Airbus unveils its superjumbo, European leaders hail lead over US

AFP ^

[Happy2BMe]

Airbus unveiled the world's biggest passenger jet in a glitzy ceremony in which the leaders of France, Britain, Germany and Spain hailed Europe's victory over the United States as the new king of the commercial skies.

The huge A380 superjumbo, which can carry up to 840 people on its two full decks, supersedes the ageing 747 by US rival Boeing as the biggest civilian aircraft ever made.

When it is put into service early next year, it will become the flagship of many airline fleets and offer unprecedented amenities on long-haul services, including, in some cases, gyms, bedrooms and bars.

For the countries which backed the 10.7-billion-euro (14-billion-dollar) development cost, the plane stood as a prominent symbol of European cooperation.

"Good old Europe has made this possible," German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder told a packed hall in Airbus's headquarters in Toulouse, southwest France.

That was a barely-veiled barb recalling the US dismissal of France, Germany and other EU states in 2003 as "Old Europe" because of their opposition to the war on Iraq.

Noel Forgeard, the French head of Airbus, made similar hints in his presentation of the A380 during a spectacle featuring computer graphics, atmospheric theme music and swirling colours.

"The European states -- so easily accused of weakness -- backed this fantastic challenge 35 years ago and have believed in the A380," he said.

The hubris on display was reinforced by recent figures showing that, for the second year running, Airbus has outsold Boeing and now holds some 57 percent of the world market for passenger aircraft.

The company, a majority owned subsidiary of the listed European Aerospace and Defence Company (with 20 percent in the hands of Britain's BAE Systems), forecasts that the A380 will extend that lead.

Thirteen airlines have already placed firm orders for 139 of the planes. Airbus calculates that by 2008 it will reach the break-even point of 250 A380s sold, and from that point it will turn out 35 of the aircraft per year to rising profits.

The catalogue price of the huge machine -- boasting a wingspan of 80 metres (262 feet), overall length of 73 metres (239 feet), height of 24 metres (79 feet) and maximum take-off weight of 560 tonnes -- is between 263 and 286 million dollars, though discounts are frequently applied.

French President Jacques Chirac called the project a "big success" and said: "We can, and we must, go further on this path of European construction so essential for growth and employment."

British Prime Minister Tony Blair said the plane was "the culmination of many years of hard work" and congratulated the workers across Europe who made it happen.

Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero said Europe was "unstoppable" when it pooled its efforts.

The plane, Zapatero said, "has turned this historic moment into a moment in which cooperation and globalisation are giving rise to more peace and justice."

The four EU leaders later lunched together, leaving industry VIPS to get close to the huge white plane sitting in its hangar.

Airline executives at the presentation were superlative in their praise, even though the A380 has yet to undergo test flights scheduled for March or April.

Richard Branson, the head of Britain's Virgin Atlantic, said his airline would pamper passengers on the six A380s ordered by including gyms, beauty parlours, bars -- and even casinos and double beds.

The last two features meant "you'll have at least two ways to get lucky on our flights," Branson joked.

The biggest buyer of the new plane is the Emirates airline, which has ordered 43. "The A380 will be the future of air travel," its chairman, Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, said.

Airbus's success with the A380 is raising hackles at Boeing, which has won relatively little interest in its own new offering, a long-range mid-size plane called the 7E7 Dreamliner.

A bruising dispute over state subsidies between Boeing and Airbus is currently the subject of tense negotiations which, if they fail at the end of a three-month deadline, will blow up into a full-blown arbitration case at the World Trade Organisation.

[Question_Assumptions]

My guess is that (A) Boeing is learning how to do composite construction using the 7E7 and (B) waiting for a military contract ot subsidize working out all of the problem with something like that. The main problem I've heard about with a composite wing (other than the lack of window seats) is escape during an emergency. A lot of seats will be very far from an exterior bulkhead.

[insider_uk]

About 30 minutes is the same, but in the other direction. W-s-M.

[WOSG]

"1. I thought the aviation trend was going more to regional jets and smaller "full service" jets. Hence the rise of the Canadian and Brazillian jet industries and Boeing building planes like the 717, 777, 7E7 etc."


Yeah, well Boeing just withdrew a 100 passenger jet from the market, even a Bombadier is building a new model.

"2. If this thing is going to be used in 10, mostly Asian, markets I'm not worried about it. I can't imagine many routes in the world requiring this kind of passenger demand."

Trends are actually towards larger aircraft overall, but Boeing didnt get takes for the 747X, so didnt chase the market.

But Boeing has been in retreat, see previous link. That's the real problem, not this plane but the fact that 20 years ago we had 2 profitable commercial airline builders, and today we have one that is on the ropes.


"3. 250? I'm willing to bet you that half or more of that goes to the international cargo market. Want to combat that? C-17 for the civillian market."

