Posted on 11/14/2005 11:28:55 PM PST by Paleo Conservative
I currently fly MD-11's for FedEx. We are supposed to get the A380 in 2008. There is nothing we fly that Fred Smith didn't get a deep discount on. If BA is trying to get a discount even deeper than what has already been offered than they are expecting to get aircraft for free. Meanwhile, the cargo ramps of the world are absolutely teeming with 747 variants. All the equipment is in place for them. Everyone is used to dealing with them. Pilots are already trained to fly them. The list goes on.
And then there's this big airbus beast that is running late, overweight and over budget and looking for a place to wedge its way into the equation. Its future may be very interesting.
Do you ever get the feeling that Boeing had all these ideas/plans for these new 747 variants in house, but "tricked" Airbus into developing their whale, which may well bankrupt them..
What Are Blended Winglets? fyi
• Winglets are a more efficient way of introducing effective span—an aerodynamic method to attain lower drag and improved take-off performance.
• Winglets increase effective wingspan for lower induced drag and higher lifting efficiency (higher L/D).
• Traditional winglets are attached at sharp angles.
• By blending the winglet to the wing, the wingtip vortex and the resulting drag are reduced and performance is improved.
The wing almost looks more like a swept wing although not the B-47 type. It looks more than just a blended wing or raked winglet as on the 737.
The firm orders from the two companies are worth $5 billion at list prices, although airlines typically negotiate steep discounts...
"This would remove any uncertainty about the 747 line," he said.
Interesting press releases on the day the new SPEEA Engineering contract is to be announced! I wonder what it means?
Yea but it’s still not the A380 – I mean there’s no room in the 747-8 for a stand-up karaoke bar, a second floor shopping mall, an aerobic work-out center or even a piano lounge. ( I hate Airbus sarcasm ).
Great Job Mulally.
Because it shares a lot of commonality with the 747 freighters both Cargolux and NCA already flies, it also means less maintanence costs and easier flight crew training, too.
Interestingly enough, the A380-800F is better suited for UPS and FedEx because both companies primarily specialize in palletized cargo for transport by air, something that the A380-800F is very well-suited for.
Isn't it the one which was designed in Moscow center of Boeing?
Yes.
Ok, so this means the same flight with the new airplane costs 22 percent less than the A380, but if the A380 carries 22+% (not saying thats the case, just speculating) more than this plane, doesn't that even out or even help the A380 beat it on a per pound basis?
I love those blended wingtips. Sure, its just an aesthetic thing for me, but it looks sweet!
Airbus developed the A380 (as well as their other jets) using funds loaned at sweetheart rates from the European governments that are the majority owners of EADS, the parent company of Airbus. These loans do not have to be repaid if the aircraft does not make a profit. Short of a Soviet Union-style collapse of the EU, it is not possible to bankrupt Airbus any more than it is possible to bankrupt the U.S. Postal Service. Note that Boeing has sued Airbus in front of the WTO over these subsidies, which appear to be illegal under international trade agreements.
Thanks for the info, and the clarification..
Boeing just let Airbus slit their throats on their own.
Airbus wanted to be able to brag that they had the biggest commercial jet for passengers in the world. Only problem, its designed for maximum passenger numbers, not efficency. The A380 is a total gas hog. Boeing looked towards the future and believed it was in highly efficient 2 and 4 engine planes that could fly long distances, not just big planes to major hubs, and then getting on smaller planes. Huge waste of time and fuel.
At the A380 premier at the Paris airshow this past year, Chirac was at the podium bragging about how superior Airbus was to Boeing now.
Boeing had a different vision, and while Airbus spent the past couple years whining and bitching about Boeing endlessly, Boeing took the high road and quietly started putting these plans in motion (787 and 777 LR and 747advanced).
Whenever you see a commercial for a major carrier, you'll see them flying a 747. That airplane is considered the pride of many asian carriers fleet.
I'm glad to hear they are going to build the 747advanced. The 747 is the greatest commercial airliner ever built and would be a shame to see it end being built.
Airbus slit their own throats. Good, the guy who runs it is a slimeball.
British Airways might end up being the passenger version launch customer. BA loves the 747 for its international travel routes.
But what might also happen is that airlines like Quantas and Sinapore will dump some of the A380 orders it has for the new 747 as well. They probably negotiated firm orders for A380s and options for more. They could kill the option orders easily and given all the problems Airbus has had trying to get the weight of the A380 down to what they promised the airlines when they signed the contracts, carriers might be able to pull out of the firm order contracts for the A380 a lot easier.
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