Page 53 - World Airnews Magazine October Edition 2020

NEWS DIGITAL

HI FLY’S

A380

FIRST

CARGO

FLIGHT

LOOKING FOR A JOB?

Hi Fly’s Airbus A380 is back in the skies. However, this time WE WANT PILOTS!
the aircraft is back with a difference. Hi Fly’s Airbus A380 is
currently sporting a temporary cargo configuration, becoming the Minimum requirements: Good to have:
only superjumbo to fly with such an arrangement. • License : ATPL or CPL • Tail Dragger rating
The current crisis saw many passenger aircraft grounded around • Total Time: 2000 • AG Rating
the world. As a result, global cargo capacity dropped almost • Total Command 1500 • Aerial Survey / Agricultural work /
Low level flying experience
• Turbine Time 500
overnight.
However, at the same time, the world was faced with a sudden Please forward C.V. to jacques.hollander@xagsa.com
need to ferry medical supplies such as PPE, including face
masks. Many airlines have been using their passenger aircraft as
freighters.
Working alongside Lufthansa Technik, Hi Fly went where no
other airline dared. While Malaysia Airlines operated a cargo flight
using its Airbus A380, the seats were still installed.
Hi Fly has ripped out most of the seats in its superjumbo,
meaning that there is plenty of space available for light cargo.
Of course, there is the main cargo hold, which is suitable for
carrying containers. However, the main and upper decks of the
passenger Airbus A380 were never built with cargo flights in mind.
As such, they are unable to take containers. Instead, cardboard
boxes must be loaded by hand into designated squares on the
deck. Typically this cargo will be confined to relatively light items
such as face masks.

SUPERJUMBO BACK IN THE SKIES
The Hi Fly Airbus A380 received its cargo configured Airbus A380
back in early July.
However, since then, the aircraft has remained at the airline’s base
in Beja apart from a couple of training sorties.
Despite the extended stay on the ground, it seems as though a
customer has now been found for the superjumbo.
At 10:36, the aircraft registered as 9H-MIP departed from Beja
(BYJ). The plane made a 3-hour 34-minute hop across to Istanbul,
where it landed at 16:10. The flight was the first commercial A380
landing at Istanbul’s new airport since it opened.
The aircraft spent a little over two hours on the ground at
Istanbul, where it departed at 18:26.
According to FlightRadar24.com, it was bound for Kuala Lumpur
in Malaysia. According to the Portuguese Kiosque da Aviacao, the
aircraft made a technical stop in Turkey, rather than taking on
freight. It was not immediately apparent where the plane would fly
next.
It is not clear exactly how long the aircraft will retain its cargo
configuration.
However, there is currently little demand for such a sizeable
wet lease aircraft. Given the current situation, many airlines have
grounded their A380s.
Lufthansa’s A380s are also unlikely to return to service. Q

World Airnews | October Extra 2020
— 6 —