250 is what they pegged as the *minimum* to break even. They are not there yet. This may still be a boondoggle.


"4. As was mentioned, what kind of airport improvements need to be made across the board as this thing would be a ground resource PIG."

A380 fits the 80m box limit for gates. Barely.
They'll have to update gates to hande the hordes getting on a single plane, but it will fly from most airports.

[buwaya]

I am not pro Chirac/Schroeder, and Zapatero is of course a weasel, but what he said is perfectly true.

Anything that reduces transportation costs is good for everybody. It would be better if the US had built the thing, but so be it.

[Indy Pendance]

That's the only way to go. Approximately 3 or more on a business trip, charter is less expensive than commercial. You drive your car up to a tiny airport, walk into the reception room, meet your pilot, board the plane, fly to your location, rental car is waiting for you 100 feet away. When your meeting is done, phone the pilot, leave in 30 minutes.

[Ed Thomas]

Ahh, Weston? I guess _somebody_ has to live there ;) Mind you, exactly the same thing can be said about Stroud, at least you've got a beach!

[buwaya]

I think he meant they backed Airbus, the company.

What that did was preserve all the remaining European civil aircraft industries under subsidies. Airbus is the heir to the De Havillands, BAE, etc.

[greasepaint]

What is the fuel burn, of the a380 ?

[FBD]

According to the *eggspurts*, this behemoth is cheaper to operate than a Boeing 747, uses less fuel, and has more range. (See below)

Airlines who have orders for the A380 Airbus:
Federal Express , Virgin Atlantic, Air France, Emirates, International Lease Finance Corporation, Lufthansa, Qantas, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines

www.airliners.net

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"Key design aims include the ability to use existing airport infrastructure with little modifications to the airports, and direct operating costs per seat 15-20% less than those for the 747-400.

With 49% more floor space and only 35% more seating than the previous largest aircraft, Airbus is ensuring wider seats and aisles for more passenger comfort. Using the most advanced technologies, the A380 is also designed to have 10-15% more range, lower fuel burn and emissions, and less noise."

[buwaya]

And thats part of the problem. Boeing hasn't made a sufficient improvement on the 747 in all that time.

Now, Airbus has been a pretty consistent money-loser since it was founded, unlike Boeing.

[buwaya]

And this is different from today ?

Have you been on a trans-Pacific 747 ?

[buwaya]

Correct. This thing is mainly designed to expand capacity on congested routes and airports. If places like San Francisco are maxed out for landings, just double the people per landing.

[dc27]

Excuse me if I don't want to fly on a plane with 839 other people.

Its bad enough trying to get everyone on board for a 747, I can only image how long it would take to get 800+ people on the plane.

I wonder how many airports are equipped to handle this plane?

[buwaya]

They will. Its easier to do that than add runways.
The thing is a natural for a lot of routes.

[JesseJane]

Absoulutely right ! :)

[Publius6961]

BUMP

[buwaya]

Airline travel is a hassle, but more people are travelling than ever. I.e., its not useful to extrapolate from the personal to make predictions.

There are plenty of routes that are limited due to congestion. Consider - if you could, by just changing the plane, double your capacity for the Christmas/Thanksgiving rush ? That is a valuable capability.

[NavyCanDo]

Now this is how to run an airline.

SOUTHWEST HAS PAJAMA PARTY FOR 737-200

Check out the photos......

http://www.southwest.com/about_swa/press/050117_200_retirement.html

I love Southwest and their all-Boeing fleet. They have been rated one of the best companies to work for and the only US airline to remain profitable during the post 9/11 downturn.

[Happy2BMe]

Other Planes That Made 'European' History . .

Berlin Airlift Aircraft

C-47 "Skytrain." 26 June 1948 -- the first day of the Berlin Airlift, 32 flights of C-47s carried 80 tons of supplies from Wiesbaden AFB to Tempelhof AFB. Some 102 C-47s were available in USAFE but none of the larger C-54s. 30 Sept 1948, the C-47s were phased out since they only carried 2 ½ tons compared to the 10 ton capacity of the C-54 "Skymaster."

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C-54 "Skymaster." The workhorse of the Airlift pictured at Tempelhof.

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C-54 "Skymaster." Unloading operations at Tempelhof.

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A C-74 "Globemaster." Only one C-74 was used during the Airlift, with a capacity of 74,000 pounds.

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C-97 "Stratofreighter." First C-97 landing at Tempelhof. The US Air Force used a solitary C-97 "Stratofreighter" for a short time. The aircraft eventually withdrew after being damaged in a landing incident.

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Fairchild C-82 "Packet." On 16 September 1948, five C-82s were assigned to the Airlift for the purpose of carrying heavy and bulky cargo. The C-82 with its hangar-like compartment and clamshell rear loading doors was an ideal tool for the Airlift, but was not available in sufficient numbers to make a great contribution.

[Happy2BMe]

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