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SCI/TECH: Airbus A380 to Fly on Wednesday

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posted on Apr, 25 2005 @ 11:18 AM
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Barring any last minute technical glitches, workers at Airbus will watch history being made as the new A380 superjumbo makes its maiden test flight this week. Weather permitting, the world's biggest passenger plane, the part-British-built Airbus A380 superjumbo, will fly from Toulouse airport in southern France on Wednesday. If all goes well, the plane, which is scheduled to go into passenger service in summer next year, may fly at the Paris Air Show in June.
 



news.bbc.co.uk
European aircraft maker Airbus has scheduled the maiden flight of its giant A380 jumbo jet, the world's largest passenger plane, for Wednesday.

The first flight of the twin-deck aircraft has been keenly anticipated since it was unveiled at a glamorous and high profile ceremony in January.

Airbus has invested heavily in the A380 and hopes it will defend its position as the leading passenger plane maker.




Please visit the link provided for the complete story.


Well the day has finally been announced and we will soon find out if this is the future of passenger aircraft, or a white elephant with giant wings.

Aviation buffs might take note that they do plan on showing the first flight on Television. I am not sure just which networks will carry it but assume most of the majors will.


Related News Links:
www.ctv.ca

[edit on 4/25/2005 by shots]



posted on Apr, 25 2005 @ 01:07 PM
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This is really an amazing aircraft.. I found some images of the outside and most of all, actual images from the inside of the plane..

Have a look:




















posted on Apr, 25 2005 @ 03:33 PM
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Shoys--excellent pictures, awsome looking passenger plane. I wonder how it performs--fuel efficiency, distance. Looks like comfort and service should be awsome.



posted on Apr, 25 2005 @ 04:33 PM
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Some info on the A380...




From THIS PAGE

Formerly known as the A3XX, Airbus' double-decker passenger jet, the A380, will be the largest airliner ever built. Lengthwise, it would nearly stretch from goal line to goal line of a football field while its wing tips would hang well beyond the sidelines. Three full decks will run along the entire length of the plane. Upper and main decks will serve as passenger areas, and will be connected by a grand staircase near the front of the plane and by another smaller staircase at the back. Although the lower deck will be reserved primarily for cargo, it could be outfitted for special passenger uses such as sleeper cabins, business centers or even child care service. In a one-class configuration, the A380 could accommodate as many as 840 passengers. The more likely three-class configuration will still offer an unprecedented 555 passenger seats. Either way, the A380 would offer 30% - 50% more seating than its direct competition, the Boeing 747-400.

Although the A380 will be able to fly a distance of over 10,000 miles, the plane's usefulness will not be limited to long-haul flights. For instance, many flights within Japan are among the highest in passenger capacity and would be well suited for A380 service, despite their short distances.


It really is high tech, a huge aircraft by any standards.

[edit on 25-4-2005 by UM_Gazz]



posted on Apr, 25 2005 @ 05:42 PM
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Originally posted by kazi
Shoys--excellent pictures, awsome looking passenger plane. I wonder how it performs--fuel efficiency, distance. Looks like comfort and service should be awsome.


How fuel efficent?

Well from stats made public by Airbus it's more fuel efficient than a car, working out the averages it comes to about 90.6 mpg per passenger.

Some other interesting information on the A380..

A380-800 - Max cruising speed M 0.88. Long range cruising speed M 0.85. Range 14,800km (8,000nm). Service ceiling 43.000ft (13,100m). A380-800F - Range 10,370km (5,600nm).

A380-800 - Operating empty 277,000kg (610,700lb), max takeoff 560,000kg (1,234,600lb).
A380-800F - Operating empty 252,000kg (555,600lb), max takeoff 590,000kg (1,300,700lb).




posted on Apr, 25 2005 @ 05:55 PM
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looking at those pictures makes me wonder who's going to be the first person to bye a personal A380.



posted on Apr, 25 2005 @ 06:18 PM
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Here's another interesting fact:



finfacts
According to Avery, the 747, with 413 seats, needs 290 passengers to break even. The A380, with 555 seats, needs 323 people to break even, meaning it has another 227 seats available to sell at a profit--85 percent more than the 747-400.


