aviation - the past, present and future of flight

DELIVERY DAY

July 14, 2017 arrives and the final

preparations are being made for the flight

at 1900hrs. Having had a presentation on

the A350 XWB and a visit to the FAL the

previous day, the VIPs from Thailand, the

small media group and Thai personnel are

transferred to the Henri Ziegler Delivery

Centre. The check-in procedure is carried

out in exactly the same way as you would

find at any commercial airport, although in

a rather more relaxed style given the small

number of passengers travelling on this 321-

seat aircraft.

As this is a ‘goodwill flight’ (see panel), a

cocktail reception is hosted by the Executive

Director of the Airbus Foundation, Andrea

Debbane, and the details of the journey are

outlined by both Airbus and Thai’s Acting

President Usanee Sangsingkeo. This was

followed by a photo opportunity around the

aircraft involving Airbus Foundation and Thai

personnel, now joined by the flight crew.

Boarding the aircraft is again a relaxed

affair, though of course adhering to all the

relevant security protocols and checks. There

was no priority boarding as the 30 or so

passengers all flew in Thai’s Royal Silk class.

Once on board you notice the

unmistakeable ‘new car smell’ or in this case,

the ‘new aircraft smell’. The IFE handsets still

have the protective film on them.

The aircraft pushes back from the delivery

centre on the southwest side of the airport at

1856hrs CET and a few minutes later heads

towards Runway 32L.

Even though this was not a standard,

commercial flight, all the important safety

demonstrations and procedures were

completed. The aircraft lined up on 32L and

at 1910hrs ‘Hotel Foxtrot’ became airborne at

the start of the 11-hour flight to Bangkok.

Even though this is the fifth A350 XWB

for Thai, there was still a celebratory mood.

The Acting President of Thai Airways,

Usanee Sangsingkeo, took on the role of

flight attendant and served the passengers

canapés and Champagne before raising a

toast to the new aircraft.

While the guests were enjoying

themselves, the serious business of double

checking the interior systems continued.

The six cabin crew, in addition to the task

of looking after the passengers, were double

checking interior systems.

There will be further changes when the

aircraft reaches home, not least to the IFE

which was not yet fully functional. And the

http://www.aviation-news.co.uk 81

GOODWILL FLIGHT

The delivery of this particular A350 XWB,

although not significant in itself, had an added

element in that it provided an opportunity for the

Airbus Foundation and Thai Airways to organise

what the manufacturer calls a ‘goodwill flight’.

The foundation, in conjunction with Aviation

Without Borders and the International School of

Toulouse, had donated a consignment of 1,000

school supplies kits, comprising backpacks

and classroom stationery. The gifts were for

underprivileged children in the three most

southern provinces of the country that have

been affected by conflict in the region. The

cargo had been pre-loaded aboard the aircraft

the day before, so it wouldn’t delay anything on

delivery day itself. This was the fifth goodwill flight

organised by the foundation and Thai. Previous

initiatives have involved both A330 and A380

aircraft.

The Airbus Foundation is chaired by the

manufacturer’s CEO Tom Enders. The company

sets out to use its resources to drive innovation

and support humanitarian relief around the globe.

It can respond to needs as they arise.

In addition, it hopes to both inspire and prepare

young people for the challenges of what the

future might bring. Since its launch in December

2008, the foundation has facilitated more than 55

relief or goodwill flights to numerous destinations

carrying 700 tonnes of aid in the process.

Donated school supply kits are loaded into HS-THF ready for delivery to underprivileged

children in Thailand.

There are 32 lie-flat seats in Thai’s Royal silk class.

The colourful and distinctive economy cabin on Thai Airways’ latest A350 XWB. The carrier

says the design touches help make every flight “soothing and relaxing”.

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