This is the moment YouTuber Warren Scale caught on camera the first of four Singapore Airlines A380s landing at Alice Springs.

Airbus’ former flagship, the massive A380, has reached a milestone in its production cycle, with the completion of the final set of wings.

From the point of view of the aviation enthusiast, it was an awesome sight. From the point of view of the rational aviation journalist, it was a sobering backdrop to a growing debate about the future of an aircraft type which first entered line service with Singapore Airlines 12 years ago with an economic promise

Airbus chief executive Tom Enders says the decision to end production of the A380 by 2021 is a painful one for everyone involved in the program.