Airbus A380 Turns 10

MY COLLECTION OF A380 MODELS



10 years ago today the world's biggest commercial passenger jet made its first test flight . European Aircraft maker Airbus celebrated the milestone for its flagship aircraft, saying the jet was helping to shape the future of air transportation. The first Airbus A380 in Airbus colours with an MSN of 001 and the registration F-WWOW took to the sky's.

Singapore Airlines become the first airline to fly an A380 with paying passengers in 2007.

Today there are 317 firm orders by 18 customers for the passenger version of the Airbus A380-800, of which 155 have been delivered to 14 of those customers as of February 2015.

Below are some images of Airbus A380's that I have taken including the arrival of the "Airbus Industries A380" world tour, seen here with Qantas decals back in November 2005.

AIRBUS A380 F-WWOW (CN 001)

TAKEN FROM INSIDE THE BRISBANE INTERNATIONAL TERMINAL

 

AIRBUS A380 TRIPLE PLAY IN BRISBANE

EMIRATES A380-861 A6-EEK (CN 132)

EMIRATES A380-861 A6-EEL (CN 133)

AIR FRANCE AIRBUS A380-861 F-HPJF (CN 064)

KOREAN AIR AIRBUS A30-861 HL-7622 (CN 128)

SINGAPORE A380-841 9V-SKK (CN 051)

CHINA OUTHERN A380-841 (CN 054)

QANTAS A380-861 VH-OQL (CN074) 

 



Happy Birthday Air New Zealand

Air New Zealand's story began on the 26th April 1940 when its forerunner airline, Tasman Empire Airways Limited (TEAL) was incorporated. TEAL began its first trans-Tasman services with flying boats, and over the years steadily expanded the size and scope of its operations and the extent of its international network. The route network was expanded from Australia and the Pacific to Asia, the USA, the UK and Europe. In October 1953 TEAL became jointly owned by the New Zealand and Australian Governments, and in April 1961 the New Zealand Government assumed full ownership.
In addition to TEAL operating international services, the New Zealand Government established NZ National Airways Corporation (NAC) in 1947. NAC was the primary operator of domestic air services between major centres and provincial cities and towns, and along with TEAL would later form the basis for today's Air New Zealand. In December 1951 a flying boat service from Auckland via Fiji and the Cook Islands to Tahiti began - it was known as the "Coral Route". Samoa became part of this route in 1952. The inaugural flight was made in a MK III Solent Flying Boat called Aparima.

In April 1965 TEAL was renamed Air New Zealand Limited, and continued operating solely international services. 1965 also heralded the beginning of the jet era for Air New Zealand, with the arrival in July of the first DC-8 jet aircraft. The new jets meant that Air New Zealand could expand operations to North America and Asia, becoming a truly international airline. In 1973, Air New Zealand also introduced the larger DC-10. The airline operated with a combined DC-8 and DC-10 fleet until the 1980s, when the larger Boeing 747 began to replace the older jets. The first 747 arrived in May 1981.
Thirteen years after TEAL was renamed Air New Zealand, Air New Zealand and NAC merged in April 1978, forming the first New Zealand carrier to offer both international and domestic services. During the 1980s and 1990s Air New Zealand continued to expand its international network, particularly to Asian cities like Taipei, Nagoya, Osaka and Fukuoka.
Air New Zealand's longest haul is a 14 hour, (11,500 km) flight from Vancouver to Auckland
Air New Zealand is a member of the Star Alliance, the world's largest multi-national alliance, providing access to 965 airports in 162 countries
Cities Air New Zealand fly to are

New Zealand
Auckland
Christchurch
Dunedin
Queenstown
Wellington
NZ Regional Flights

Australia
Adelaide
Brisbane
Gold Coast
Melbourne
Perth
Sunshine Coast
Sydney

North America
Vancouver
Los Angeles
San Francisco
Hawaii

Pacific Islands
Fiji
Noumea, New Caledonia
Niue
Norfolk Island
Rarotonga
Samoa
Tahiti
Tonga
Vanuatu

Asia
Bali
Hong Kong
Shanghai
Tokyo

London and Argentina are also home to Air New Zealand

Air New Zealand currently have 107 aircraft and with another 19 on order this will take them to 126 aircraft. Their current fleet are


 AIRCRAFT TYPE            CURRENT / ORDERED

B777-300ER	7
B777-200ER	8
B787-900	3	9
B767-300ER	5
Airbus A320 - Short haul	13
Airbus A320 - Domestic	12	3
B737-300	4
Turbo-props
ATR72-600	6	7
ATR72-500	11
Q300	23
Beech 1900D	15

AIR NEW ZEALAND RAYTHEON 1900 ZK-EAM (CN VE-436)

AIR NEW ZEALAND (MOUNT COOK) ATR 72-500
ZK-MCJ (CN 624)

AIR NEW ZEALAND B 737-319 ZK-NGI (CN 25608)

AIR NEW ZEALAND IN STAR ALLIANCE SCHEME
ZK-OJH A320-232 (CN 2257)

AIR NEW ZEALAND (NEW COLOUR SCHEME)
ZK-OKC B777-219 (CN 34371)

AIR NEW ZEALAND  IN "THE HOBBIT SMAUG" SCHEME
ZK-OKO B777-219 (CN 32712) 

AIR NEW ZEALAND IN "THE HOBBIT UNEXPECTED JOURNEY"
SCHEME ZK-OKP B777-319ER (CN 39041)
 

AIR NEW ZEALAND IN THE "ALL BLACKS" SCHEME
ZK-OKQ B777-319ER (CN 40689)

AIR NEW ZEALAND IN THE "ALL BLACKS" SCHEME
B787-900 ZK-NZE (CN 34334)

AIR NEW ZEALANDS LAST B747-400 ZK-NBV (CN 26910)
BEING STRIPPED OF ITS DECALS BEFORE HEADING
OFF OVER SEAS

Information sourced from Wikipedia and the Air New Zealand website 

ANZAC DAY FLY BY

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
We will remember them.

