Falcon Aircraft Recycling - My main problem with the A380 is that it’s used by Middle Eastern airport hubs, resulting in EU passengers flying much further than point-to-point. I’m not a knee-jerk Green, but that wastes fuel and is inexcusably bad for the atmosphere.
Increasingly, retired aircraft are flown to remote locations and left to languish after being stripped for parts. Traditional salvage and recycling projects focus on recovering only profitable components, thereby leaving behind a substantial portion of the aircraft and materials that go into landfill or sit idle indefinitely for years. Also, many aircraft items can be difficult to recycle or dispose, for instance fire retardant fabrics and composite materials.
Falcon Aircraft Recycling
Emirates has commissioned Falcon Aircraft Recycling to recycle the aircraft, aiming to reduce the environmental impact of the dismantling process and the amount of waste that goes to landfills. As Falcon is a UAE-based company, the overall recycling and use process will take place within the State, limiting the environmental impact of the project.
About Emirates
Ever since his first flight on a TriStar, Adam has loved air travel, and since becoming editor of the Aircraft Interiors International brand he has really enjoyed the opportunity to be involved with the latest aircraft and airline products before they are even launched. Adam co-ordinates the running of the magazine, from commissioning articles and artwork, to ensuring that high standards of quality are maintained, as well as managing online content. Adam is proud to sit on the jury of the Crystal Cabin Awards and to have laid on the bed in Etihad's Residence.
The first A380 received by Emirates (A6-EDA, delivered on 28 July, 2008) was decommissioned after completing its last flight (Singapore to Dubai on 8 March 2020) and transferred to the engineering centre, where Emirates engineers recovered usable components, such as engines, landing gear and flight controllers. The aircraft was then deregistered and handed over to the Falcon Aircraft Recycling Team to begin the process of dismantling it. Some 190 tons of various metals, plastics, carbon fibre compounds and other materials were recovered from the aircraft and transported for recycling or reuse.
Andrew Tonks, Director of Falcon Aircraft Recycling said: “This is our most ambitious project to date which will see the first deconstruction of an A380 outside of Europe. Approximately 190 tonnes of various metals, plastics, carbon fiber composites and other materials will be removed from the aircraft and passed on for recycling or repurposing via our upcycling programme with Wings Craft. The recovery programme will be delivered fully within the UAE and ensure that the majority of the aircraft will find a second life. We are proud to have won this contract which underscores Emirates’ confidence in the world-class capabilities available here in the UAE. Our teams are currently busy with the breakdown and final concepts for the first batch of unique upcycled items. We look forward to unveiling more information on the retail items soon.”
Retired aircraft are typically transported to remote locations and left to decompose after being stripped of valuable components. It is often difficult to recycle or dispose of many components, such as fire-resistant fabrics and composite materials. With COP26 currently taking place, it seems fitting that Emirates has a more environmentally friendly scheme in mind for its first decommissioned A380.
The A380 is about 4x more expensive to operate per flight hour than a 777 ($25,000+/hr vs. $7,000/hr), requires the plane to be full, and has double the engine Mx. There’s a reason everbody is parking them in the desert.
Sir Tim Clark, President Emirates airline said: “We are delighted to partner with Falcon Aircraft Recycling on this first-of-its-kind project. That all repurposing activity will be fully executed in the UAE also speaks to the strong aviation eco-system and capabilities that the nation has built up in its short history. Through this initiative, our customers and fans can take home a piece of aviation history while saving valuable materials from landfill and contributing to a charitable cause through the Emirates Airline Foundation. It’s an elegant and fitting retirement solution for this iconic aircraft and our flagship.”
After completing its last commercial mission, A6-EDA, the first A380 ever delivered to Emirates, was retired from service and brought to the airline’s Engineering Centre where Emirates engineers retrieved serviceable components such as engines, landing gears and flight control components. The aircraft was then deregistered and handed over to the Falcon Aircraft Recycling team to begin the process of carefully breaking down the aircraft.
2) The iconic 1st generation Emirates A380 onboard bar and other cabin features will be transformed into bespoke furniture, plus a range of aviation memorabilia and retail items. Portion of sale profits to benefit the Emirates Airline Foundation.
