Dear Readers
First of all I would like to thank you for taking the time to read this report.
This history begins on June 17, 2008. That morning day I receive a messenger (SMS) telling me: at 13:30 (11:30 UTC) is expected to takeoff of the future CC-CVV of LAN an A318 MSN 3509 on its first flight and also at 14:00 (12:00 UTC) is schedule to takeoff the A380 MSN 011 of Emirates on a flight test, this plane will be A6-EDA. I arrange to get of my work a bit early so I could go to the airport to take photos of the A318, because is a plane that I don’t try to loose it.
But, as I have more time, and the A380 was schedule to flight, I decide to spend more time at the airport and take it a photo.
At this time I would like to thanks to Rodrigo E and Karsten A, for their help on information and data that they send me, because without it, I could not had done this report.
" Thank You for your Support "
Arriving at the airport, I check the runway (listening to my radio scanner) and I took the decision to get the A318 while its on its way to takeoff.
After taking the photos to the A318, I saw the A380 getting into another position for takeoff so I decide also to change position, because I want it to get i ton Takeoff. And this are the result.
After all my Photo hunting, I went back to my hose very happy, and after that I prepare the photos and uploaded to well know aeronautical photography website.
The Photos had been viewed many times and that made me very happy.
On June 29, 2008 I recive an e-mail. When I start reading it I became a little impressed, it was from the columnist Richard Maslen of Airliner World magazine, where he wrote that the the magazine was interested in my pictures to be published in the edition of September 2008.
He want it the same photo that I had published on JetPhotos, but this one had meet certain requirements of size and resolution, and the problems began for me, because I have the software to edit my photos, but I’m not an expert doint it, so I contacted my friends Carlos V. and Fernando O. to request their help with this issue. After several exchanges of e-mail with my them got to edit the photo as Richard require and I send it to him.
On July 07, 2008 I receive another e-mail from Richard Maslen, thanking me for the photo and asking if I had more photos from that day, so I set another three photos and send it to him.
My Answer to that email was as follows:
Hi Rich,
But there is something in my mind I like to suggest and I ask you to discuss this internally whether it would be possible or not.
For me, as a plane spotter, this would be the realisation of my dreams to participate in an event like this one.
Thanks a lot for advising your plan. I’m looking forward to meet with you on the 27th of July.
And this is my suggestion: Key Publishing receive my photos free of charge for their usage at Airliner World. For this I ask Key Publishing to compensate this with an invitation, for my person, to participate at the delivery ceremony of the first A380 to EMIRATES on 28th of July 08 here in Hamburg.
Please, don’t misunderstand my intention. I’m very proud and happy that Key Publishing showing interest at my work and decided and for my photo.
For me, this hobby is the balance to my daily life and I never was on a hunt for the perfect picture to gain any money and it never will be. The hunt for the perfect picture will be my wonderfully hobby, as well for the future.
I hope not be too straight forward with my suggestion, but it would be truly the realization of a dream.
I hope to hear from you.
Regards
Alejandro
On July 11, 2008, alter two days of waiting, I receive the email from Richar Maslen, telling me that he understand my situation, because it was really hard to get an invitation for this ceremony even for the magazine, but he will contact Emirate to se what can be done.
After a hard day of work, arriving late at night that July 11, big was my surprise when I find an e-mail from Richar asking me for my personal data, because he got me the Honor to be part on the delivery ceremony of the first Emirates A380 as official photographer for the Airliner World Magazine. Also he told me to contact the press room of Airbus to confirm some details… You can imagine the happiness, proud and joy that I had on that moment.
On July 12, 2008, I contact the Press Room of Airbus, and confirm my data. They give me the complete ceremony schedule of July 28.
July 28, 2008
Finally the date came, I was up early, and all my photographic equipment was prepared the day before. All set and on my way to the Airbus plant. Richard send me a SMS and tell me that also he is on its way and that we will meet at the plant.
