Global Airlines First A380 Flight Ferried by Hi Fly with Gear Down

PRESTWICK- Hi Fly (5K) successfully conducted a historic ferry flight of Global Airlines A380 over a distance of 5000 nautical miles, from Mojave to Prestwick, with a stopover in Montreal Mirabel.

Commanded by Commander Carlos Mirpuri, supported by Captains Antonios Efthymiou and João Domingues, along with Engineer Brian Dellaringa, this milestone flight culminated in a meticulous, multi-month effort.

Photo: Gerard van der Schaaf | Flickr

Global Airlines A380 Flight

A dedicated team of experts from Hi Fly and Global worked tirelessly over 12 months to ensure the success of this operation.

Close collaboration between Hi Fly, Airbus, and Global Airlines was essential to determine the flight conditions. Since jacks were unavailable at Mojave Desert Airport, the Global Airlines A380-841, registered as 9H-GLOBL, had to be ferried to PIK for further maintenance before resuming regular operations.

The first leg of the journey from MHV to YMX lasted approximately 5 hours and 40 minutes, covering around 2150 nautical miles.

The second leg from YMX to PIK lasted about 7 hours and 44 minutes, covering approximately 2800 nautical miles. Additional flight time was planned to navigate around adverse weather conditions such as thunderstorms and severe icing.

The flights were conducted with the landing gear down to facilitate the required maintenance, resulting in slower speeds and lower altitudes, necessitating a fuel stop.

Photo: Hi Fly

Commander Remarks

Upon arrival, Commander Mirpuri admired the A380, describing it as an engineering marvel that never ceases to impress.

Despite the unique configuration of the A380 for this ferry flight, including the landing gears being locked down, the journey proceeded smoothly as anticipated. He extended his best wishes to Global Airlines for the successful operation of the aircraft and expressed eagerness to fly it again.

Completing the return-to-service tasks is now underway to ensure passengers can experience the joy of flying on this super jumbo.

Commander Mirpuri recounted the project’s inception, highlighting his initial conversation with James Asquith, Global Airline’s CEO, in early June 2023. Following that meeting, he assembled a team of top specialists who worked diligently alongside the Global team.

He commended their dedication and exceptional performance, noting their previous success with the Hi Fly A380 project launched six years ago.

Commander Mirpuri also expressed gratitude to Airbus for their collaborative efforts, emphasizing the numerous meetings held over the months leading up to the successful completion of the project.

This phase of the Global Airlines project involved over 4000-man hours of work to reactivate an aircraft that had been in storage for a little over a year.

The project will enter the next phase, which includes completing a C Check, interior renovation, and implementing upgrades.

Photo: Global Airlines

Collaboration for Future Flights

Hi Fly and Global Airlines and other partners are collaborating to prepare this Airbus A380 and others for future passenger flights. Global Airlines recognized Hi Fly’s unique expertise in advancing the project.

Hi Fly, a former A380 operator, belongs to an exclusive group of only 15 airlines operating this remarkable airliner.

Their renowned “Save the Coral Reefs” initiative visited over 50 different airports, establishing Hi Fly as a leader in the number of airports served by an A380 operator.

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