A380 takes off

Traffic

The new A380 has taken off for the first time in Toulouse

Hugh_C

Traffic wrote:

The new A380 has taken off for the first time in Toulouse

wonder why they didn't pull up the undercarriage?

RuggieBear

hughchal wrote:

wonder why they didn't pull up the undercarriage?

Actually, i was wondering about that too.....maybe it jammed!!!

Traffic

From another board:

'the landing gear is generally not retracted on the first few test flights. I imagine the logic being that if the U/C is retracted and then has some sort of a problem and will not extend you then have a damaged (at best) aircraft that will throw your development schedule out by months. If you do as much of the flight testing as possible with gear out you get as much done before introducing the additional risk of undercarriage problems - risk management.'

Big day in the history of aviation

RuggieBear

Traffic wrote:

From another board:

'the landing gear is generally not retracted on the first few test flights. I imagine the logic being that if the U/C is retracted and then has some sort of a problem and will not extend you then have a damaged (at best) aircraft that will throw your development schedule out by months. If you do as much of the flight testing as possible with gear out you get as much done before introducing the additional risk of undercarriage problems - risk management.'

Big day in the history of aviation

ah...i suppose that makes sense...i tink. Cheers

Alun

It's still got to land ... apparently the test pilots who have flown the flight simulator have said it's a pig to land. Should be interesting

LegacyUser

Is there video footage of the take-off online anywhere, I went to watch BBC broadband, but the broadcast had finished.

delly

http://news.bbc.co.uk/ have it up now

murphaph

Fantastic day for Europe.

Cuauhtemoc

So it had never flown before?

I would have thought they'd do a quiet test flight somewhere without the media first.

Traffic

No its first time in the air

It was assembled in Toulouse so some one wld of noticed the largest civil ac taking to the skies

embraer170

wonder why they didn't pull up the undercarriage?

They did.. but only after 45 minutes of flying.

saobh_ie

I wonder what the carrier insurance would be for one of those? How many passengers was it again?

BuffyBot

How many passengers was it again?

When it's in service it could take up to 800 (all economy configuration). However, it's more likely to seat about 550 in a 3 class configuration

Alun

Here's some photo's if anyone's interested.

Victor

Does the "forehead" look wrong in the first picture?

Lennoxschips

I'm sure the A380 is bigger and better, but the 747-400 still looks nicer. That bit up front (the "forehead") looks weird with no windows.

I'm sure Boeing are ****ting themselves. The A380 may not sell in massive proportions, but it means Airbus now has a plane for almost every market niche, all with similar cockpits, meaning that they now have a total package to offer to airlines.

mike65

I wonder how mnay decades until the A380 could land at Dublin? I'd say Knock is a better option.

I think Boeing have made a big strategic error by dropping thier own plans for a super jumbo. Airbus have a plane that can dominate long haul in every aspect for the next 40-50 years.

Mike.

secret_squirrel

Alun wrote:

It's still got to land ... apparently the test pilots who have flown the flight simulator have said it's a pig to land. Should be interesting

Errr how exactly does that follow - even if they have got working simulators - which I doubt - they dont know how accurately they reflect the real aircraft. Some of the test flights will be specifically full of logging instruments to finalise the Simulators software.

At best any sims they have got are still in alpha/beta testing.


I was lucky enough to be in Toulouse 2 weeks ago visiting Airbus and saw it taxi-ing around the perimeter under its own power. It trundled up towards the runway just as our flight was taking off - awesome sight.

Victor

mike65 wrote:

I wonder how mnay decades until the A380 could land at Dublin? I'd say Knock is a better option.

The new runway is designed to take them, but may be initially be built to a lesser standard, i.e. the wouldn't build the edge bits.

I think Boeing have made a big strategic error by dropping thier own plans for a super jumbo. Airbus have a plane that can dominate long haul in every aspect for the next 40-50 years.

There may be only space in the market for one such aircraft. Having two such aircraft might just make them both loss makers.