the Head? No?

Iron Maiden: Flight 666 also promises to highlight "unusual camera angles", "punishing show schedules" and (we're not joking) the band's "struggle with time zones". There's also, the release tells us, "the pressures of [performing for] thousands of ecstatic and expectant fans from many cultural backgrounds", which we assume means "learning to say 'Hello, Tampere!'" in perfect Finnish.

Iron Maiden: Flight 666 will be released worldwide on 21 April.