LOCAL STUDY TRIPS

The Airbus cometh!

The date 18 Oct 2007 marked a major milestone in aviation history as the first of SIA’s 19 new super-jumbos, Airbus Industrie’s A380, landed at Singapore Changi Airport.  On 25 Oct 2007, yet another milestone – no less momentous than the first – was attained when the aircraft’s maiden commercial flight, SQ 380, took off bound for Sydney with 450 passengers for the 7-hour flight.   

However, even before these two dates, some 75 IBT students accompanied by 2 staff, who were among a cohort of students from Temasek Poly’s Engineering School, had already made history of sorts by becoming some of the first members of the public in Singapore to personally set foot in Changi’s spanking new Terminal 3 (which is due to open on 9 Jan 2008) and the A380 itself!  Yes folks, you read it right – we made it in on 10 and 13 Aug 2007 – even before PM Lee Hsien Loong himself, who visited on 17 Oct 2007.

On those two days, our IBT students and staff were among the more than 400 volunteers who were roped in by CAAS and SIA to assist in performing a series of detailed ground tests, including passenger boarding and disembarkation as well as the loading and unloading of baggage and cargo, to evaluate the turn-around time.  While the majority of the volunteers were given simulated ‘boarding passes’ for economy-class seats, the luckier ones were issued passes ‘entitling’ them access to business, and yes, even first-class, seats, a privilege few other average travelers can doubtless claim to enjoy!  

	Our IBT students arriving at the Departure Hall of T3.  At 380,000 m2 (or about as large as 63 football fields), T3 is Changi’s largest terminal.  This compares to 358,000 m2 for T2 and 358,000 m2 for T1.  Among a host of other features in T3, there will be 7 skytrain stations linking all 3 terminal buildings, 11 check-in rows and 28 aerobridge gates, of which 8 are meant to serve the A380 Airbus.  There will also be a shopping street, while the Viewing Mall and restaurants are located at Level 3.
	An interior view of T3, taken from within the Departure Hall.  The 5-storey high green wall in the background has been planted with creepers.  A water fountain (not shown) completes the lush, tropical indoor environment.
	Here’s another view from within T3’s Departure Hall.  The use of full-height glass, and fixed and automatic (butterfly) panels in the ceiling optimizes the amount of daylight that penetrates the space, hence minimizing the use of electrical lighting and thus saving energy.  Some 990 butterfly panels maneuver automatically according to the sun’s position (heliostat).  Note also the use of jet nozzle diffusers (vertically mounted) to ensure even air distribution throughout the cavernous Departure Hall.
	Another group of IBT students enjoying the creature comforts in the A380’s economy class.
	….and here’s our Course Manager, Mr Chan Kim Kai, in Business Class!