For the time being it still bears the civil registration D-AGAF. However, as one of a total of three new long-haul aircraft in the German Ministry of Defence's Aircraft Division, the Airbus A350-900 will bear the military registration 10+03 in the future. Last March it was spotted for the first time in its future livery.
On its way to becoming a state aircraft, the aircraft now entered its next stage. At Hamburg Airport Lufthansa Technik took delivery of the A350 on Thursday (May, 7) and started the conversion. In order to be able to hand over the 10+03 to the flight crew as early as next July, the maintenance company will initially equip it with a «special transition cabin».
Sister aircraft still under construction
The wide-body jet will be equipped with an office and conference area. The remaining cabin will be available for delegations flying in the new German government jet. Despite the interim solution, the cabin will get «seating with generous seat pitch, an adequate number of washrooms and modern galley equipment», Lufthansa Technik writes in a press release.
Next year the two future sister aircraft 10+01 and 10+02 will be delivered with a fully-fledged VIP cabin and special military equipment. These two A350s are currently still under construction at Airbus. As soon as they have been handed over to the flight crew, the 10+03 will be retrofitted with the definitive cabin, Lufthansa Technik said.
See pictures of the new Airbus A350 in the picture gallery above.
First government A350 gets its VIP cabin
The first Airbus A350 of the Air Force after landing at Hamburg Airport.
The government has ordered a total of three A350s for the Air Force.
The first one will carry the military registration 10+03.
The first aircraft will be handed over to the air force in July.
Lufthansa Technik is converting the jet into a government aircraft.
The D-AGAF, or later 10+03, is the first of three new models of the long-haul jet for flight operations.
They will replace the two Airbus A340-300X as flagships of the German government fleet.
After a series of breakdowns, the decision was made to deploy the four-beam system.
