An Update on Singapore's A380

[Guest Glenn]

I received the following email today regarding Singapore Airlines flying the first A380.

 

Taking to the skies on a grand scaleBuilding the world's largest passenger aircraft requires several monumental actions of its own, including the operation of the world's largest aircraft hangar. At the vast site of the SIA A380?s construction in Toulouse, France, a vertical tailplane measuring 14.1 metres high and 12.9 metres wide ? roughly the height of a 4-storey building ? was recently, and carefully, fitted onto the fuselage of the aircraft. Delivery alone required a 2 1/2-hour flight from Hamburg, Germany, while further paintwork and drying required 11 days ? about twice the time required to assemble a regular passenger jet. Be assured that when the A380 finally takes flight, it will not be missed.

This site :arrow: http://www.singaporeair.com/Email_Marketing/marketing_communication/A380/A380_WallPaper.jpg has a wallpaper for your desktop that you can download.

 

 

[Guest Glenn]

Another email just arrived.

 

Inaugural test flight a resounding success

Thank you for your continued interest in the Singapore Airlines A380. We are pleased to inform you that after months of careful preparation, the maiden test flight of the A380 took place on the morning of 27 April 2005. Taking off from Blagnac International Airport in Toulouse, France at 10.29 am (local time), the world?s largest commercial airliner completed its much-anticipated initial test flight to immense satisfaction.

 

The test aircraft, took flight at a weight of 421 tonnes ? the highest ever of any civil airliner at take-off to date. At the end of the A380?s maiden flight, the aircraft landed safely back at the Blagnac Airport at 2.23 pm (local time), having successfully met the expectations of the expert team on board.

 

Sensing the potential of the A380

 

The test flight marks the start of the Airbus A380 flight test campaign, which involves approximately 2,500 hours of rigorous test flights on a total of five development aircraft. Claude Lelaie, Senior Vice President of Airbus? Flight Division and co-pilot onboard the A380 test flight confirmed after landing that the new aircraft and engines had handled superbly.

 

The test campaign will culminate with certification by the European and American airworthiness authorities. Once that is complete, the A380 will enter into service in the second half of 2006 with Singapore Airlines as its first operator.

 

New air travel experience

 

Passengers can expect luxury to take on new meaning with the SIA A380. The landmark aircraft will begin service on the Kangaroo route, plying the skies between London, Singapore and Sydney. The SIA A380 will seat less than 500 passengers in a three-class configuration, although Airbus had designed it to accommodate 555 seats. This translates into a more spacious and luxurious travel experience on the SIA super-jumbo aircraft. The First and Raffles Class products in particular will set new standards in aviation travel and will be distinctly different to what is available today. It promises to be a remarkable experience; we are looking forward to it, too.

[Guest Sunshy]

11 days for a paintjob? Guess it gets different colours than the link you posted.