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Airbus’ Big Bet to Save Its Dying A380 Super Jumbo: Winglets
WIRED ^ | 06/21/2017 | Eric Adams

Posted on 06/21/2017 9:01:23 AM PDT by BenLurkin

Airlines, it turns out, prefer the fuel efficiency of smaller planes like the Boeing 777 to the pack-em-in capacity of the Airbus A380. As a result, Airbus hasn’t scored any new orders for an A380 in more than a year.

Its big plan to turn things around? Launch a new version, make it cheaper to fly, and slap on some winglets.

This week at the Paris Air Show, Airbus announced the revamped “A380plus,” a refresh that packs even more passengers into the super-jumbo and tweaks the wing design. The upswept winglets found on most modern airliners boost fuel efficiency by eliminating turbulent air vortices at the wingtips, reducing drag and improving aerodynamics.

The winglets stand 15 feet tall, and the design includes downward extensions that add another 4 feet. They could improve fuel efficiency by a significant 4 percent and—along with other improvements—cut operating expenses by 13 percent.

...

he A380plus crams in 80 more seats by rejiggering the crew rest quarters and ditching the spiral staircase between the two levels in favor of a conventional one. The A380plus will carry 575 passengers in a four-class configuration.

(Excerpt) Read more at wired.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Travel
KEYWORDS: 787; a380; a380plus; airbus; boeing; boeing777; winglets
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1 posted on 06/21/2017 9:01:23 AM PDT by BenLurkin
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To: BenLurkin

The bumbling Euros, they ache so badly to replicate America on their terms, all the bluster about their currency, oblivious to the fact that they’re killing exports with a currency valuation above the dollar. Same with this plane. They want so badly to rule the skies as Boeing has, but overshot the mark again. They don’t get it. Such things do not occur due to diktat, but that’s all they have.


2 posted on 06/21/2017 9:06:32 AM PDT by RegulatorCountry
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To: BenLurkin

Biggest problem is it doesn’t fit in existing terminals. That’s why Boeing didn’t go for the jump to super-duper jumbo jet. They’ve gone through those growing pains before and saw the market wasn’t good for doing it. A plane you can’t actually use (at least not conveniently, who really wants to ground load a plane that big) doesn’t have a market.


3 posted on 06/21/2017 9:09:40 AM PDT by discostu (You are what you is, and that's all it is, you ain't what you're not, so see what you got.)
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To: BenLurkin; haiku

Larger capacity planes.
Less flights per route.
More profit? Think not.

Hiaku?


4 posted on 06/21/2017 9:10:34 AM PDT by Cletus.D.Yokel (Catastrophic, Anthropogenic Climate Alterations: The acronym explains the science.)
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To: BenLurkin
The winglets stand 15 feet tall.....

That's not a 'winglet', that's a WING!...................

5 posted on 06/21/2017 9:13:06 AM PDT by Red Badger (Unless you eat The Bread of Life, you are toast!.......................)
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To: BenLurkin

6 posted on 06/21/2017 9:14:13 AM PDT by Red Badger (Unless you eat The Bread of Life, you are toast!.......................)
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To: RegulatorCountry

The bumbling Euros, they ache so badly to replicate America on their terms, all the bluster about their currency, oblivious to the fact that they’re killing exports with a currency valuation above the dollar. Same with this plane. They want so badly to rule the skies as Boeing has, but overshot the mark again. They don’t get it. Such things do not occur due to diktat, but that’s all they have.


The euroweenies currently have a much higher regulator-to-producer ratio than we do, even after 8 years of Obungoboy. Hillary was going to change all that, catch us Americans up on regulation, and we all know that the rinos (95% of the republican congress) and the dems are working as hard as they can to do what they can despite the Trump Impediment... but so far the euroweenies are way ahead of us on regulation.


7 posted on 06/21/2017 9:16:19 AM PDT by samtheman (Trump++)
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To: BenLurkin

A380 vs. Boeing 737.

8 posted on 06/21/2017 9:19:59 AM PDT by Snickering Hound
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To: Snickering Hound

uh...


9 posted on 06/21/2017 9:24:11 AM PDT by mowowie
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To: BenLurkin

Pack em in!

There’s the answer.

Let’s make flying as miserable as possible!

They’ll be begging to fly!


10 posted on 06/21/2017 9:25:26 AM PDT by blueunicorn6 ("A crack shot and a good dancer")
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To: BenLurkin

Won’t ride on an Airbus. Any airbus. A few years ago it seemed like any time there was some airplane non muslim caused issue it was an Airbus. I don’t trust them.


11 posted on 06/21/2017 9:26:59 AM PDT by bk1000 (A clear conscience is a sure sign of a poor memory)
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To: blueunicorn6

Sardine Airlines is ordering...


12 posted on 06/21/2017 9:28:11 AM PDT by Mr Rogers
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To: blueunicorn6

I wouldn’t want to be in one of those trucks behind that a380 when he goes full throttle.


13 posted on 06/21/2017 9:29:47 AM PDT by Col Frank Slade
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To: bk1000

Used to fly Airbus on the old America West airlines, always made me feel uneasy.

Now i just book Southwest and don’t even have to worry about it.


14 posted on 06/21/2017 9:31:16 AM PDT by mowowie
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To: Cletus.D.Yokel

A Haiku is 5-7-5

Yours was 7-4-5


15 posted on 06/21/2017 9:31:35 AM PDT by Rebelbase (Hack-proof tagline.)
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To: BenLurkin

The A380 looks ugly as planes go.


16 posted on 06/21/2017 9:34:13 AM PDT by xp38
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To: Snickering Hound

17 posted on 06/21/2017 9:35:15 AM PDT by PLMerite ("Government should be done to cattle and not human beings." - John Milius)
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To: BenLurkin

I’m surprised the Libs don’t install winglets on their Prius’s. That’s the way their logic works.


18 posted on 06/21/2017 9:36:18 AM PDT by ImJustAnotherOkie
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To: bk1000

“If it ain’t Boeing, I ain’t going.”


19 posted on 06/21/2017 9:40:46 AM PDT by outofsalt ( If history teaches us anything it's that history rarely teaches us anything)
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To: BenLurkin
I've flown the 380 four or five times..always in coach! ;-) It's a nice aircraft for sure.I've yet to fly the 787 or the A350 but I'd wager that they're nice aircraft as well.Both Boeing *and* Airbus are producing nice aircraft today.

But now that I've satisfied my curiosity about the 380 I wouldn't be heartbroken if I never flew it again.The 777 and the *new* 747 (and presumably the 787) are just fine for me.

20 posted on 06/21/2017 9:42:45 AM PDT by Gay State Conservative (Comey = The Swamp Fighting Back)
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