Global Airlines celebrated a significant milestone as its first fully owned A380 aircraft, 9H-GLOBL, touched down at Glasgow Prestwick Airport in the UK. This historic moment marked a pivotal step forward for the airline, as it signals the beginning of the aircraft’s journey back to commercial operations.
The arrival of 9H-GLOBL in the UK was the culmination of rigorous planning and collaboration between Global Airlines, Hi Fly, Airbus, and regulatory authorities. Overcoming numerous challenges, the aircraft successfully completed a two-leg flight cycle from Mojave Air and Space Port in California to Glasgow Prestwick Airport via Montreal Mirabel, a first in the nearly 20-year history of the A380.
Following its arrival in Scotland, 9H-GLOBL will undergo a complete interior refurbishment and further maintenance to prepare for passenger flights. The airline’s partners will work on developing new maintenance capabilities at the airport to facilitate the aircraft’s return to service.
James Asquith, CEO and Founder of Global Airlines, expressed gratitude to all involved in the project, highlighting the immense effort and determination that led to the aircraft’s successful journey to Europe. He emphasised the significance of reaching Europe as a major milestone for the airline and looked forward to showcasing Global’s offerings and innovations in the upcoming summer.
Commander Carlos Mirpuri, Vice-Chairman of Hi Fly Group and chief pilot for the flights, praised the A380 as an engineering marvel and wished Global Airlines success in its operations. Glasgow Prestwick Airport CEO Ian Forgie also expressed delight in supporting Global Airlines and welcomed the A380’s historic landing at the airport, which drew a large crowd of aviation enthusiasts.
The arrival of 9H-GLOBL in the UK marks an important step forward for Global Airlines as it continues to expand its fleet and operations, positioning itself as a key player in the aviation industry.
UPDATE
The first flight MHV-YMX had a total flight time of 05h40 and around 2150 nautical miles. The second flight YMX-PIK had a total flight time of 07h44 and around 2800 nautical miles.
Additional flight time was planned to avoid demanding weather, such as thunderstorms and severe icing.The flight ts were operated with the gear down ahead of the required maintenance, thus slower and at lower altitude (FL270), and the need for a fuel stop.
The A380 will complete a C-Check and the cabin will be upgraded before this former China Southern plane returns to operations.
