EURO LEADERS CLAIM LEAD OVER USA!

Drudge Report/AFP News ^ | 1/18/05 | AFP

[Ed Thomas]

Actually, on the terrorist issue I'd rather be flying one of these then on a 747. The new Airbus is going to be one of the few planes flying that has a double-door system on it's cockpit- basically it's like an airlock, where only the inner or outer door can be open at any one time, not both. This provides a far higher degree of safety hijack-wise, and ensures that a terrorist can't rush the cockpit when stewardesses are bringing drinks to the pilots etc. The A380's the only plane that has this as standard, although El Al have fitted it on many of their planes as well I believe.

[GSlob]

"Uhhh, do you think they are trying to compensate for something?"
Come to think of it, you pretty well might be right.

[dfwgator]

Imagine the flight attendent having to say "buh bye" 850 times.

[winner3000]

I have a lot of respect for European engineers. I don't have any for European economists. If this plane is a bust, it'll be because of economics (same as the Concorde).

[Arrowhead1952]

Here are some quotes from the LA Times story.

---

The craft will weigh more than 1.2 million pounds fully loaded.

The new plane is so much larger than any other craft that most airports face possible design changes to accommodate it.

If major airports are slow to support the new plane, airlines may hesitate to buy more A380s. Airbus says it needs to sell 250 planes to break even; some analysts believe the company must sell 325 to cover its investment.

---

I think Airbus is counting their chickens before they actually hatch. Most airports are not going to spend money to redeisgn the entire tarmac and gate area for this new monster.

[highimpact]

ROFLMAO = Rolling on floor laughing my a** off.

ROFL = Rolling on floor laughing

LOL = Laughing Out Loud

[floridarolf]

The dignitaries



The plane

[hermgem]

This is proof what Government funding can accomplish.
Conceived as a scheme to grab the lead in airline manufacture away from the US and generate high tech jobs throughout Euroland this show demonstration is a confirmation.
Wake up US, these people unite to grab whatever there is.
To mind comes Microsoft's IP, which is threatened by lawsuits and billions of punishments.
As a next large scale technology grabbing project is a global positioning system on their visors with satellites and all.
There's exporting of goods by legally deducting value added taxes, but slapping these on average of 18% costs onto imports.
On agricultural products, US imports are restricted by declaring them as Frankenfoods (gene modified) without scientific proof.
Go and shop over there and you will be notified by sales clercs that there is a locally produced alternative to your choice of import.
These people personally realize what 10% unemployment is stifling since their graduating juniors cannot find jobs.
The business atmosphere and growth is viewed as a national challenge.
No business discriminations by any party or office seeker, and as basic as it will go, this non discrimination includes legalized prostitution.

[liberty_lvr]

Very neat. Just one problem...the BWB was developed by a joint effort between DARPA, McDonnell Douglas, and university.

Boeing hates M-D and purposely squashes anything that originated here because of their snotty attitudes.

Yes, the BWB is a revolutionary aircraft in the same sense as the B747. No, Boeing Commercial Aircraft Group will NEVER build it because they didn't develop the idea.

[SampleMan]

Role-outs always have luxurious layouts with more room than a barn. That is because they are done by the aircraft manufacturer, who isn't selling tickets. The 747 was the same.

When that sky-pig hits the airlines they are going to slap it full of fair generating devices known to many as seats. Lot's of them. Hundreds of them. Nearly a thousand of them.

Personally, I love RJs. They are quickly boarded / unboarded, have great departure times, and go directly where I'm headed without stops. I also feel like I have more room, despite the much smaller fuselage diameter.

[EagleUSA]

I would like to know how they plan to justify the expense.
=======
I don't think that is their priority. Their priority is "one-upping" the U.S. They need this (if you can really call it that) to justify the existence of the EU, which in itself is going to be an increasingly difficult challenge.

Air traffic carriers are already deferring to smaller, more efficient and less costly aircraft on major long routes. I hope these Euro-whiners choke on it.

[Arrowhead1952]

relatively new...what does the above mean?

Welcome to FR. Click on the link below. There is an area with many acronyms & abbreviations

Here

[riri]

Oh look at them up there with their bad haircuts and ugly Euroweenie ties. Ugh, how I truly detest them.

[Cold Heat]

the leaders of France, Britain, Germany and Spain hailed Europe's victory over the United States as the new king of the commercial skies.

This thing will be a boondoggle.

I sure hope they have designed a tail that does not fall off..........

Super sized airframes are only good for freight. The Boeing people believe and have confirmed that even the 747 frame is too large to operate efficiently.

Just think of the liability taken on with over 500 passengers. The excessive boarding time and lack of airports that can accept this thing. And, the few emergency airfields that could land this hunk of European junk.

What goes up, must come down.

[Pelayo]

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

35 yeas ago? LOL.

[dc-zoo]

They damn sure better hope that monster doesn't hit an iceberg.

[JoeV1]

Wait a minute! Isn't this company subsidized by the governments of France and Germany? Is Boeing so subsidized? Isn't gov subsidization of private business illegal in America?

[JoeV1]

A sad series of tragedies occurred, while British aircraft dropping out of the skies without explanation.

I believe the crashes were caused by metal fatigue which caused the fuselage on the Comet to crack.

[neutrality]

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/207500_boeingeu12.html

[Paulus Invictus]

Do they have to make them bigger so that crowds of their people can vacation in the US at bargain prices? I can't imagine too many Americans climbing abord one of those monsters. I can no longer afford to go to London to see family. Another thing: how would you like to be in the boarding line of a plane that holds 800 + bods?