German Luftwaffe A310

[radar0976]

Great to see this old bird still flying. Here she is up close in Cork last weekend doing a crew rotation for a navy ship docked nearby.

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[ATNotts]

Fr. Merkel's chariot of choice.

Looks the part, unlike the RAF 146s and assorted chartered civilian aircraft that we force our PM and ministers to use!

[Tom the Tenor]

There was a strong westerly crosswind but she was still airborne before the runway intersection with 07/25! I know she was only heading back to Cologne but it is still impressive when you get a widebody at Cork airborne in that short runway distance!

Nice video too!

[pax britanica]

Have the Luftwaffe had some media consulting advice to rebrand themselves. I am sure the font for 'Luftwaffe ' has been updated.
Still its nice to see a sensible choice for a head of state with a bit of prestige, would it not have been possible for the AB Voyagers to have a VIP fit kit available for the more important visits.

Even a republican like me who is very opposed to status symbols in general thinks it is reasonable for Liz or the PM to have something appropriate for the really major occasions. Of course if you are lucky enough to be M. President de la Republique Francais you get much better looked after even than Angela, clever woman that she is, she still manages to look like she is just nipping down to LIDL.
Nice video and thanks for posting it

[hvogt]

Have the Luftwaffe had some media consulting advice to rebrand themselves. I am sure the font for 'Luftwaffe ' has been updated.The old font was probably thrown overboard together with the spiked helmets.

[SpringHeeledJack]

The Bundeskreuz and associated font was transformed/remodelled around the millennium if I recall by a famous designer.

Regarding the short takeoff, I remember watching a lightly loaded A310 of Lufthansa get airborne in 500m or less a few years ago, very impressive how fast it got going and how much power it seemed to have.



SHJ

[EDDNHopper]

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This particular airframe is normally not used for diplomatic missions. Frau Merkel @ Co. prefer these:

Photos: Airbus A319-133 CJ Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net (http://www.airliners.net/photo/Germany---Air/Airbus-A319-133-CJ/2021545/L/&sid=52159c8e19394900ddc8263204419c06)

File:German Air Force A310-300 10+21.jpg - Wikimedia Commons (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:German_Air_Force_A310-300_10%2B21.jpg)

File:Airbus A340 of the German government 16+01.jpg - Wikimedia Commons (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Airbus_A340_of_the_German_government_16%2B01.jpg)

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