The Airbus A380, the world's biggest passenger plane to date,
made low flights across Victoria Harbor in central Hong Kong in a
flying exhibition shortly before the opening of Asia's largest air
show on Monday morning.
The superjumbo jet, 72.8 meters long and with a wingspan of 79.8
meters, thrilled spectators at the harbor by flying low against the
backdrop of dense skyscrapers nearby. The flight?made it
possible for people on the ground to have an unusually detailed
view.
The plane generated comparatively less noise as it flew over the
Victoria Harbor, a spectator was quoted by the local RTHK radio as
saying.
The plane arrived at Hong Kong's International Airport at Chek
Lap Kok at about 6:30 PM local time on Sunday. It took off from the
airport at about 7:53 AM local time on Monday.
Some got up early to gather at the Peak, of a hill on Hong Kong
Island, for a closer look at the "big bird."?The craft?is
expected to join about 10 aircraft on display at the Asian
Aerospace International Expo and Congress being held Monday through
Thursday.
The star of the conference scraped an airport building in
Bangkok, Thailand on Saturday during?one of its destinations
on an Asian tour of business promotion. The plane suffered slight
damages?to the left wing but was still able to continue
flying, officials said.
The Civil Aviation Department of Hong Kong requires?such
planes?to fly at 1,000 feet (305 meters) or above.
The A380 heads to Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday?as the
final stage of its tour.
The Asian Aerospace International Expo and Congress is
being?held in Hong Kong for the first time in 25 years. The
show moved from its original home in Singapore and currently
expects 500 exhibiting companies from more than 20 countries and
regions and 10,000 trade visitors.
Organizers said that the show dropped exhibitions from the
military sector after its move but added exhibitions focusing on
aircraft interiors and the air freight sector.
(Xinhua News Agency September 3, 2007)
