OE-LAO or CS-TOH, Großglockner or Nuno Gonçalves. 2 registrations, 2 names, 2 airlines and 1 Airbus A330-200.
Großglockner is the name of the highest mountain in Austria (3798m) and Nuno Gonçalves was a Portuguese painter of the 15th. century.
This Airplane was built in 1997 and was initially used by Airbus for flighttests. Even different engines were mounted on the airframe. After 3 years, in 1997, this plane was integrated in the Austrian Airlines Fleet and named „Großglockner“.
Austrian startet earlier with Airbus A310 its Longrange operations.
The A330 and A340 were essential for the European carrier to expand its network. OE-LAO was even used for flights from Vienna to Tokio, though it was not the ideal route for this plane because of its rather low Takeoff Mass.
After the merger with Lauda Air, Austrian had a pretty horrible mix of LR airplanes. 4 A330-200, 2 A340-200, 2 A340-300, 4 B777-200 and 6 B767-300.
So in 2007 the decision was made to get rid of the Airbus LR fleet.
Air Portugal was happy to take over this well maintained plane and operated it mainly over the South Atlantic.
Now it was named after the painter Nuno Gonçalves.
Air Portugal stored this plane in 2018 as they ordered A330 neos to renew the Longrange fleet.
