Encounters of the second type

Isabelle Devatine-Lacaze, Airbus ground operations senior engineer, was in Singapore on the previous occasion. Watching the imposing mass of the aircraft roll slowly to its parking space, she explains: “Last time we performed partial tests only. This time we are performing the full tests, which means all ground services equipment and vehicles are being positioned around the aircraft.”

Indeed, a small fleet soon surrounds the aircraft with teams of technicians, closely followed by photographers and video crew as Changi airport intends to record the tests for their own training needs. First the ground power units then the air conditioning truck are connected to the aircraft while the passenger jetways move forward. Changi airport can provide three of them although two are sufficient for the A380.

The luggage and cargo loaders are next in line, one at the front, one at the rear, then the cleaning and catering equipment. Today Changi airport is testing an upper deck catering prototype vehicle, a special unit that can reach the upper deck door of the A380. “This is the fifth prototype being tested,” says Isabelle. The A380 has already successfully performed full compatibility tests in Frankfurt, Sydney, Melbourne, Kuala Lumpur and partial tests in Brisbane, Dubai and on the aircraft’s previous visit to Singapore.

“The A380 has been designed to be compatible with the same ground handling equipment as that of any other widebody aircraft,” says Isabelle. “The only differences are the height of the aircraft for the one upper deck catering access and the mass of the aircraft which requires a more powerful tow tractor.”

These tests have proved once again that the A380 can be handled with existing equipment.