After parking on the visitor’s parking lot of the Airbus facility I walk some steps to the main entrance.
After 20 minutes of walking, and washing many airplanes on construction, finally arrive at the Delivery Center, where is the press room, in which I will receive the official accreditation for the ceremony.
After receiving the official accreditation
I receive also a press folder, where are all the details of the ceremony including the schedule.
After that.. I was kindly invited to take breakfast… It was really good
Now, after Clarence the formal staff, begging my work, photos, photos and photos.
At this time very important guesses start to arrive.
And finally its time to enter, as always do, a few minutes early so I can catch some images.
The main entrance
At the stairs , been received by a hostesses or TCP from Emirates showing its new uniforms
The welcome party at the ceremony
And of course I couldn’t resist to take me a photo with this beauties.
Before the ceremony start I took some photos of the place and people
At 10:00 local time (08:00 UTC), right on time, the ceremony began with the presentation of the A380 in Emirates colors.
At the end of the presentation the announcer give us a great welcome to all guesses and some other represents. .
Now directing to us Mr. Tom Enders President & Chief Executive Officer - Airbus
Then, continuing with the speech Mr. Bruce Hughes Chief Executive Officer - Engine Alliance
And finally, ending the speeches HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum Chairman & Chief Executive Officer- Emirates
After the speech of HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, he also Leigh a new purchase order for 30 A330 and 30 A350. At this time they are singing the contract of this purchase order.
After the contract were sing, they Exchange some gift from one company to the other
After this gift exchange, the delivery ceremony start, with an artistic presentation, followed by a multimedia presentation of Emirate Routs.
Also are presented the new official uniform of Emirate a long with a singer.
Finally, the time has come… an un-describe moment arrive, full of emotions, the light got off and the curtain drop down, where the Airbus workers at Hamburg accompanying the first A380 delivered at the Finkenwerder plant.
After the Airplane presentation, HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum President, Manager and Owner of Emirates take the first look of its new airplane been accompanying by Tom Enders President and Manager of Airbus. Both of them were received , with thunders applauses by the Airbus’ workers
After this both celebrities when down, all the guesses where available to pass and take a look of the main event. I think that photos tell more than words…
After the Emirate and Airbus representatives got into the Airplane, I change position to get other angle
After that, began the preparation for the representatives to the down from the plane.
The door open it, and the act start, starting with the crew.
Alter them… the representatives
Where they got close to the press people for the official photo.
After the official photos, the Emirate and Airbus representatives were droved to the Delivery Center, the international press also went with them. As they left they were given a big farewell from the Airbus workers.
After that moment,I was impress, because all the press was not interested on the airplane, they left to the Delivery Center, so the ramp was only me and some Airbus workers, so I start to look carefully this beauty and I start to take more photos.
And of course I couldn’t resist to take me a Photo with one of this huge engines. For you to realize the size of them, my high is 1,70 m.
After that, on the Delivery Center, I try to get closer to Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum President, Manager and owner of Emirates, to take him a Photo, but as I was expecting, it was surrounded by all the international press, and this is the only Photo that I could made.
After a second breakfast, a coffee and some sandwich it was time to get into the new Emirate A380.
Entering I fund my self in front of the forward stairs, with drive you to the second floor or “Upper Deck” (that will come later), but I turn right and into the first floor “Main Deck”
Important configuration Data.
Main Deck ( Economy Class )
399 seats in configuration 3 – 4 – 3 ( rows 43 – 88 )
except row 67 2 – 4 – 2 y row 80 2 – x – 2
All this separated on three sections of 76, 135 y 188 seats.
Upper Deck ( First and Business Class )
First Class ( row 1 – 4 )
14 seats on configuration 1 – 2 – 1
except row 4 1 - x - 1
14 seats on configuration 1 – 2 – 1
except row 4 1 - x - 1
Business Class ( row 6 – 26 )
76 seats on configuration 1 – 2 – 1 on two different sections of 58 y 18 seats.
