Summary
- Global Airlines appoints former A380 chief engineer, John Roberts, for advice on superjumbo aircraft.
- Roberts brings 40+ years of industry experience to the team.
- Global Airlines goals to deploy A380s on transatlantic services, acquiring a complete of 4 for its fleet.
The UK-based startup airline Global Airlines has appointed a former UK Airbus A380 chief engineer in preparation for the launch of its business operations. The news got here shortly after the airline performed its maiden Airbus A380 test flight.
Expanding its team
Global Airlines is making strides toward launching business operations, drawing attention to its progress. The airline is expanding its team and has recently appointed John Roberts to its Advisory Board. Having spent greater than 40 years within the industry, Roberts will offer operational and maintenance advice on the superjumbo aircraft to the Global team.
Along with his work as a chief engineer for the Airbus A380 within the UK, Roberts has gained experience through his roles at Dowty Fuel Systems and Messier-Dowty, the world’s largest company manufacturing aircraft landing gear. Roberts is a graduate of Brunel University, holding a level in Mechanical Engineering. He can also be a member of the Royal Aeronautical Society and a chartered engineer. Commenting on his appointment, Roberts said:
“The A380 is essentially the most distinctive aircraft within the sky, and I’m proud to have played a small part in its success because it entered into business operation in 2005. It remains to be a contemporary, latest technology aircraft, with two more a long time of full-time usage in front of it.”
Meanwhile, Kevin Billings OBE, Chair of Global’s Advisory Board, added that the airline,
Airbus A380 Startup Global Airlines: All the pieces You Need To Know
From the airline’s unconventional concept to the newest progress in acquiring A380s, there’s so much to find out about Global Airlines.
What are the airline’s future plans?
Founded in 2021, the startup carrier has been working hard over the past three years to amass aircraft and attain all of the required certifications. Despite facing skepticism at every turn, the airline has successfully managed to realize its short-term goals.
Photo: Global Airlines
In mid-February 2024, the airline’s first Airbus A380, registered as 9H-GLOBL, took to the skies above Mojave Air and Space Port on a brief test flight, marking a major step for Global Airlines towards the beginning of operations.
Global Airlines’ First Airbus A380 Performs Test Flight In California
The aircraft took to the skies above Mojave Air and Space Port earlier today on a brief test flight.
To this point, the airline has two A380s in its fleet – 9H-GLOBL and 9H-MIP, with plans to amass 4 in total, deploying them on transatlantic services from London to Latest York and Los Angeles.
In keeping with ch-aviation, Global’s first A380 was originally delivered to the Chinese carrier in March 2013, when it was registered as B-6140. China Southern Airlines previously operated a fleet of 5 A380s, totally on its transpacific routes, but officially retired its final super jumbo in 2023. It’s price noting that 9H-GLOBL was previously configured with a three-class layout during its service with China Southern: eight first-class seats, 70 business-class seats, and 428 economy-class seats.
While the brand new owner has abandoned plans for a ‘gamer class,’ the aircraft will undergo retrofitting to accommodate a three-class configuration with a capability of as much as 470 passengers. Nonetheless, the precise seating arrangement has yet to be disclosed.
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