Lufthansa Technik Philippines (LTP) has achieved a significant milestone in aviation maintenance, having completed its first twelve-year check on an Airbus A380.
The aircraft, registered as D-AIMC, has now been returned to Germany. The 509-seat aircraft entered Lufthansa’s fleet in August 2010, logging 42,000 flying hours and 4,300 take-off and landing cycles.
The twelve-year check is a comprehensive and rigorous process involving intensive aircraft structure inspections. This procedure is more extensive than the less frequent three- or six-year checks.
As part of the check, more than 500 passenger seats and all other monuments from the two passenger decks were removed and then reinstalled.
One of the major tasks during this check was the complete replacement of the landing gear, which on the Airbus A380 consists of five individual gear assemblies with a total of 22 wheels.
After twelve years of service, these highly stressed components, which have to absorb a maximum take-off weight of up to 560 tons on a fully loaded A380, have reached the end of their scheduled service life.
Over 100 aircraft mechanics worked on D-AIMC at peak times as part of the twelve-year check.
The aircraft is almost ready to return to active scheduled service with Lufthansa.
Elmar Lutter, Chief Executive Officer of Lufthansa Technik Philippines, commented on the achievement, stating that the demand for maintenance services has increased due to the return of the A380 to the fleets of many airlines.
Lutter said:
The return of the A380 to the fleets of many airlines has also boosted demand for maintenance services enormously. We are benefiting quite well from this with our A380 expertise here in Manila, that we recently even expanded with the third overhaul line.
Another Airbus A380, registered as D-AIMH, is scheduled for a 12-year check in Manila. D-AIMH was flown in from Frankfurt to Manila on February 11th, as per LTP.
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