Two Airbus A380’s are heading to museums

Two Airbus A380’s test aircraft along with two other Airbus ‘test beds’ are to become museum pieces.

Airbus says it will transfer A380 MSN4 which was built in 2005, to the Museum of Air and Space in Paris-Le Bourget on 14 February.

The other three aircraft, A320 MSN1, A340-600 MSN360 and A380 MSN002 which are currently maintained by Airbus Heritage in Toulouse, will travel to Aeroscopia in Toulouse.

Following the arrival of A380 MSN4 in Le Bourget and in preparation for its display at the museum there – one of the largest aviation museums worldwide – the iconic test aircraft will undergo a unique refurbishment to showcase its operational role.

Once an initial phase of technical work has been carried out on the airframe – which will include structural preservation – a special exhibit will also be created inside the aircraft’s interior to enable the greatest possible number of people to visit it from 2018 to experience the success of Airbus.

MSN002 is a Trent 900-equipped aircraft also produced in 2005, was believed to be part of a deal with Saudi Arabia’s Kingdom Holding for a VIP A380, before the order was canceled in 2014.