>> A380 lands at Changi
by Derek Yeo


A380 PROTOTYPE MSN001 (French Registration F-WWOW) touched down at Changi Airport runway 2 at 10am, 13 hours after it left Toulouse, France.

The proving flight - A380's first outside Europe - was the farthest flown by the type since its production.

As the Airbus behemoth taxied in and nosed for the terminal, it tested successfully taxiways specially widened - along some stretches, by as much as 6m - and strengthened to suit A380's peculiar undercarriage configuration and longer turning radius.

It docked at Terminal 2's Gate F31 without a hitch. The gate is one of 19 - at Terminals 1, 2 and 3 - under upgrade to A380 standard.

Officials of Airbus, Singapore Airlines and the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore greeted the behemoth jet on its arrival. Transport Minister Yeo Cheow Tong was the guest of honour. Mr Yeo, European ambassadors in Singapore and other guests later toured the aircraft's interior.

At a media conference, Mr Charles Champion - Airbus' Chief Operating Officer - stressed his company's plan to deliver SIA's first aircraft by the end of 2006. "Any delay of deliveries would be compensated according to contract terms," he emphasized.

To date, eleven A380s had been built and about 500 hours of test-flying hours achieved.

The plane took off for Brisbane at midnight.

Acknowledgement: Photo by The Straits Times