It’s Sunday again, so it must be time for some more Airplane Art.
We’ve gone a little back into the archives this week (well if you call November 2018 far back in time), with an Air Transat Airbus A310 taking off from Manchester Airport as it heads back to Canada.
Air Transat has retired its Airbus A310 fleet, with the entire fleet grounded in 2020.
The airline currently operates an all-Airbus fleet of Airbus A321-200, Airbus A321LR (which replaced the A310) Airbus A330-200 and Airbus A330-300, with a total of 28 aircraft in its fleet (with the A330 fleet mostly parked at the moment).
This aircraft – C-GSAT – was grounded and stored in March 2020, with the aircraft scrapped. It originally entered service with Emirates in February 1992. It then moved onto Kenya Airways in May 2000, with it finally joining Air Transat in August 2001, where it remained for the rest of its career.
More Airplane Art Next Week!
Photographers Notes
- Camera: Canon EOS R
- Lens: Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6 with RF to EF adaptor
- Settings: ISO125, 220mm. 1/400 at f7.1
- Shot from: Machester Airport Ringway Aviation Park
- Shot in: November 2018
- Processed in Adobe Lightroom and Lumiar Ai
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Air Transat Airbus A310-300 C-GPAT was operating TS961 when it departed Varadero (Cuba) airport on March 6th, 2005 to return to Quebec City. About 15 minutes after departing VRA, the entire rudder assembly ”blew” off its hinges and separated from the tail. The flight crew attempted to contact FLL tower but Air Transat operations informed them returning to VRA would be the more prudent option. TS961 returned to VRA safely; a photograph taken after the rudder separation shows very little remaining of it.
This particular Airbus A310 was placed into service in 1991 and was a member of the Emirates fleet before it was taken on by Air Transat. According to the Transport Canada/Air Transportation Safety Board(?) accident report, the lost rudder was the original assembly that was installed by Airbus at the time of manufacture.
C-GPAT was stored in March of 2020 and was eventually scrapped in October of 2021. Air Transat’s Airbus A310 fleet is being replaced by newer (and more fuel efficient) A321NEO/LR planes.