The end of life for an aircraft raises the one question for any owner or lessor – how to maximise the value from it before you scrap it?
Emirates has signed a contract with UAE-based Falcon Aircraft Recycling, where its first retired A380 aircraft will be upcycled and recycled.
Well, at least it’s not all being coverted into keyrings – A6-EDA, the first Emirates A380 – Image, Emirates
The activities for this are being completed within the UAE.
Traditionally, retired aircraft are flown to remote locations and left to languish after being stripped for parts, focusing on the profitable components – leaving behind the frame and other parts of the aircraft that sit idle before either being stripped for other parts, components inside separated and broken up
Items can be difficult to recycle or dispose of, for instance, fire retardant fabrics and composite materials.
So how does this relate to the first Emirates A380?
After completing its last commercial flight, A6-EDA, the first A380 ever delivered to Emirates, was retired from service and brought to the airline’s Engineering Centre where Emirates engineers retrieved serviceable components such as engines, landing gears and flight control components.
After this work was done, the aircraft was deregistered and handed over to the Falcon Aircraft Recycling team to begin the process of carefully breaking down the aircraft.
Partnering with Wings Craft, another UAE-based firm that specialises in producing custom furniture and merchandise from aircraft materials, Falcon Aircraft Recycling will design and manufacture unique collectables and retail items from the materials and parts removed from the aircraft. These items will be launched for sale in phases over the coming months.
Including the first generation bar
A portion of profits from the sale of all items upcycled and recycled from Emirates’ first retired A380 will benefit the Emirates Airline Foundation.
A6-EDA was delivered from Airbus on 28th July 2008, with it having an active service life of just under 12 years. It flew 6,319 flights, visiting 62 airports in its service.
In Quotes
Sir Tim Clark, President Emirates airline said:
“We are delighted to partner with Falcon Aircraft Recycling on this first-of-its-kind project. That all repurposing activity will be fully executed in the UAE also speaks to the strong aviation eco-system and capabilities that the nation has built up in its short history. Through this initiative, our customers and fans can take home a piece of aviation history while saving valuable materials from landfill and contributing to a charitable cause through the Emirates Airline Foundation. It’s an elegant and fitting retirement solution for this iconic aircraft and our flagship.”
Andrew Tonks, Director of Falcon Aircraft Recycling said:
“This is our most ambitious project to date which will see the first deconstruction of an A380 outside of Europe. Approximately 190 tonnes of various metals, plastics, carbon fiber composites and other materials will be removed from the aircraft and passed on for recycling or repurposing via our upcycling programme with Wings Craft. The recovery programme will be delivered fully within the UAE and ensure that the majority of the aircraft will find a second life. We are proud to have won this contract which underscores Emirates’ confidence in the world-class capabilities available here in the UAE. Our teams are currently busy with the breakdown and final concepts for the first batch of unique upcycled items. We look forward to unveiling more information on the retail items soon.”
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