This week it was an historic occasion at Dublin Airport on Tuesday 16 January when B-2480 Boeing 747-89L msn 41194 Air China callsign ‘CCA001’ touched down on runway 28L at 2017 local from Zurich Airport, making it the largest ever commercial aircraft to arrive at Dublin Airport.
The Air China aircraft, carrying Chinese Premier Li Qiang start of a two day visit to Ireland, during which he will meet with President Michael D Higgins and Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, before departing from Dublin Airport on the same aircraft on Wednesday 17 January as ‘CCA001’ on runway 28R at 1451 local direct to Beijing.
The aircraft B-2480 was delivered to Air China on 18 June 2015 in 365 seat configuration with 12 first class, 54 Business class, 66 Premium economy and 233 economy class seats powered by four GEnx-2B67 engines. Air China operates a fleet of 8 Boeing 747-800 aircraft. The 747-8 platform features an advanced design and engines, offering a 16% improvement in fuel use and CO2 emissions per tonne and a 30% smaller noise footprint compared to the previous generation of aircraft.
The Boeing 747-8 aircraft has a wingspan of 68 metres and is 76 metres long, which is bigger than the current largest commercial aircraft to land at Dublin Airport – the B747-400 which has a wingspan measuring 64 metres and is 71 long. The largest aircraft of any kind to land at Dublin Airport is the military Lockheed C-5 Galaxy, with a wingspan of 67 metres and a length of 75 metres, which last visited Dublin in 2019.
daa Media Relations Manager Graeme McQueen, said “This will be the biggest commercial aircraft to ever land at Dublin Airport and will join the long list of landmark moments in the long history of the airport, which this week celebrates its 84th birthday. The runways at Dublin Airport have just about seen it all over the past eight decades, from numerous US Presidents, through to The Beatles and several Popes, but this is a first and the arrival of a 747-8 aircraft will mark yet another significant milestone for the airport.”
Irish Aviation Research Institute © 20 January 2024 All Rights Reserved
