- In the video: “We have to bite the bullet”: another flight mishap at Baerbock! Bundeswehr pilot must turn around before landing
Even the federal government is fed up with this series of crises. Now the government Airbus “Konrad Adenauer” is under the hammer. This flying character from official German history has spent more time on the ground than in the air, earning him the nickname “Breakdown Flyer.” Ministers and even former Chancellor Angela Merkel had to switch to regular flights while “Konrad Adenauer” took a break.
In August last year, for example, Foreign Minister Anna-Lena Baerbock wanted to fly to Australia with the government Airbus. But the plane could not take off and the trip had to be cancelled. Six months later, the vehicle is now looking for a new owner at auction. Now's your chance to add this moody bird to your fleet, provided those interested have a penchant for challenges and potentially endless repairs.
Who can bid and who cannot?
The federal recycling company Vebeg will accept offers through the official website until February 15 at 1 p.m. In order to place a bid and view history, users must first register. However, individuals are excluded. Only companies can register and submit an offer.
Companies that are now thinking about embarking on the “Konrad Adenauer” adventure must assume all the risk. An inspection of the Airbus 340 (model 313/0274) is no longer possible. The date has already passed. At least you can see the infamous “breakdown plane.”
Interested parties must navigate their way through the bureaucratic jungle and first obtain approval from Vebeg, the federal collecting society. Due to tight security measures in the high-security area “Special Air Mission Wing” of the Wahn Air Force Barracks near Cologne/Bonn Airport, additional security screening is required. So if you want to take a look at the plane that carried German political celebrities through world history, you should be prepared for a bit of paperwork and patience.
Before the machine changes hands, Vebeg removes “some elements.” This is done for reasons of “air security” and is part of “demilitarization”.
How much does a plane breakdown cost?
It's not clear.
If you want to bid or view offers, you must first register. But the 22-page extract proves it: The Airbus 340 “Konrad Adenauer” is known not only for its breakdowns, but also for its service life. With more than 54,500 flight hours and 8,367 takeoffs and landings, he has seen more of the world than most people.
If those interested do not have enough space to park the plane, Vebeg offers many other wonders on its website. Huge trucks, obsolete ambulances, sand crushers and even kitchen machines appear on the pages.
This is what the damaged plane looks like from the inside: