The aircraft, which was previously owned by China Southern Airlines and had been undergoing “heavy” maintenance at Elbe Flugzeugwerke, took off from Dresden on Friday before flying the three-hour, 1,240 nautical miles to Beja Airport.Commander Carlos Mirpuri, Vice-Chairmain of the Hi Fly Group led the flight having previously flown the aircraft from Mojave Desert Airport in California to Prestwick in Scotland in May last year and from Prestwick to Dresden in October.
He described the A380 as a “technological marvel” that nothing compares to. “Despite its impressive size, it’s as responsive as a smaller Airbus and is an absolute delight to fly,” he said.
Final maintenance ahead of commercial operations launch
The aircraft will now undergo final maintenance touches ahead of its planned integration into Global Airlines’ commercial operations.
While a confirmed start date for commercial operations has yet to be announced, James Asquith, CEO and founder of Global Airlines has indicated plans to officially launch in 2025 (having delayed the original 2024 start date). However, the airline has yet to secure an Air Operator Certificate (AOC) from the UK Civil Aviation Authority – a critical step for commercial operations – and no details have been given as to when this is expected.
Commenting that last week’s flight marked the fifth flight in the Global Airlines journey, Asquith said, “we are delighted to see the extremely qualified Hi Fly crew taking our first aircraft to the skies once again. At Global Airlines we strive for the best in everything and having the experience of Hi Fly on our flight deck is part of that. We’ve only just begun and there will be plenty more flights in 2025 as Global and Hi Fly continue the work to take the Global aircraft around the world.”
The arrival of the aircraft at Beja marks the second ever time the aircraft type has landed in Portugal. The first occasion was in 2018, when Hi Fly’s A380 9H-MIP arrived, showcasing the Mirpuri Foundation’s environmental campaign “Save the Coral Reefs.”
Runway criteria for A380 operations
On average an A380 requires a runway length of about 9,000 to 10,000 feet, but a crucial aspect determining the runway length being the weight of the aircraft. When fully loaded with passengers, cargo and fuel the aircraft can weigh up to 1.2 million pounds, necessitating a longer runway for a safe landing and take-off. Other factors include airport elevation and weather conditions. The runway at Beja is more than 11,000 ft.
Operated by Vinci Airports, Beja Airport is located 170km south of Lisbon and serves primarily as a dedicated business aviation hub. It is also one of the first ten airports in the world to achieve Level 5 of the Airport Carbon Accreditation (ACA) programme.
Image source: Hi Fly