“We are delighted to partner with Falcon Aircraft Recycling on this first-of-its-kind project,” said Tim Clark, president of Emirates. “Through this initiative, our customers and fans can take home a piece of aviation history while saving valuable materials from landfill and contributing to a charitable cause through the Emirates Airline Foundation. It’s an elegant and fitting retirement solution for this iconic aircraft and our flagship.”
Dubai, UAE, 01 November 2021 – Emirates has signed a contract with UAE-based Falcon Aircraft Recycling on a pioneering initiative, where its first retired A380 aircraft will be upcycled and recycled, dramatically reducing the environmental impact of the deconstruction process and drastically reducing landfill waste.
Once the envy of airlines worldwide, the Emirates Airline fleet of four-engine, double-decker Airbus A380s is now destined for a futuristic program of a very different kind. As part of a contract between Emirates and UAE-based Falcon Aircraft Recycling, the first retired A380 aircraft will be “upcycled and recycled,” according to Emirates. The program is aimed at limiting the environmental impact of the deconstruction process.
Partnering with Wings Craft, another UAE-based firm that specialises in producing custom furniture and merchandise from aircraft materials, Falcon Aircraft Recycling will design and manufacture unique collectibles and retail items from the materials and parts removed from the aircraft. These items will be launched for sale in phases over the coming months.
Falcon, in partnership with Wingscraft, a UAE-based company specialising in the production of furniture and goods manufactured from aircraft materials, will design and manufacture unique pieces from the aircraft parts, which will then be put up for sale in stages in the coming months.
Sir Tim Clark, president of Emirates, said: “Under this initiative, our customers and fans can acquire a souvenir from the history of flying in their homes, save valuable components from landfills and contribute to a charitable cause through Emirates. It is a stylish and convenient solution for the retirement of this distinctive aircraft, the jewel of our fleet.”
Founded in 2013, Falcon Aircraft Recycling is the first fully accredited aircraft recycling operation in the UAE with deconstruction programmes at Dubai Industrial City and Fujairah International Airports. Working closely with Airport Management and Civil Aviation, Falcon Aircraft Recycling provides cost effective and environmentally friendly end-of-life solution to the ongoing problem of retired aircraft. For more information on the business and its projects visit: www.falconaircraftrecycling.com
Legacy salvage and recycling programs zero in on only the high-value components, such as landing gear and engines, but that leaves massive amounts of materials to either choke landfill sites or end up parked with little chance of generating any value.
The Emirates story started in 1985 when we launched operations with just two aircraft. Today, we fly the world’s biggest fleets of Airbus A380s and Boeing 777s, offering our customers the comforts of the latest and most efficient wide-body aircraft in the skies.
The iconic first-generation Emirates A380 onboard bar and other cabin features will be transformed into bespoke furniture, plus a range of aviation memorabilia and retail items which will be released for sale in the coming months
Andrew Tonks, director of Falcon Aircraft Recycling, added, “Approximately 190 [metric tons] of various metals, plastics, carbon fiber composites and other materials will be removed from the aircraft and passed on for recycling or repurposing via our upcycling program with Wings Craft. Our teams are currently busy with the breakdown and final concepts for the first batch of unique upcycled items. We look forward to unveiling more information on the retail items soon.”
I follow airplane composites closely, and IMO metal still has an edge on carbon-resin construction, maintenance and recycling, contrary to most opinions. Often carbon-resin or composites weigh more than metal in the final result, as NASA found out with their infamous fuel tank issues in the alternate Shuttle vehicle where the lightest vessel was made of aluminum.
It’s sad to see an A380 out of service, but A6-EDA completed 6,319 flights over her life, and fans can now enjoy a little of the Emirates experience in their homes. Emirates will allocate part of the profits from the sale of the recycled materials from the aircraft to the Emirates Charitable Foundation, which currently supports 14 projects in nine countries, helping to improve the lives of children in need around the world.
Under the patronage of HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group, the Emirates Airline Foundation is an organisation dedicated to transforming lives and supporting some of the most deserving social causes. The Foundation currently supports 14 projects in 9 countries - helping to improve the lives of children in need around the world regardless of geographical, political or religious boundaries. To donate, and for more information on the Foundation and its projects visit: www.emiratesairlinefoundation.org