It's always great flying after a little rain with the air cooler and visibility great. Taking off from Virginia this morning the sky was graced by the BA Airbus A380 which zoomed overhead on a landing path for King Shaka. We saw it again at Ballito a bit later as Ballito is on the take-off path from King Shaka. The A380 arrived for the first time ever in Durban this week (
YouTube video) for staff training ahead of BA's planned scheduled flights to South Africa shortly. In another twist I also saw the Queen Mary II, the world's largest ocean liner pass my house out to sea before docking in Durban - so the world's largest passenger airliner, and the world's largest ocean liner in one week before my eyes.
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| The view to the coast from Cato Ridge towards Groutville |
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| Some puffy clouds around Cato Ridge, but clear towards the coast |
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| Landed at Ballito where we have a hangar for our new microlight for the Flight School |
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| The A380 lands in Durban |
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| We could see the tail of the A380 from the cockpit |
The A380 is seen here landing and docked at King Shaka International in Durban for the first time. In a size comparison to the world's largest oceanliner, the graphic compares the Cunard Lines' Titanic, to it's Queen Mary II, and the Airbus A380.
The A380 cruised passed us in the sky earlier while we were flying to Cato Ridge and I have just seen it go past my home now at 3000 ft on long finals for King Shaka. Amazing!!
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| Queen Mary II visits Durban |
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| Tracking the A380 as it took off from King Shaka, headed out to sea and returned over Durban before turning right to land back at King Shaka. |
