Flight International online news 0945GMT: Airbus’ A380 has arrived in Singapore on the initial leg of its Asia-Pacific tour, which will mark the first time airports in the region will have a chance to test equipment and other infrastructure upgrades designed to accommodate the double-deck aircraft type.
The aircraft, MSN001, landed at
Airbus chief operating officer and A380 programme head Charles Champion, who attended today’s A380 arrival events at Changi, declined to say exactly when the first A380 will be delivered to SIA but he reiterated Airbus’ earlier assertions it would be sometime in November 2006. SIA hopes to put the aircraft into service before the end of 2006.
Champion also reveals that the A380 will be in
Changi
Catering vehicles are being procured and docking guidance systems are being re-configured to handle the A380’s upper deck. Two gates at Terminal 2, F31 and E5, have already had waiting lounges expanded to account for the A380’s higher passenger volume and third aerobridges have been installed to handle the aircraft’s upper deck.
“Nine other existing hold rooms in Terminal 1 and 2 are similarly being modified and the future Terminal 3 [under construction] will have another eight A380 compatible bringing the total…at the airport to 19,” says Koh, adding that 11 will be ready at the end of 2006.
Airbus says in a statement that Frankfurt,
The visiting A380 is due to arrive at
After the celebrations it will leave for
MSN 001 is one of three A380s Airbus currently has flying as part of the flight test programme. So far the manufacturer has recorded around 500hr of flying time for the aircraft type and it expects to reach 5,000hr by year-end, says Champion. He adds that the manufacturer has assembled 11 A380s so far and is completing assembly at a rate of “about one aircraft per month”.
Source: Flight International