Even with more than 40% of the A380's seats unfilled it should still be able to break even on that flight.
With the 747, any flight more than 30% of seats unfilled would have to operate at a loss.

One thing not in Airbus' favor is the move towards smaller airplanes.



posted on Apr, 25 2005 @ 06:24 PM
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The interior looks like a cross between the plane from austin powers and something from a Stanley Kubrick movie.....


Looks cool though....I've never really had the opportunity to fly on a two level jumbo jet, but I can certainly see where the advances have been made...
.



posted on Apr, 25 2005 @ 06:52 PM
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Originally posted by rhomaine_bigga
looking at those pictures makes me wonder who's going to be the first person to bye a personal A380.


At a cost estimated at $265 MILLION each.. I don't think there are many in this world who could own a personal A380.

However according to Airbus they are selling quite well..

Air France 10

China Southern Airlines 5

Emirates 41

Etihad Airways 4

Federal Express 10 (A380-800F)

ILFC 5 and 5 (A380-800F)

Korean Air 5

Lufthansa 15

Malaysia Airlines 6

Qantas 12

Qatar Airways 2

Singapore Airlines 10

Thai Airways International 6

UPS 10 (A380-800F)

Virgin Atlantic 6

Do the math!!!

And they are just getting started, they have options from the above airlines for another (60) A380 aircraft... With new customers signing up everyday!!



posted on Apr, 25 2005 @ 07:30 PM
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UM_Gazz-- thank you very much for the imfo. You made it very imformative and interesting.



posted on Apr, 25 2005 @ 07:56 PM
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Originally posted by UM_Gazz

Originally posted by rhomaine_bigga
looking at those pictures makes me wonder who's going to be the first person to bye a personal A380.


At a cost estimated at $265 MILLION each.. I don't think there are many in this world who could own a personal A380.

However according to Airbus they are selling quite well..

Snipped the list since it is above to save space


The list is impressive, however, I do believe that they are all have a contigency stating that the aircraft has to be approved for flight service first. That will take almost another year, so what happens if they find a flaw in the deisgn for some reason? Does that mean they will delay the sales? Yes it sure will and those aircraft will have to be torn apart and the flaws will have to be fixed causing more delays, (more flight testing) which could (note I am saying could not would) cause orders to be cancelled.



[edit on 4/25/2005 by shots]



posted on Apr, 25 2005 @ 07:59 PM
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Originally posted by kazi
UM_Gazz-- thank you very much for the imfo. You made it very imformative and interesting.


Thank you.. But really this is what ATSNN is all about.. a collaborative discussion on any news topic can lead to learning and understanding.. that is why ATSNN works.

I would really like to see one of these A380-800's in person.

It looks like an awesome ride!!



Gazz



posted on Apr, 25 2005 @ 08:50 PM
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Originally posted by shots
I do believe that they are all have a contigency stating that the aircraft has to be approved for flight service first. That will take almost another year, so what happens if they find a flaw in the deisgn for some reason? Does that mean they will delay the sales? Yes it sure will and those aircraft will have to be torn apart and the flaws will have to be fixed causing more delays, (more flight testing) which could (note I am saying could not would) cause orders to be cancelled.


Approved or not the contracts are done.. the planes above ordered and being paid for.

I think Airbus is ready with this aircraft.. they have a lot at stake.. they spent several BILLION just getting to this point.

Boeing had better watch out.. This A380-800 is killing most future sales of their popular 747 jumbo jets.

Boeing is insted working on a smaller more fuel efficient aircraft called for now the 787... For some time Boeing was actually working on a new supersonic jet airliner, but I think even that is scrapped now and they seem to be focused on the 787 for a future project.

Hats off to Airbus!!.. They really have put together a great plan with their A380-800... Many skeptics in the beginning said it would never get past the design phase.


