Posted on 01/18/2005 7:45:22 AM PST by 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.
There are subsidizes and then there are subsidizes. A large part of the 747's initial profitability was derived from government funding of its nonrecurring design costs - in competitive design as a military airlifter - a role to which it was totally unsuited.
The issues are mostly economic: 1) is there a big market for it, and 2) will the state subsidy model of National chapions (or in this case "supranational" ones)work in this instance.
This is a real challenge. Both Airbus and Boeing are taking huge gambles by taking the strategies they are each following. THere are also huge geopolitcal forces at play as well. To be truthful, it is really unclear at this point just who is right.
The way the new Eurounion imports muslims and gives the affirmative action rights....chances are there are plenty of them working on the inside so when one of these puppies goes down fully loaded they wont have to take it down via the cockpit...
imo
"LOL, I wonder if they are all members of the "Mile High Club?"
I dunno, but I am. But that's another story....
"Skinny legs and all."
I wonder how many airports will be willing (or physically able) to make this type of investment?
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As was pointed out in an earlier thread, Asian and European government conglomerate to subsidize new industries, technologies, and systems to compete with the United States - and it's starting to take a toll.
I don't believe in a socialized economy or socialized industry, but subsidizing the R&D and even the production of a replacement for the 747 just makes good sense.
How long does it take 840 people to board? OTOH, on a transatlantic flight, it would be great to be able to stretch your legs. OTOH,OTOH, I wouldn't want to have bedroom cleaning duty after every flight. And I hope that the walls are well sound-proofed.
Yeah, but that's assuming the plane has a full load. I think it might be a challenge to fill the seats on these behemoths.
""Skinny legs and all."
"
You know, that could be a young Michael Moore there in the main cabin. #63
Now we have several European nations claiming early victory because their combined subsidies have created an airplane which can carry more passengers than a 35 year old 747.
One rule of economics hasn't changed, however. That is if you can't find private financing for a project it probably isn't commercially viable. I am anxious to see the profits from the airbus vs. the profits of Boeing has to offer in 2010.
C-5
#36. Cool! Thanks.
In that case, what difference does it make whether they do it on a Boeing or an Airbus? I fail to see your point re- the 'hijackability' of the design; which although not foolproof, is certainly a great improvment over what most 747s have.
The EU has already taken the US to the WTO and the world court about that. The EU dominated world court fined the US for what they called subsidizing. Then they come out with this BUILT WITH THE MULTINATIONAL GOVT. BACKERS.
The communists sunk $14 billion into developing it. Any chance they'll make it profitable? No, not at all.
AFAIK, a lot - because this plane will be used by many airlines. Maybe it was the wrong decision of Boeing to set on the smaller planes... we will find out in a few years.
That's a good point. I didn't understand why such a large plane was necessary to have these lounges and 'rooms.'
Air Force One and private planes already have them. If the operating and fuel costs of A380 then they will replaces these spots with seats just like the 747. Plus, in reality, the airlines probably don't want to deal with the foot traffic and other problems of the lounges. The Europeans seem to love the idea they could get laid on an airplane, but I doubt this is really in the airlines interest in the end.
Unlike BMW, Airbus is a disposable machine. Think IKEA.
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