CGC - Wingtip Warning

Wingtip lookout warning

30-Jun-11

The following article (provided by Vince Everett) serves as another reminder for us all to maintain good lookout re wing tips as we manoeuver our gliders while they on the ground ...

A380 Flight Display

Le Bourget (Paris) Airshow 2011

(click here to view a video of the flight display on YouTube)

PARIS: Korean Air's A380 spares Airbus some blushes at Le Bourget

By: David Kaminski-Morrow

Korean Air's second A380 Airbus soared above the Paris spectators, rescuing Airbus from an embarrassing faux pas after its original display A380 aircraft was grounded by a taxiing collision (see picture above).

After landing at Le Bourget on the eve of the show, one of Airbus's test A380's was cleared by ground control to manouever along taxiway Victor ... however at about 15:50 on 19 June the jet, commanded by a test pilot, struck a building belonging to French airports operator Aeroports de Paris.

Although the A380 had been "on the centreline" of the taxiway, said Airbus, the collision sheared off its starboard vertical wing fence ... quelle horreur!

There was less damage to the A380 than to Airbus's pride, after it was forced to withdraw its flagship from displaying. "It was a left-footed start to the flying display," Airbus admitted. "But we looked for an alternative solution."

With another test A380 unavailable (because of modification to fly the Trent XWB engine) the alternative was Korean Air's newest A380 - hastily recruited to spare Airbus's blushes while the bent jet was quietly tucked out of the way.

And after the distinctive turquoise jet lifted some of the rainy Paris gloom with an impressive display, it taxied back to its parking place ... very carefully.

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