All Nippon A380 rolls out

Airbus A380 JA381 (msn 262) rolls out from the Toulouse inal assembly line. This aircraft will go to Hamburg for completion and painting in the Flying Honu livery. F Lancelot/Airbus

The first A380 for All Nippon Airways (ANA) has rolled out of the Airbus inal assembly line in Toulouse. The aircraft, JA381 (msn 262), has been moved to an outside station where various ground tests will be undertaken in preparation for its first light, following which the jet will move to Airbus’ facilities in Hamburg for cabin installation and painting.

ANA placed a irm order for three A380s in 2016, becoming the first customer for the super jumbo in Japan and the 14th airline to order the type overall. The aircraft will be used by ANA on its Tokyo to Honolulu route and, along with the two other A380s ordered by ANA, will be inished in a special livery called Flying Honu, featuring a turtle character. Each jet will wear an individual version of the livery: one blue (called Lani, named after the Hawaiian word for sky), one green (Kai, or ocean) and one orange (Ka La, or sunset). The first delivery is scheduled for early in 2019.

Airbus has now delivered 229 A380s. Apart from the three aircraft for ANA, most of the remaining super jumbos in the backlog are for Emirates. Eight further aircraft for Qantas are listed by Airbus on the oicial orders and deliveries log, although the customer has repeatedly deferred these deliveries and has said it has no intention to take these aircraft.

Mark Broadbent