A380 making China trek

Just before this years ITCA Asia Pacific event, an A380 will touch down in the nation’s capital of Beijing, with a scheduled stop the next day to Shanghai before returning to Toulouse.

The trip will be to build up the 300 hours for certification. The trip will give Airbus 150 hours that will take the aircraft to 10 airports. The aircraft will fly without passengers, instead with heat generating passenger dummies, and sensors will be used to test the systems. Catering the aircraft will be part of the testing in addition to bridge docking, refueling and boarding.

The first A380 will be delivered to Singapore Airlines in October of 2007.