Airbus is offering a rare chance to own a piece of aviation history. The European planemaker will be inviting bids for parts of a retired Emirates aircraft – an Airbus A380 superjumbo – at the three-day auction set to take place on October 13, 14 and 15 at its headquarters in Toulouse, France.
“The A380 took off from Toulouse-Blagnac airport on its maiden flight on 27 April 2005. This global event, which remains etched in our collective memory, marked the beginning of a real love affair between this exceptional aircraft and people around the world,” Airbus stated on its website.
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Now, A380 fiends who wish to hold on to memory of the largest passenger plane in the world, can collect a very exclusive keepsake.
Over 500 parts of the iconic superjumbo A380 MSN13 that was deconstructed by aircraft recycling company Tarmac Aerosave in 2021, will feature during the auction.
“More than 500 items, mostly from the cabin of this iconic aircraft, will be offered to enthusiasts, such as lamps, a bar, staircase, windows, seats, engine blades, and even the orange jumpsuit of the A380 test pilots,” Airbus said.
Here are some of the elusive memorabilia:
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- Side panel of fuselage — Estimation: €400-€800
- Row of three seats with screen — Estimation: €1000-€2000
- Cockpit staircase — Estimation: €2000-€3000
- Rear engine cone in 3 parts — Estimation: €10000-€15000
- Engine intake — Estimation: €15000-€20000
Auctioneer Marc Labarbe will be hosting the A380 auction, proceeds from which will go to Airbus Foundation – the company’s corporate philanthropy offshoot handling humanitarian aid and other charitable initiatives.
An absolute beast
Airbus unveiled the first prototype of the iconic wide-body airliner on January 18, 2005 and its first flight came on April 27 that year. The world’s largest passenger aircraft, an A380 typically operates with a seating capacity for 525 passengers but has certified room for up to 853 fliers.
In February 2019, the aerospace company announced it was scrapping the production of the A380 in favour of relatively fuel-efficient twin-engine aircraft.
The last of this line, the 251st A380, was sold to Emirates in December 2021.
