Entebbe Passes Airbus A380 Test

Entebbe International Airport is now able to accommodate the world's biggest airplane, the Airbus A380 after the simulation tests carried out at the airport concluded.

This was disclosed by Mr. Rama Makuza, the Managing Director of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) during the opening of Emirates airways' sales office at the Entebbe International Airport last week.

The Airbus A380 is a double-deck, wide-body, four-engine airliner manufactured by the European corporation Airbus and is the largest passenger airliner in the world.

Designed to challenge Boeing's monopoly in the large-aircraft market, the A380 made its maiden flight on April 27, 2005 and entered commercial service in October 2007 with Singapore Airlines.

Makuza said that Emirates airways that currently has a fleet of 153 aircrafts, 15 of which are Airbus A380 model, asked CAA to provide technical support to the airliner in terms of provision of an emergency landing point.

"I am happy to note that the simulation tests carried out on the airport and runway have indicated that Airbus A380 is able to land at Entebbe. Owing to its extensive wingspan, the pilots will have to however shut down the two outer engines", Makuza added.

Makuza said that the Airbus A380 that Emirates plans to use for flights to the Americas will only use Entebbe as an emergency landing point in the event that a diversion occurs.

Mr. Jabr Alazeeby, Country Manager Emirates Uganda said that for now, the Airbus A380 will only use Entebbe Airport as an emergency landing point and not for passenger transport.

"While launching the route to the Americas, we had to look out for areas where we could have emergency landings and Entebbe passed the test. Ideally, the Airbus A380 will just fly over Entebbe but will only land in case of an emergency", he said.

Emirates, the Dubai-based international career currently operates in 113 destinations in 66 countries across six continents.

The increased interest from many international airlines in Entebbe has made CAA to review their development plans. Qatar air that starts operations in Uganda in November 2011 joins a long list of International airliners plying the route to the 'Pearl of Africa'.

Makuza said that starting July this year, the regulator will draft a 5 year development master plan to overhaul most of the facilities at the airport.

Makuza said that areas that will be looked into include expansion of the aircraft apron, expansion of the airport's parking facility to make it a storeyed facility so as to cater for the increasing passenger numbers. An aircraft maintenance centre will also be constructed as well as expansion of the passenger terminal building.

He said this will require the private sector or in cases where resources have to be pooled, a consortium of private investors will be required to come on board.

The new sales office commissioned at Entebbe airport will ease the burden that customers have been experiencing in case they needed to re-book a flight.

It will also reduce the inconveniences customers have been experiencing mostly over the weekends as the office in Kampala is open half day on Saturday and closed on Sundays.