Overview

Designed in close collaboration with major airlines, airports and airworthiness authorities, the A380 superjumbo is the most advanced, spacious and efficient airliner ever conceived. Launched in December 2000 and now in its detailed definition phase, the A380 will enter airline service in 2006.

While meeting the most stringent international certification requirements, the A380 embodies the very latest technologies for materials, systems and industrial processes. Offering about a third more seating and far more available floor space than its closest competitor, the A380 will deliver an unparalleled level of comfort, with wider seats and aisles, open spaces for passengers to stretch their legs and access to lower-deck amenities. The A380’s modern technology and economies of scale provide 15 per cent lower seat-mile costs than today’s most efficient aircraft. Consequently, the A380 will offer passengers luxury travel at much more affordable prices.

The A380 will help cope with growing passenger numbers without negatively impacting the environment thanks to significantly reduced noise and emissions levels. Thanks to new generation engines and advanced wing and undercarriage design and technology, the A380 will not only comply with current noise limits but will be quieter than today’s largest airliner, meeting strict local regulations such as QC2 for departure at London airports. The A380 will generate half the noise level at take-off and carry 35 per cent more passengers than its competitor over distances such as London-Singapore.

And the A380’s environmental friendliness does not stop at noise reductions. The economic fuel consumption of the A380 – around 13 per cent lower fuel burn than its closest competitor – will also help reduce the impact of exhaust gases on the atmosphere. Indeed, the A380 will be the first long-haul aircraft to consume less than three litres of fuel per passenger over 100 kilometres (95 miles per imperial gallon) – a fuel burn comparable with the best of small modern turbo-diesel cars.

While offering all the advantages of a completely new design, the A380 will extend the benefits of Airbus family commonality to the very large aircraft sector. Thanks to the same cockpit layout, procedures and handling characteristics, pilots will be able to transition to the A380 from other Airbus fly-by-wire aircraft with only minor additional training.

Designed in collaboration with some 60 major airports to ensure airport compatibility and a smooth entry into service the A380 provides the smartest and most economical solution to growing air traffic and airport congestion. The only alternative, an increase in frequencies of existing aircraft, would not only require billions of dollars of investment by airports (in new runways, terminals and even airports) but would also contribute to greater congestion and a significantly increased impact on the environment. Airbus’ analysis of this issue has been irrefutably confirmed, both implicitly, through industry-wide participation in the programme from its outset, and explicitly, through the already immense success of the A380 on the market. To date, nine customers have announced firm commitments for a total of 97 A380s, including 17 freighter versions.

The A380 Family starts from a baseline passenger aircraft, the A380-800 with a capacity of 555 passengers in three classes, and a range of up to 14,800km/8,000nm. The freighter version, the A380-800F will carry a payload of 150 tonnes (330,000lbs) over 10,400km/5,600nm. Stretch, shrink and extended range variants of the baseline version will become available as and when the market requires them. The A380 can be powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engines or GP7200 engines from The Engine Alliance (a General Electric and Pratt & Whitney joint venture).

interior

2

hmm

more ahhh

i hope abuja international airport is preparing for this

@Lowerbwoy

If you travel from LA to Australia, you would appreciate a plane like this. I still like the B747-400 better, but this is a big bird. I saw it land Live at Heathrow Airport in London Yesterday. It needs wider runways and bigger hubs to park.

wow Old Glory , what are u doing in london -again - u got a british gal abi na customer

I'll love to fly in one of those planes one day, they can even personalise it like the plane in SOUL PLANE

the thing i like most about the plane is the fact that its more environmentally friendly

Nigeria would definately need a new airport for this one

Lowerbwoy

My Bad! i was watching it on CNN live not @ The Airport. Richard Quest was on live with Kyra Philips or the other anchor on CNN, and the plane just landed and i jut happened to catch it live on TV. I was in London last in March. And if i had a Girl there, i will keep that to myself. But no Bro I am in the US.

As far as I know Singapore Airlines receive there planes first and will be using them LHR (London Heathrow) to SIN (Singapore Changi) to SYD (Sydney) or MEL (Melbourne)

Qantas will be receiving them about a month later and will use them on MEL to LAX (Los Angleas) and SYD to LAX then finally go head to head with Singapore Airlines when they fly to LHR from Australia :-)

Can't wait!

All major australian airports are already upgraded :-)

My local airport even has a fairly decent webpage from when the a380 visited
http://www.melair.com.au/airbus/index.asp


Btw those cabin shots are just mock-up interiors, none of the actual interiors have been shown yet.

I've only seen the B747, but haven't seen that.

LoverBwoy:

i hope abuja international airport is preparing for this

And as for the airport, I hope so. Cos in Lagos, I heard that they want to reconstruct the Airport for the arrival of the B747 which I think very much is quite impossible.
Except the Government wants to play bad for those that have there houses surrounding the airport, cos I think they said they need at least another half extension of the normal airport area for it to be possible.

i know thats a mock up interior but i know the upper class/business class will have something similar grand design

That is one big bird.

I 've never seen so much f***ups and postponements/breach of contract in my whole life.
Hopefully by 2008 they'll finally get their acts together

there are no Bleep-up the are just getting it to comply with environmental laws, emissions,fuel consumption, noise and what have you, the environment is a big headache for engineers nowadays especially in europe.

the first batch will probably go out by ending of 2007

[size=8pt][size=8pt][size=8pt]Hehehhehe I want to Buuy this-si Air burstu! I price you 3 kobo and hope you givy me change??[/size][/size][/size]

Which airport in Nigeria this one wan land?
You dont need a humungous plane to enjoy the good life. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner is not as big and my goodness, it is SWEET!!!!

is this for sale, pls post the vin . . . . . . damn this shit is cool, i could fly round da world with thia

what's the big deal, Boeing is coming up with something bigger and better by year's end.  AIRBUS SUCKS

can it land at Nkpor junction?
if not it's just like any other aircraft IMHO
not impressed

$osisi:

can it land at Nkpor junction?
if not it's just like any other aircraft IMHO
not impressed

Pls don't land at Nkpor Junction before greedy Obosi ppl start claiming it. Instead it should land and take off at the new and improved airport at bridge head Onitsha.

technically, with some naija sense, the plane can land. the are three problems though,

1. the landing will be giri giri

2. its requires two air bridges but since the B747 can land in MMA, the upper deck can just use one bridge

3. the terminal is just too small. the immigrations and the baggage peeps will not haveit easy.


flew from tokyo tp changi on this bird with singapore airlines. it is biggggg and crapfish class is terrible.

I flew business class on Airbus A380 from Dubai to New York recenlty and I can tell you, it is indeed great!!! No hype

Pls don't land at Nkpor Junction before greedy Obosi ppl start claiming it. Instead it should land and take off at the new and improved airport at bridge head Onitsha.

Haaaa, ogidi na Obosi,