Airbus A380 Super Jumbo Flying Titanic Set For Maiden Flight (10:30 AM Paris Time)

ATS Swiss News Agency | April 27, 2005

[HAL9000]

France: first take-off for the A380 Airbus

Toulouse-blagnac - the Airbus A380, the giant plane of the European manufacturer, should take its first take-off of Toulouse-Blagnac this morning. Larger apparatus of line of the world, it is able to transport between 555 and 800 passengers according to the versions.

The flight will not take place, towards 10h30, only if the visibility is perfect and that if the wind is not violent. The takeoff of A380, the most critical phase of the flight, is in addition interdict in direction of the town of Toulouse.

The Toulouse factories of Airbus and the registered office of the European manufacturer will stop their activities to allow the some 12 000 paid present to be pilot takeoff of their "child". Elsewhere in France and Europe, the teams of Airbus will be able to observe the flight on screens or Internet site of the manufacturer.

With the accesses of the airport one counted already Tuesday evening of the hundreds of vehicles, in particular of the camp-site bus sometimes come by far, parked with the accesses of the tracks not to lose a crumb of the spectacle. Nearly 50 000 people on the whole are waited around the site to admire takeoff. The flight should last a few hours, in direction of the Pyrenees.

[onyx]

Oh, I get it now, thanks..lol... it's their "child."

[BigSkyFreeper]

I think it would be pretty cool to ride one of those. I know the A340 flies into and out of PHX, they said the 380 flies much like the 340, but steering is a little more different.

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

Fox News showing it now.

[BigSkyFreeper]

That's because they are testing the parameters.

[Crazieman]

They have to test it a part at a time - it was already explained they probably won't retract the gears when it just took off.

[Central Scrutiniser]

You don't retract gear during a first flight, you should know that. Boeing doesn't either.

They will do hundreds of flights with 4 planes, in all kinds of conditions, takeoff weights, flap configurations, engine outs, tail strike, etc.

You are just being nasty, without being informed.

[onyx]

ROTFLOL! I can't see it now... is it still down? Maybe expecting to land again sooner than planned?

Look,, this plane's noise sounds tinny to me and sort of like the neighbors lawnmower. I mean, it's doesn't sound "hefty" or reassuring... Clangy is the word.

[Spktyr]

Correction - I'm just being nasty. ;)

[BigSkyFreeper]

Looked like a large Enzyte pill!

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

Leaving the gear down is common practice for maiden flights. Ours do it all the time. the gear is usually raised for the next one, if it can be.

I guess they will consider it a major victory if the tail stays on. I haven't seen so many tires on a plane since the C-5A.

[onyx]

Me too....lol.

[Central Scrutiniser]

No more A340 in PHX, Lufthansa pulled out, BA is now flying the 747-400 instead of the 777 though, and AA runs a 777 every once in a while.

I really like flying on the A330, very comfortable plane, and I love the 717. Not a big fan of the 757 or 737, too cramped.

[BigSkyFreeper]

You would want to have the gear down on a maiden flight because you don't know if the thing will stay airborne and for how long.

[BigSkyFreeper]

Only types I've flown on are the DC-9 (out of Minot), DC-10 and 757's out of MSP and PHX.

[Central Scrutiniser]

I've been reading, the noise is different, its because of the new engine type, has a higher pitch, but is more quiet than others of its size.

Back when I used to work in a hangar for my airline pushing papers, I could tell the plane by the sound, everyone had a distinct sound. I loved the DC10, it just sounded massive, especially on a hot day.

[BigSkyFreeper]

I love the DC-10 too. Like you say, it sounds massive. It's comfortable to ride and the cabin is wide and roomy.

[onyx]

This one has a higher pitch. I called it clangy, but I am drinking a beer and I'm less eloquent that usual. :)

[BigSkyFreeper]

Bells are clangy! Planes should not be! LOL!

[Central Scrutiniser]

I was lucky to have flown on a TU-134 (window in the bathroom, how cool is that?), and the TU-154 and the IL-76. Been on all the Boeings except the 707, all the Airbus but the 318, and the new A340-500, all the MD-80 series and DC9 and 10, but never the DC8, I missed all that.

Coolest was on a DC-3, all original instruments, got to go in the cockpit. That and I got to sit jumpseat on a A320 once in the cockpit on a 45 minute flight, it was waaay cool and very pre 9/11.

[BigSkyFreeper]

LOL! Sounds like you've flown on as many Aeroflot's as you have Boeing type aircraft. LOL