First Flight Of An Airbus A380.

[Guest Guest]

My contact at Airbus just sent me this video of the first flight of an Airbus A380. :roll:

 

http://grenadeindoor.modelisme.com/A380/a380.wmv

 

He says the BIG one is now going to be next Tuesday or Wednesday. :D

 

 

[Guest Glenn]

Yayy good to see it fly. That must be a very big building. Guess they wanted to keep the first flight a secret

 

 

[Guest Guest]

Hopefully the real one WILL fly. :roll:

 

 

[Guest Glenn]

I thought that was the real one 8)

 

Seriously though. Just hope the real one does get off the ground and back safely.

 

I was looking through a book the other day and noticed that the A380 isn't the first double decker. I think from memory it was a stratocruiser/stratoliner. I'll have to see if I can find it again.

 

 

[Guest Guest]

Hopefully. :roll:

 

Sure is a big one, they cannot even get it in and out of Airbus Hamburg at present, where it was to be completed. :shock:

 

They are having to extend the runway by a LONG way......

 

 

[Guest Guest]

I don't know if the real one will ever fly. :roll:

 

Just heard overnight from my contact at Airbus, that it has been delayed for another 2 or 3 weeks. :(

 

He didn't say why, I am trying to find out, maybe they have to build an even longer runway. :shock:

 

 

[Guest Glenn]

Let's hope it's not another Spruce Goose. At least that got airborne for a short time.

 

 

[Guest Guest]

I certainly hope it flies. :shock:

 

Just heard back from him, he said they just want to make sure everything is right, and of course they do. :D

 

He does not know the actual reason, only rumour he had heard was about some sort of engine leak. :roll:

 

 

[Guest Guest]

Someone here :roll: liked it enough to put the link on PPRuNe.

 

 

[Guest Glenn]

What forum is it under? Can't find it.

 

 

[Guest Glenn]

Don't worry, found it. And no credit given :D

 

 

[Guest Guest]

They would only delete it anyway. :evil:

 

 

[Guest Guest]

Just this minute heard that they have resolved any problems and, weather permitting, first flight (of the real one) will be this Wednesday the 27th. :D

 

 

[Guest Glenn]

=D> =D> =D> =D> =D>

 

Fingers crossed

 

 

[Guest Guest]

About 30 minutes until take off. :D

 

Just watching it live on BBC News on TV, and also on the Internet. :D

 

 

[Guest Ultralights]

where on the internet can you see it live??

 

 

[Guest Guest]

It's on the runway, any minute now, takeoff. :D

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4488361.stm

 

 

[Guest Guest]

It got off the ground. 8)

 

The Internet is about 30 seconds or so behind BBC TV News. :D

 

 

[Guest Ultralights]

simply amazing, must admit, it does look a little better in the air. sadly the transmission has ended. hopefully someone will post all the footage.

 

 

[Guest Guest]

It has too. :(

 

Must admit I was watching the TV more, much better images. :D

 

Now as one of the commentators said, they have the most important part to go, landing it. :shock:

 

 

[Guest Ultralights]

hmmm, the news reported it was going to be flying for at least 40 mins to perform checks etc,

 

hope bbc will webcast the approach and landing as well. (fingers crossed)

 

i also noted the wings did not flex much under lift loads, as a 747 accelerates down the runway you can watch the wings slowly rise stop for a sec, then the aircraft lifts into the air, then again, the 380 was empty.

 

I bet pulling back on that (sidestick?) would have been an adrenalin filled moment!

 

 

[Guest Guest]

I didn't notice much watching it live, I was just hoping it would fly. :roll:

 

BBC TV replayed the takeoff after a few minutes, and then I watched more closely, the only thing I noticed then was a lot of rudder movement. :D

 

 

[Guest Glenn]

Typical Typical Typical. The only time I wasn't home and I've been waiting for this moment. Been out all day and just got back from stinking Canberra. What a mad place to drive around.

 

So did they show much of the take off and landing? Wish I was home :x

 

 

[Guest Glenn]

Just been watching the ceremony on BBC and CNN. Didn't see it land but they showed footage of the take off and landing. An interesting bit of info, the diameter of one engine is bigger than that of the diameter of a 737 fuselage. Doesn't look that big on TV.

 

 

[Guest Glenn]

This article from The Australian.

 

Parachutes standard as super jumbo takes off

Drew Warne-Smith

 

April 28, 2005

 

THE long-awaited maiden flight of the Airbus A380 super jumbo last night was for many the most significant moment in aviation since the launch of the Concorde in 1969.

 

But to the untrained eye, the six-man crew that stepped aboard the world's largest commercial passenger plane for the test flight did not exactly inspire confidence.

 

They all wore parachutes.

 

A handrail had also been installed in the cockpit to help lead them to an escape door that could be blown open in case of an emergency.

 

But there was to be no catastrophe, and no more last-minute hiccups at Toulouse-Blagnac international airport in France last night.

 

After 11 years and $16.7billion in development - and before an estimated crowd of 50,000 - the A380 rumbled into life and roared into the sky just after 6pm AEST. With room to seat up to 840 passengers, the A380 will trump arch rival Boeing's 747 as the largest airliner to circle the globe when it enters service for Singapore Airlines next year.

 

The twin-deck, four-engine jumbo can fly 15,000km non-stop, boasts a maximum take-off weight of 560 tonnes, a wingspan of 80m, and lands on 22 wheels.

 

Last night's take-off was much quieter than the others heard at the airport yesterday, despite the size of the plane.

 

Plans are already afoot to equip the A380 with cocktail bars and billiard tables, and Virgin chief Richard Branson reportedly wants a gym and double bed in his.

 

The initial flight, mainly circling over the Atlantic ocean, was expected to last up to five hours while a live satellite feed of in-flight data was beamed to technicians on the ground.

 

But it has hardly been a smooth take-off for the Airbus company, which is banking on airlines following a strategy of purchasing the huge long-haul aircraft to offer cheaper seats between major airport hubs.

 

The project has run $1.9billion over budget, and the maiden flight was delayed for a month amid concerns the prototype was overweight, fuel-inefficient and had problems with fire and landing gear.

 

But the A380, with a catalogue price of $362.9million, has already attracted significant interest, with 15 airlines signing contracts for 154 aircraft.

 

Qantas has ordered 12 of the new super jumbos, with the first due to be delivered in October next year. A Qantas spokesman said the planes would fly the primary routes to the US and London.

 

Boeing is staking its future on mid-sized shorter-haul planes that can access more airports.