Emirates overhauls its first A380

In a round-the-clock operation taking 55 days, two teams of highly specialised engineers stripped the entire interior of the double-decked aircraft to the bare metal hull, inspected and overhauled every single part, and then put the plane components back together again. 

“The entire check is meticulously planned with no room for delays. Grounding an aircraft for such a long time is a tremendous expense which means that our engineering teams must not only work extremely efficiently, but also deliver to a superior standard,” said Colin Disspain, vice president of base engineering at Emirates. 

“Here in Dubai, we operate aircraft under some of the world’s toughest conditions, including soaring temperatures and a sandy environment. This requires Emirates to increase maintenance standards to our specific situation. For example, parts often need to be exchanged instead of just cleaned in order to achieve our high level of quality and precision.” 

The check was completed with a rigorous test flight before being put back into regular service, in this case, carrying passengers to Brisbane and Auckland. 

“The aircraft has been fully overhauled during its 3C-Check. We return it in a pristine condition, just as it originally left the factory. It’s like having a brand- new A380 again," said Disspain.