The biggest crane took to the skies for the first time yesterday as Lufthansa’s A380 made its maiden voyage from Toulouse over the south of France.
“It was a memorable moment!” said Jürgen Raps, aircraft captain and Board member of Lufthansa Passenger Airlines. “I can hardly wait until March to fly the first A380 from Hamburg to Frankfurt.” Two and a half years ago, Raps was already one of only four pilots worldwide to obtain a license to fly the A380.
The maiden flight of the Lufthansa flagship with its 13 foot-long crane on the tail served to verify the aircraft’s on-board computer system. The Airbus cockpit crew noted no irregularities and the transfer flight to the Airbus hangar in Hamburg-Finkenwerder will follow shortly. The roomy interior, which holds up to 550 seats, will be completed by the end of this year. Lufthansa has 15 A380s on order and Airbus will deliver five of them next year.
www.lufthansa.com