The A380 Revelation

[PeterRS]

It's the plane that was just supposed to die after the pandemic. Now dozens are back in the air with probably more to come as a result of the even further delays to the Boeing 777X aircraft.

Only posting this vdo because I like it!

Just as I really like another with three of the same types of aircraft landing, only that time I was rather sad. It was three Concordes landing at Heathrow  for the last time. One was the regular flight from New York; the other two special charters. But it was the end of an era and the last time we saw that miraculous Delta-wing shape in the air. Much of the discussion is by John Hutchison who was a senior Concorde pilot for many years.

[Keithambrose]

On 6/27/2025 at 11:16 AM, PeterRS said:

It's the plane that was just supposed to die after the pandemic. Now dozens are back in the air with probably more to come as a result of the even further delays to the Boeing 777X aircraft.

Only posting this vdo because I like it!

Just as I really like another with three of the same types of aircraft landing, only that time I was rather sad. It was three Concordes landing at Heathrow  for the last time. One was the regular flight from New York; the other two special charters. But it was the end of an era and the last time we saw that miraculous Delta-wing shape in the air. Much of the discussion is by John Hutchison who was a senior Concorde pilot for many years.

I noted, when landing  at Suvarnabhumi yesterday,  that Thai still had 5 A380s lined up in a row, defunct, paint peeling off. No way they will be serviceable for years.  There were 3 777s as well. Appalling management.

[PeterRS]

3 hours ago, Keithambrose said:

I noted, when landing  at Suvarnabhumi yesterday,  that Thai still had 5 A380s lined up in a row, defunct, paint peeling off. No way they will be serviceable for years.  There were 3 777s as well. Appalling management.

TG has a dreadful reputation for the manner in which it purchased too many different types of aircraft and then pulling them out of service relatively quickly. Their 10 A340s purchased primarily for the American routes have not been operating since 2015. As the first only entered service in 2005, they should have been sold as quickly as possible for whatever the market would bear. Instead, with one exception, they remained rotting at various domestic airports. In 2022 The Nation reported that five were sold for a relative pittance, but even these aircraft remain stuck in Thailand! Three are on the tarmac at Don Mueang; six at U-tapao.

Similarly with the six A380s. Instead of just keeping them maintained when pulled out of service at the start of covid, they have been left basically to rot at BKK. Even with other carriers putting some back into service, TG cannot because it will cost far too much just to get them properly maintained. I read somewhere that to make these aircraft airworthy will cost an absolute minimum of US$30 million - each! They are on the market in an 'as is, where is' condition and worth a small fraction of what TG paid for them.