LEST WE FORGET

After watching the early morning parade we headed up to a place called Kangaroo Point, where we get amazing views of the city and to watch the RAAF FA 18 Super Hornet flyby. It was a good opportunity to get a few departures from Brisbane airport as aircraft heading north banked out over the city before setting course for their destination. The first set of Hornets flew over the city at exactly 10am and then they returned an hour later on their way back to Amberley Air force Base.
I have to say for the 100th Anniversary I was really disappointed as I thought we would have had a lot more air activity.



BRISBANE RIVER AND THE CITY

RAAF FA 18 SUPER HORNETS

LOW LEVEL FLYBY

CHINA SOUTHERN AIRBUS A330-200 B-6526 (CN 1220)

CHINA SOUTHERN 382 OFF TO GUANGZHOU

QANTAS 747-400ER "ONE WORLD" VH-OEF (CN 32910)

AIR NEW ZEALAND AIRBUS A320-232 ZK-OJM (CN 2533)

CHANNEL 7 EUROCOPTER VH-BTV (CN 9038)

CHANNEL SEVEN AND THE QUEESLAND POLICE AIRWING



FA 18 SUPER HORNETS RETURNED FOR THE SECOND FLYBY

HEADING BACK TO AMBERLEY

VIRGN AUSTRALIA 777-300ER VH-VPE (CN 37939)

VIRGIN ASTRALIA VA7 OFF TO LOS ANGELES



THAI AIRWAYS 777-200 HS-TJW (CN 34591)

Goondiwindi Airport

Goondiwindi is a town of approximately 6,500 people; the name Goondiwindi derives from an Aboriginal word meaning "the resting place of the birds". Goondiwindi is 347 klm's (215 miles) from Brisbane and Goondiwindi sits on the New South Wales / Queensland boarder. The most famous resident of Goondiwindi was Gunsynd, a Thoroughbred race horse known as "The Goondiwindi Grey". In the late 1960s and early 1970s Gunsynd had 29 wins including the 1971 Epsom Handicap and the 1972 Cox Plate and came third in the world famous Melbourne Cup in 1972. The name "Gunsynd" came from Goondiwindi Syndicate (Gun=Goondiwindi, Synd=Syndicate). There is a huge statue of Gunsynd in the town centre.

                                                                                               Goondiwindi Airport (IATA: GOO, ICAO: YGDI) is located 3.7 klm's; (2.3 miles) north of the Goondiwindi township. It is run by the Goondiwindi Regional Council, it is 218 metres (714 feet) above sea level. The airport has two runways, the main runway; 04 / 22 is asphalt and it is 1,340 metres long (4,396 feet) and the second runway 12 / 30 is a clay runway measuring 795 metres (2,608 feet). This airport also does not have a control tower so pilots are required to communicate via a Common Traffic Advisory Frequency (CTAF) to safely co-ordinate arrivals and departures.

 

NIGHT SHOT OF RUNWAY 22 GOONDIWINDI

DAY SHOT OF RUNWAY 22 GOONDIWINDI

PARTENAVIA P.68B VH-JQM (CN 154)

CESSNA 172R VH-CNU (CN 17280135)

CIRRUS SR22 VH-NZR (C)N

CESSNA 182T VH-MPZ (CN 18281371)

PIPER PA-46-310P VH-BGK (CN 46-8508085)

THIS MAP OF AUSTRALIA ALONG WITH AN EMU AND A
 KANGAROO IS FOUND ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD JUST OUTSIDE
 OF GOONDIWIND AND IS MADE FROM SCRAP METAL

Moree Airport

This morning I woke up in Moree, New South Wales and the weather was far superior to what the last few days were. I woke to a crystal clear blue sky and a warm breeze, who would have thought it was spring. Moree is 625 klm's (388 miles) from Sydney or 473 klm's (293 miles) from Brisbane. I did one call very early so I could get the only morning passenger arrival, I then went back and continued my calls, I parked at the airport having lunch and answering emails before heading off to Goondiwindi, on the New South Wales / Queensland boarder later that afternoon.
Moree Airport (IATA: MRZ, ICAO: YMOR) is 5 klm's (3 miles) from the city centre, it is owned and operated by the Moree Plains Shire Council and the airport is 214 metres (701 feet) above sea level. Brindabella Airlines previously operated 36 services per week between Moree and Sydney using British Aerospace Jetstream 41 turboprops, but on the 15th December 2013 the airline went into receivership. Operations were quickly taken over by Qantas Link using its Bombardier Dash 8 Q300 aircraft but unfortunately the number of flights have dropped to around 20 per week.. Moree airport has two operational runways, the primary runway 01 / 19 is sealed with an asphalt surface and is 1,613 metres long (5,292 feet). The second runway, a gravel runway; 05 / 23 is located on the western side of the field and is 977 metres long (3,205 feet). The airport does not have a control tower so pilots are required to communicate via a Common Traffic Advisory Frequency (CTAF) to safely co-ordinate arrivals and departures.

QANTAS LINK FLIGHT 2180 FROM SYDNEY

LANDED RUNWAY 01 IN MOREE

 

QANTAS LINK DASH 8-202Q VH-TQX (CN 439)

 

AIR TRACTOR AT-802 VH-YDS (CN 802-0073)

LINING UP FOR RUNWAY 19 MOREE

AVIAIR PTY LTD CESSNA 208B VH-LNO (CN 208B0925)

CESSNA R172K VH-LSH (CN R1722995)

 

AIR TRACTOR AT-502B VH-XAS (CN 502B-0473)