Aircraft

Airbus is to send one of the A380 test aircraft to the Asian Aerospace air show in Singapore next month and will have it flying in the full livery of national carrier and launch customer Singapore Airlines (SIA).

“An A380 will be decked out in full SIA colours” and will be participating in Asian Aerospace 2006, Star Alliance carrier SIA says.

One of eight A380s (MSN003) already in production for SIA is pictured below emerging from Airbus’s factory in Toulouse. The airframer recently painted an A380 in the colours of Emirates Airline in December for the Dubai air show.

The double-deck aircraft will be at the static display area each day of the show, which runs 21-26 February, and Airbus test pilots will perform daily flight demonstrations.

SIA, which will be the first operator of the A380, has 10 on order with the first to be delivered in November in time for it to be put into service before the end of the year.

LEITHEN FRANCIS / SINGAPORE