On the 21 April 1964, the HFB 320 prototype took off on its maiden trial flight from Hamburg-Finkenwerder. This first flight of the first German jetliner built in serial production was a milestone in the long history of the Hamburg aviation cluster.

This recently taken picture shows the current status of the HANSA JET restoration work.
Foto: © Ein HANSA JET für Hamburg e.V.
This recently taken picture shows the current status of the HANSA JET restoration work.

Without the vast know-how gained during the design, production and after sales support for the HANSA JET, Hamburg wouldn’t have been in a successful position to apply for the status as the prime German production site when the Airbus consortium was created in May 1969.

HANSA JET foundation established 15 years ago

The charitable organization Ein HANSA JET fuer Hamburg e.V. / A HANSA JET for Hamburg e.V. was founded in May of 2004 with the aim to operate a vintage HANSA JET as a flying ambassador for the aviation cluster of Hamburg. A suitable, though currently not airworthy HFB 320 was acquired in 2007 and is undergoing restoration to airworthiness by the association’s technical experts at the Airbus site in Hamburg-Finkenwerder since 2011. All of the 150 club members are working on a voluntary basis without payment. The airworthy restoration of the association’s HFB 320 couldn’t be accomplished without this voluntary help.

Prime supporters of this ambitious project are Airbus, Hanse Aerospace e.V. and Hamburg Aviation.

Find more information here