The plane that will eventually shuttle Germany’s chancellor around the world operated a pretty remarkable journey this weekend, though I’m not sure I totally get why…
Continue reading: New German Air Force A350 Operates Epic Round The World Flight
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I’m guessing it was testing the safety/military grade equipment installed by the german air force after delivery. Potentially needing to test certain connections from as far from Germany as they’ll ever be to make sure everything is in working order.
A journalist at the local Canberra ABC radio station tweeted about this, and posted this video of it arriving here. Not a very good view of the aircraft, though. https://twitter.com/JulianBAbbott/status/1330071219312398336?s=20
The longest flight to Canberra. Before Covid the city only had two international commercial services, QR to and from Doha via Sydney and Singapore Airlines on a triangular route SIN-SYD-CBR-SYD.
Two years ago I saw the A340 Konrad Adenauer parked at BOS, when Merkel was in town to give the Harvard commencement address.
The livery was BEAUTIFUL in person! Very classy and classic.
And @Mark is probably right. I'd imagine there were a lot of security protocols (involving both people and technology) that needed to be tested, tried out, rehearsed, etc. before travel involving a head of state.
The German Air Force recently switched its military communication from satellite network A to network B, this flight aimed at testing new equipment and network connectivity, along with a new crewing scheme for their VIP flights.
I didn’t remember Merkel flew commercial in 2018. And .... ugh .... on Iberia.
The whole thing was and is entirely hilarious. First the media is bringing stories almost every day for weeks how this and that airplane, barely used A340s from LH after all, are delayed and need maintenance and this and that, and then these people spend billions of German taxpayer´s money for three luxury jets. Total banana republic this has become.
Before the leader of my country flew in a brand new plane - undoubtedly with special modifications - I'd sure as hell want to have some real life tests completed first.
Most likely this was an "off station trainer" (OST) mission for the German Air Force to get some real world reps. Yes, all emergency procedures, takeoffs, approaches, and landings can be accomplished in the simulator, but the actual flow of getting the crew to the aircraft, having the attendants purchase meals and operate the galley, testing the satellite connections... all of that working seamlessly together at .85 Mach and while crossing the Pacific Ocean far from Germany... it can't be simulated.
The US military does similar "OST" type missions, especially for the VIP transportation fleet. They will take the communications team, flight attendants, and pilots. Comm guys will test the comm systems, pilots will work on their flight tasks, and the cabin crew will practice preparing meals and serving them. Usually they don't plan these OSTs to terrible locations.
Training mission for crew and plane, including fitness tests. See https://www.aero.de/news-37738/Luftwaffe-A350-fliegt-einmal-um-die-Welt.html
A long segment over land, another one over water. And both far away from home. Seems to be the right routine to test a military spec passenger aircraft destined to carry the country's decision makers.
I saw the plane parked in Papeete on someone's Instagram story and wondered what it was doing there but couldn't really find anything.
Go figure a day later there's an OMAAT post about it! Thanks Ben, very convenient 🙂
German media outlets reported that it was mainly to check how these ultra long range flights are for the crew, similar to qantas first perth london flight. They had medical staff on board to check them. This plane isn't fitted out with any military equipment or real vip cabin yet. The second a350 will have the full vip cabin, communication and defense equipment onboard. After taking this plane into service the first a350 will be retrofitted with the whole kit. This was planned pre corona when the air force needed an immediate replacement jet.
I don’t think the interior will look anything like your “could look” photo.
It will be comfortable but functional with no oligarchs or celebrity bling.
I'm more curious about why they flew to Canberra?
Why not one of the other state capitals in Australia (SYD, MEL, BNE, ADL etc) given the current arrival caps for scheduled traffic?
Was there perhaps a tie-up with the RAAF or Aussie government?
@AvNerd Military aircraft would get an exemption to arrival caps. I would be shocked if anyone would see this as scheduled service.
My Guess for why it was Canberra is that it's the Australian capital would be the airport any future flights would arrive in with some possible exceptions. Also it could just be easier to get the clearance at Canberra.
Does anyone know if these aircraft have medevac capabilities? I know some airlines have specially modified aircraft which can be used to transport sick or injured people. The seats are taken out and the entire cabin is fitted with beds and medical equipment. Think of large natural disasters like the 2006 tsunami, with thousands of foreigners needing to be sent home.
@AvNerd and @Klavs, correct the arrival caps are all about the government managed quarantine hotels, not the aircraft per se. Organisations that are able to arrange a suitable quarantine facility elsewhere, be they sporting teams, corporations or even film crews, are allowed to do that outside the caps. I'm sure there are similar arrangements for the crews of State Aircraft. Canberra is also a joint civil and military airport, so it could use the military parking aprons, and as the national capital it's a logical place for a VIP aircraft to have a 'practice' run to.
To AvNerd's point about state capitals being the designated arrival cities for passengers in the capped numbers, Canberra has had two flights IIRC (Kathmandu and New Delhi) and is going to receive another tomorrow (Thursday). Its pax will go into hotel quarantine managed by the ACT government.
@Andreas It's probably is going to have medevac capability, as all aircraft of the vip fleet have this capability and are often used for that missions. Even the open skies aircraft has medevac capabilities. But not in a sense of mass evacuation, they are fitted typically with just two or four patient transport units. The A310s were used to transport more patients, in future the a321lr, a400m and the a330s will fulfill that role
I am curious if it can be refueled in the air like Air Force 1, as well as if it's EMP-hardened (also like Air Force 1). It would be interesting to know if the mission statement for their AJ350's is to be able to operate nonstop during wartime, including nuclear war like Air Force 1.
Even though they I stalled an interim VIP cabin, they already did install all essential communication features
@jbr no they have none of these capabilities, they are going to be fitted with a self protection system like dircm, military communication and military iff system, basically the same type of equipment as the a340s.
I DEFINITELY would NOT want to have been on these flights. Super long flights, almost no down time in the stop cities. No time for sightseeing, and certainly no time to deal with jet lag! UGH.
This guy made an awesome video of the plane landing in PPT. https://youtu.be/kWx5ZldEeAY
What’s the significance of the 10+03 designation? The old Adenauer was 10+21 and the new Adenauer was 16+01. I’m sure there is some symbolic significance.