Friday, November 11

Many aviation fans and the usual kaypoh and sua-ku Singaporeans, who jump at anything new 'cos they haven't been out there too long, gathered at the Changi Airport this morning for a chance to see what is probably the largest bird you can see in the sky. Probably, 'cos it looks like a toy, really. I think that could explain the fast-diminishing crowds at the Viewing Gallery directing facing the aircraft.

Anyway, I'm glad to have survived the morning hangover (forgot to dunk a cup of Starbucks mocha. right.) and made the hour-long trip there. Many experts gathered at the Terminal 1 Viewing Gallery hoping for a landing that could be captured in its full glory with its wide angled view of the runway 02L/20R, but it chose to land at 02C/20C, which is alongside the gates at Terminal 2 and also the Gate F31 which the A380 will dock during its 14-hour stay here in Singapore. (This runway used to be called 02R/20L, but now it refers to the third Changi East Runway, being used exclusively by F-16's belonging to RSAF 145 Sqn.)

Many of us stayed at T1 even after taking a landing shot, since we were hoping that it would make a parade round the whole airport. It was not without reason, since the A380 went to Southern Cross, the huge overhead bridge across the vehicular road Airport Boulevard, for testing. Logically, it should then head over to T1's taxiways, which were observed to be closed. But sadly, the A380 made a U-turn at the foot of the bridge back to F31, while runway 02L/20R and its neighbouring taxiways were opened again.

So we had no choice but to pop over to the T2 Viewing Gallery, which directly faces Gate F31. Not a satisfactory trip, as the windows were tinted and its sills make for a far-from-perfect shot of the big bird. And we were unimpressed; it did not look magnificent or special. It sure is very compact for a double-decked aircraft, which probably added to its effect that it wasn't long, an attribute people are used to when refering to the size of a plane. But its wingspan is disappointingly short. It looked like any other plane, leh.

"What? This is the A380?"
"Why so small? I see the pictures on the Internet, very big leh. Now I see, where got 'fierce'?"
"I think they send the wrong plane by mistake, lah."
"Lols."

It will leave Gate F31 at 6pm for the hangar for some repainting works (for Qantas 85th Birthday Bash) before departing at midnight for Brisbane. It will arrive at 8am (Brisbane time).

Other shots:

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