AIRBUS 380

[KBayDog]

By now, we probably all know that the A380 had her maiden voyage.

Now:

1. Will it be successful in the commerical world?
2. Will be cost-effective for the airlines?
3. Will any U.S. carriers buy into it?
4. With shrinking airport space, can we even handle a plane that big?

Just a few of the practical questions I can think of. I must say, the Discovery Channel specials made her look quite impressive, but I wonder how practical she is these days.

 

[Schnugg]

I imagine very few US airports are capable of handling a jet that big. What a beast. A4s chime in here....as it's bigger than a 747-400ER.
r/
G

 

[michaels601]

4. With shrinking airport space, can we even handle a plane that big?

More passengers on that plane means fewer planes altogether, theoretically freeing up space.... If everything's succesful.

Personally, though, i hate the fvcker. I am just a lowly and world-ignorant college student, though.

One of my professor's this morning said the crew wore parachutes. Doesn't sound right, but I haven't been able to find anything on that yet. Could be he's just been teaching too long... Anybody heard anything like that?

 

[KBayDog]

From AP:

"Rosay, co-pilot Claude Lelaie and four fellow crew members took no chances — donning parachutes for the first flight. A handrail inside the test plane lead from the cockpit to an escape door that could have been jettisoned had the pilots lost control."

 

[KBayDog]

More passengers on that plane means fewer planes altogether, theoretically freeing up space.... If everything's succesful.

True, but do you think the US has 840 passengers that want to take the exact same flight at the exact same time to the exact same EU tourist trap at one time?

I think the "strength" of US air travel is the ability to find a flight plan that is flexible enough for your needs and get it for a (relatively) cheap price. Just like with most things in our Wal-Mart country, we're willing to sacrifice whiz-bang features in favor of price and convenience in air travel.

 

[A4sForever]

Zut Alors !!!

I was going to post on the thread "747 "WHALE" or Airbus 380 -- a.k.a. The Whale's Tails (sic) " .... but it has now been cruelly locked for lack of use by the constipated:icon_rage , Nazi-like :icon_rage mind controlling :icon_rage life-force sucking "clock" built into this system .... so I will put it here.

But nooo, noooooo, NooOOOOOOO !!!!! Now you want ANSWERS !!! Now you WANT me at the airport !!! Now you NEED me at the boarding gate!!! Now you WANT me in that friggin' flying bus , you're PLEADING for me to defy the laws of Nature and fly that dump truck, now your're BEGGING ME for information about the flying dumpster(s) ..... NOW YOU COME CRAWLING TO A4s, NOW OLD A4s IS A VIABLE ENTITY ONCE AGAIN, NOW MAYBE A4s WILL GET SOME RESPECT, AND HONOR, AND the GLORY .... (*gasp*choke*) .......*sorry* ..... (*wheeze*sniff*) .... I lost it for a minute. Shake it off. Appology to Jack Nicholson in "Few Good Men" .... but I digress.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Airbus A380 11 years/$13 billion in development

First class takes up the front section of the A380 main deck, which also includes a grand staircase leading to business class on the upper deck. A spiral staircase connects a duty-free shop at the rear of the lower deck to a bar above. The showroom mock-up even features a waterfall, for God's sake !!! AHHhhh ... those French!

But the flying cruise ship version "ain't gonna' happen" -- except for the Sultan of Brunei -- in an industry that must squeeze every cent out of its aircraft --- and cram as many seats in them as possible is today's reality. The "new" airline reality is all about getting the lowest seat mile cost possible, and you generate that by pushing more seats into the cabin, not grand staircases and duty-free shops, unfortunately.

Airbus maintains that the new aircraft will be compatible with current Boeing 747-friendly airport facilities, but at the upward end of the passenger capacity capabilities of the A380 --- but do these "smart guys" ever use the facilities or fly the routes? Can you imagine rolling into LAX in the morning only to find 2500 people from other A380's ahead of you waiting to clear US CUSTOMS? Huh??? Can you ??? How about bagage??? How about ground transport?? HUH???

It breaks my heart (I love the Boeing 747) , but airlines are already voting with their wallets in favour of the A380 over the Boeing 747-400 it is destined to replace. A total of 149 orders have been received from 14 airlines and leasing companies, mainly in the Middle East and Asia Pacific, while orders for the passenger versions of the 747 have basically dried up. The early guess is that the A380 will be the new queen of the skies in every sense, ending the 747's 36-year reign as the holder of that title. Boeing, on the other hand, sees demand for only 400 jets larger than its 747 over the next two decades, as air passengers increasingly gravitate toward direct flights aboard a new generation of smaller, long-range jets like its planned 7E7.

But despite its proportions, the A380 will fly from the same runways as the 747, will be more fuel efficient, burning 10% less fuel per passenger for every 100 miles flown, while supposedly creating half the noise and carrying about 150 more people. We shall see ... Airbus would like to describe the A380 as a thing of beauty, but in all honesty, aesthetics are not going to be its stong suit --- the "Whale" will be positively sleek and beautiful by comparison -- my opinion.

So what's all this talk about "overcapacity" hurting the airlines' bottom line ??? Why is a new aircraft coming onboard that could conceivably increase capacity in wide-body fleets by 50%? I certainly do not know the answer --- I suspect some of it is as easy as Airbus' long-range strategy of taking away the long-haul mantle from Boeing. And then it also possible, that in two years' time, when the first of these hit the ramp that the world's economy will be expanding at its projected rapid rate and you won't be able to find enough airline seats. But then again .......

 

[Schnugg]

You want the truth!!!...You can't handle the truth!!!....
My favorite line: "My existence while grotesque to you.."...but I digress....

Yes, yes it's true, we are knocking on the A4sForever Infamous: "Door 'O Knowledge." Thanks for the info.

 

[gregsivers]

Personally I think its ugly, too big, and of course IT IS French, so its gotta suck. :icon_smil

 

[A4sForever]

Personally I think its ugly, too big, and of course IT IS French, so its gotta suck. :icon_smil

.

..Sacre Bleu..UGLY is as UGLY DOES..

.........................................

Scale model mock-ups for relative size comparison ..... ​

 

[A4sForever]

UPDATE:

The Super Frog-Jet test pilots wore parachutes for the inaugural flight.

And from the "Oh, by the way" dept:

The Super-Frog checks in @ $285 million per copy. They project selling @ 250-300 to "break even". Some "experts" (not Boeing) say Airbus will have to sell over @ 600 Super-Frogs to break even. If the forecast demand, over the next two decades, is for @ 400 wide-bodies larger than the B747 ....... ???? How about that ???

Mon Dieu! C'est le Zot! .... and you do the math.

 

[VarmintShooter]

Yes, yes it's true, we are knocking on the A4sForever Infamous: "Door 'O Knowledge." Thanks for the info.

How about this one?

 

[A4sForever]

How about this one?

*Sigh* Wheeze* You know .....

I don't know what some of you here would do without drooling, crumudgeonly, senile, soup-sucking ol' A4s to use as a punching bag ....

Just don't get too close to my "walkin' stick"..... or you're goin' DOWN !!!

 

[Squid]

it's dining outs! not dining ins!

I'll take anal bum cover for 3, Alex.

 

[KBayDog]

How about this one?

And you even answered in the form of a question. You are my hero!

Ken Jennings, look out...

 

[Ryoukai]

it's dining outs! not dining ins!

I'll take anal bum cover for 3, Alex.

Wait! You guys are selling Penis Mightiers?