Lufthansa Technik Philippines (LTP) has finished its first 12-year check on a Lufthansa Airlines Airbus A380 widebody airliner, signaling the return of the world’s largest passenger aircraft to the German flag carrier’s fleet.
Bearing registration D-AIMC and dubbed “Mike Charlie,” the aircraft’s 500 seats and two passenger decks were completely pulled out and later reinstalled on a layover in the capital city of Manila.
Engineering teams also conducted a complete replacement of the A380’s landing gear, which features five individual gear assemblies and a total of 22 wheels. Lufthansa Technik Landing Gear Services (LTLGS), located in London, is now overhauling the airliner’s four main landing gear components to near-new condition.
As part of the 12-year check, LTP removed all four Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engines for a detailed inspection of the A380’s wings and engine mounts. With a diameter of roughly three meters at the air intake and a dry weight exceeding 6 tonnes, the engines will undergo minor inspections, LTP said in a written statement. It also performed modifications in response to Airbus airworthiness directives.
More than 100 mechanics carried out the detailed inspection during peak times in Manila before the airplane returned to Frankfurt, Germany. LTP is now conducting its second 12-year check on a Lufthansa Airlines A380.
To cope with increasing demand, the MRO provider has invested heavily in its in-house capacities with a 9,000-square-meter hangar where it can overhaul three superjumbos simultaneously. LTP's other A380 customers include Asiana Airlines and Emirates.
“The return of the A380 to the fleets of so many airlines have also boosted demand for maintenance services enormously," said CEO Elmar Lutter. "We are benefiting quite well from this with our A380 expertise here in Manila, that we recently even expanded with the third overhaul line. In view of the delays in the delivery of numerous new widebody aircraft, I am certain that services for the A380 will remain an integral part of our portfolio for years to come.”