Qantas Airbus A380 VH-OQA made the types first visit to NZ 09Oct arriving at Auckland 2350LT from Sydney as QFA6601. Its visit coincided with the opening of Auckland International Airport's terminal extension which took place 10Oct.
As QFA6600, the A380 lifted off runway 23L at 1012LT 10Oct with 326 POB and climbed to 3000ft for a flight over Auckland CBD then east to the northern tip of the Coromandel Peninsula before tracking north over Great Barrier Island and then over Whangarei before heading south down the Kaipara Harbour to Piha then east again over the city for an instrument approach to runway 23L at Auckland.. At approximately 2 mile final the aircraft carried out a go-around following a windshear warning and climbed to 3000ft before heading back towards the city, then north to Tiritiri Matangi before making a left turn and tracking down the coast for a landing onto runway 23L at 1126LT.
As QFA6600, the A380 lifted off runway 23L at 1012LT 10Oct with 326 POB and climbed to 3000ft for a flight over Auckland CBD then east to the northern tip of the Coromandel Peninsula before tracking north over Great Barrier Island and then over Whangarei before heading south down the Kaipara Harbour to Piha then east again over the city for an instrument approach to runway 23L at Auckland.. At approximately 2 mile final the aircraft carried out a go-around following a windshear warning and climbed to 3000ft before heading back towards the city, then north to Tiritiri Matangi before making a left turn and tracking down the coast for a landing onto runway 23L at 1126LT.
The aircraft then departed just after 1500LT for Sydney as QFA6602.
