HB-IOC, one of the oldest Airbus A321 in the SWISS fleet, will be put to rest as the airline announces its retirement.
The jet has been in service for 27 years and handled over seven million passengers across 47,000 takeoffs and landings.
HB-IOC was flown over to Castellon, Spain, earlier this week, where it was cannibalized for parts and subsequently dismantled.
HB-IOC of SWISS Has Been Dismantled the Right Way…
On the dismantling, SWISS said the following on this, which is showing that it is being parted out in the right way:
“SWISS has been using the phase-out of HB-IOC as a pilot project to determine how it can re-use and recycle a withdrawn aircraft’s various parts in an even more sustainable way, in ecological and economic terms.”
“Switzerland’s biggest airline will be using many of HB-IOC’s components as spares for the remaining active members of its Airbus A320 family fleet.”
“Parts of the cabin interior will also have a further lease of life elsewhere in the Lufthansa Group – to upgrade its cabin simulators, for instance.”
“And as part of SWISS’s integrated life cycle management, specialists from the company will be recycling further items that cannot be re-used to recover various materials, with a particular focus on aluminum and other high-value alloys.”
“Aviation fans and design enthusiasts can also look forward to designer furniture items and other accessories from this autumn onwards, all made from parts of the legendary HB-IOC.”
It remains clear that this jet will be well-remembered by the airline, as well as by the rest of the aviation community in due course.
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