Summary
- Qantas’ Airbus A380 made a journey from Australia to Germany for scheduled maintenance at a specialized facility in Dresden Airport.
- The arrival of the aircraft drew a crowd of onlookers, with some lucky individuals securing tickets for a special tour to get an up-close view.
- The maintenance facility at Dresden Airport, operated by Elbe Flugzeugwerke (EFW), specializes in passenger-to-freighter conversions and MRO services for Airbus aircraft.
Last week, a Qantas Airbus A380 was sighted at Dresden Airport (DRS) in Germany, drawing the attention of aviation enthusiasts. Not surprisingly, the arrival of the largest passenger aircraft sparked interest as to why it made the journey all the way from Australia.
Planned maintenance work
The airline’s A380, registered as VH-OQK, started its journey from Sydney Airport (SYD) to DRS airport with a layover at Singapore Changi (SIN) on November 11, 2023. After a nearly 13-hour flight from SIN to DRS airport, the aircraft touched down at DRS on November 12, 2023, as per Flightradar24.com.
Photo: Phuong D. Nguyen | Shutterstock
Upon arrival, a crowd of onlookers gathered to witness the famous double-decker. Even aviation enthusiasts from distant parts of Germany took the opportunity to see the Qantas A380 quadjet. Qantas’ fleet of A380s is a relatively rare sight in Europe, as the airline exclusively operates its A380 flights to London in the region.
According to the airport authorities, at least 50 people later were treated to an up-close view as part of the exclusive ‘DRS A380 Spotter Tour.’ For those unable to secure tickets for a special tour, the airport provided a platform for the impressive spectacle before the A380 proceeded for scheduled maintenance.
Indeed, the aircraft embarked on this extended journey for scheduled maintenance, and based on Flightradar24.com data, it is still stationed at the maintenance facility in DRS. The airport is home to Elbe Flugzeugwerke (EFW), a company specializing in passenger-to-freighter conversions and MRO services.
Qantas presently has a fleet of ten Airbus A380s, according to ch-aviation. The A380 currently undergoing maintenance is 12 years old, making it one of the youngest aircraft in Qantas’ A380 fleet. Historically, the Australian airline had a total of 12 A380s. Presently, out of its 10 A380s, only six are active, with the remaining four either undergoing maintenance or in storage.
More about EFW
EFW is a joint venture between ST Engineering and Airbus that engages in the development and manufacturing of fiber-reinforced composite components for aircraft structures and interiors across the entire Airbus aircraft family.
The company is also involved in converting passenger aircraft into freighter configurations, maintaining and repairing Airbus aircraft, retrofitting aircraft cabins, as well as providing engineering services related to certification.
Photo: EFW
The German company is particularly known for its expertise in converting Airbus aircraft from passenger airliners to freighters. Notably, it achieved certification for the world’s first Airbus A320 converted freighter in 2022. At present, the company holds the capability to convert Airbus A330-300, Airbus A330-200, Airbus A321, and Airbus A320 passenger aircraft into freighters.
Have you ever spotted Qantas’ Airbus A380 aircraft? Let us know in the comments section below.
Sources: Flightradar24.com, ch-aviation