Supplying The World With The Latest A380 News
Singapore Airlines thirteenth A380 (MSN065) has been spotted with no engines installed.
We have since confirmed that MSN065′s engines have been installed on Qantas’s ninth A380 (MSN050). New engines for MSN065 will be installed over the next few weeks.
Image Courtesy of Spotter-XFW
Our friend and forum member Aranes380 confirmed yesterday that the new MSN being convoyed on Convoy #2/2011, as China Southern’s third A380 (MSN054).
The convoy was composed of the Center Fuselage and Tailplane for Emirates eighteenth A380 (MSN083), plus the Forward and Rear Fuselage as well as the Wings or MSN054.
Earlier in the week Korean Air’s second A380 (MSN039) was transferred from Toulouse to Hamburg for outfitting, while Qantas’s ninth A380 (MSN050) was transferred from Hamburg to Toulouse.
Images courtesy of Aranes380 and Spotter-XFW
Yesterday, Korean Air’s first A380 (MSN035) performed her first flight.
MSN035 flew direct to Hamburg, and arrived at around 16:00 local time. Outfitting will not begin immediately, she will have to wait for Lufthansa’s fifth A380 (MSN061) to finish first.
We have had a lot of questions about Qantas’s upcoming A380 deliveries, to see if they have had upgraded Trent 900 engines installed. We can confirm that Qantas’s next four A380s, MSN047, MSN050, MSN055 and MSN062 do have upgraded Trent 900′s and will not require a refurbishment or replacement.
Image Courtesy of Guillaume Besnard
Qantas’s seventh A380 (MSN047) has finally been painted and had it’s cabin interior completed.
MSN047 along with MSN050 (Qantas #8) performed their first flights in August last year, but were put into long term storage until Q2 2010 at Qantas’s request.
Delivery of MSN047 is currently scheduled for the middle of November.
Image Courtesy of Spotter-XFW
Late last week we saw the roll out of MSN047 (Qantas #7) in Hamburg, this is the first roll out of a Qantas frame this year.
A valuable member of the forum has provided us with a production update:
Toulouse
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Both MSN066 (Lufthansa #6) and MSN035 (Korean Air #1) are scheduled to have their First Flights in October, with Ferry Flights to Hamburg in October for MSN066, and early November for MSN035.
MSN064 (Air France #6) is planned to fly to Hamburg this week.
In Hamburg
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MSN047 (Qantas #7), MSN056 (Emirates #14) and MSN048 (Lufthansa #4) are currently standing on the flightline.
MSN055 (Qantas #9) and MSN057 (Emirates #15) are both in flightline hangars, having some final outfitting work done. MSN055 is not painted yet, and will go in for painting when MSN050 (Qantas #8) is done.
MSN050 will finish in the paint hangars next week.
Only 5 of the 6 outfitting bays are currently being occupied. MSN064 for Air France will take spot #6 in the next few weeks.
Yesterday, Qantas’s eighth A380 (MSN050) finally transferred to Hamburg. A mere ten months after first flight*.
Delivery is currently scheduled for January 2011, But rumors are going around that she will be delivered in December.
Image Courtesy of David BARRIE
*(MSN050 was stored from August 09 to May 10)
In the early hours of last Friday, Airbus rolled out Lufthansa’s fifth A380 (MSN061) from Final Assembly.
First flight and transfer is currently scheduled for the 30th July.
Today will see MSN050 (Qantas #8) transfer to Hamburg. Here she is being towed back from the engine test bay.
Images Courtesy of David BARRIE and Antonio ESPOSITO