76 seats on configuration 1 – 2 – 1 on two different sections of 58 y 18 seats.
Other Data:
The Crew resting area is at the rear end of the first floor “Main Deck” .
The “onboard Lounge” is located at the rear end of the second floor “Upper Deck”
And the “Onboard shower spa” only for First Class passengers, are located at the front end of the second floor “upper Deck”
And at the entrance, under the front stair is located the office of the crew’s cheif where it has all the necessary instrumentation to control the passenger cabin.
Then to Economy
Here you can see the “ Crew Rest Area ”
And of course, I couldn’t resist to take the most comfort and spaced seats on economy, where you really have space to spreads your legs.
Here you can see the outsider view from this seat
I had arrived to the rear part of the Aircraft where is another stair that unite the “Main Deck” and “Upper Deck”.
Climbing the stair you arrive at the Bar or Onboard Lounge, that is only for business and first class passengers.
Going into Business Class
And of course, I took a seat on it.
Now entering into the “First Class” World
One of the most interesting details of the seat from first class is that you can control it completely form a touch screen at the side of the seat. The controls include a massage program that is included in the seat… incredible ¿no?
Of course I toke a seat on first class, but I was unavailable to get some one to take me a Photo, because, as you can see, everybody wants to see and feel the first class seat.
And now, the post important part of the airplane
The Shower
A revolution on civil aviation.
And then I get where I started
Getting down from the right front door, I was saying good by the crew with a very kindly:
“ Thank You for your visit, Your Welcome ”.
Of course I spend some time at the stair taking this shoots
Work well done and great shoots were made. A memorable journey, full this greats emotions, that I will never forget..
But before leaving, it was lunch time, and of course a didn’t with this great view. Personally I think is one of the best view that you can have during lunch
After this great lunch, its time to leave, I say good bye and also I thanks to the Airbus Press people, but they had me the last surprise, they told me to go to the Delivery Center, because Emirates has a present for all the guesses to the ceremony.
After a few meters walking, I arrive at the Deliver Center, where I was received by an Emirate’s Crew. They were saluting in different languages between them Spanish. A lady salute me in Spanish, she is from Uruguay, so I personally congratulate her for the new airplane and that it was an honor for me to meet a Latino American compatriot that flight on this incredible airplane.
After that, she give me this incredible present
This is an amazing present, that I really like very much, and every time I see it, I remember the incredible memories from that ceremony.
Well, I thank her very much for the present, and I ask her a favour, that she done it.
The favour was that she could give me two more present, because I want it to give them to tow persons, that they deserve it as much as I do, because without them, I wouldn’t be available to assist to this event, after she listen to me, she pass me two more presents, and she told me something that I will never forget “Living this kind of event, is an honor for everyone that is related with the civil aviation, and its more for those that live de aviation as a hobby, I wish you a lot of luck for the future” A very nice word, that like I say, I will never forget them, I say goodbye to her and thanks her from the bottom of my heart.
I start to walking to the car, instead to take the bus, again for try to see more airplanes at the construction site.
Well, at my home, I download the photos from my camera and I place it on a DVD, because in a few hours I had to meet with Richard Manslen, to give him the photos from the ceremony, because he will chose some of them to publish it on the September edition of Airliner World Review magazine.
Summary
Analysing the moments that I has lived, and after this great event, I fell very proud of be available to assist to this ceremony.
This was the result of a long way with a lot of cost, passion, patience, thanks to it I was available to achieve this goal like this one, because only a few lucky people has the opportunity to assist and I was one of them.
Personally this hobby for me is to keep the balance on my live, because I can take out of me the stress of the daily routine.
Also I would like to thanks to my dear wife and lovely daughter whom support me and also congratulate me of my success for example when a well know web site accept me a photo or when a photo of my is choose it to be published on a world class magazine.
Ending my report, I also want to thank to you, all the readers, who toke the time to read this report.
Best Regards,
Alejandro