Gazz



posted on Apr, 26 2005 @ 08:38 AM
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Originally posted by UM_Gazz
Approved or not the contracts are done.. the planes above ordered and being paid for.



That is hardly the way it works more then likely they would have a contract with an escrow clause in it similar to this, but probably far more extensive.
------------------------------------
It is agreed that within _______ business days after the execution of this Agreement, an escrow shall be maintained with an escrow agent mutually agreeable to both parties. All funds, including the earnest money deposit, and the following documents pertaining to this transaction, shall be deposited with the escrow agent: (a) Bill of Sale for the Aircraft executed by the Seller to the Buyer; and (b) Application for Registration of the Aircraft to the Buyer. The fees for the escrow service shall be paid by __________________________.

The buyer shall pay a deposit of ____________________ Dollars ($_____________) in to the escrow account immediately upon the establishment of the escrow. The deposit is non-refundable unless otherwise stipulated in this agreement. The deposit shall be credited to the purchase price of the Aircraft.


--------------------------------

No airline in their right mind is going to start paying for an aircraft before it gets delivered, sure they are going to put a downpayment on the aircraft, but Airbus will not have access to those funds until the aircraft is delivered, it will be kept in escrow.



posted on Apr, 26 2005 @ 09:18 AM
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UM_Gazz
The pics you have posted are very impressive but I doubt that the interior of the plane will look anything like it.
When the 747came out it had the same type of advertising and people were led to believe that the plane would be a 'flying hotel' of sorts but as we are all aware it is merely a large flying bus with the economy class still congested to shove in as many people into it as possible, in my opinion the A380 will go the same way, probably with a slight exception in some areas; namely the first class.
The interiors of a commercial plane are not designed by the company i.e. Airbus but depends on the individual airline and as they have shelled out a pretty penny to buy this behemoth they would most likely be in a hurry to get returns form their investment as quickly as possible.
In the end the A380 IMHO will become something like the 747 except bigger almost like a large troop transport of sorts. Here are the numbers :

/airbus-a380-vs-boeing-747/
Also: Airbus A380 is $2bn over budget!!

[edit on 26-4-2005 by IAF101]



posted on Apr, 27 2005 @ 08:14 AM
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BBC News Full Article Link

The A380 - designed to carry as many as 840 people between major airports - took off from its production site in southern France at just after 0830 GMT.

Most of the testing was carried out at 10,000 feet and within 100 miles of Toulouse, said Peter Chandler, deputy project pilot for the A380.

More than a year of flight-testing and certification-programme work will now follow before the A380 starts commercial services.



Please visit the link provided for the complete story.



posted on Apr, 27 2005 @ 09:09 AM
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Here is all the order commitments coming in for this amazing aircraft



posted on Apr, 27 2005 @ 07:36 PM
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A great multimedia page is up on the official Airbus site.. including videos of today's first flight of the A380..

LINK

[edit on 27-4-2005 by UM_Gazz]



posted on Apr, 27 2005 @ 08:26 PM
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And interesting fact worth noting here.. According to the following report Airbus will have to sell 250 A380's just to break even on the investments in this massive project..




AirWise.com Full Article Link

European aircraft maker Airbus expects to reach break-even by about 2010 on its superjumbo A380 jet, now under construction, a senior company official said Thursday.

Charles Champion, senior vice president for the A380 program, said that Airbus aimed to crank up production of the A380 to one a week from an initial level of one a month.

"To recover all that we have invested at the beginning, we need to sell around 250 units," Champion told reporters.

"Break-even... should be something like 2010," he said, estimating it would take that long to build the 250 planes.



Please visit the link provided for the complete story.



posted on Apr, 27 2005 @ 08:37 PM
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Originally posted by UM_Gazz
And interesting fact worth noting here.. According to the following report Airbus will have to sell 250 A380's just to break even on the investments in this massive project..




AirWise.com Full Article Link



Please visit the link provided for the complete story.




Interesting facts Gazz, however I wonder if the lagging sails of their new proposed 350 sales may drag them down by its start up costs.




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