Airbus 380 -- Another Concorde?

[rpm]

Originally posted by CMC Airboss
I have to laugh at Airbus' marketing a cruise ship in the sky to the ignorant public.  They've floated artist renditions of grand ballrooms, bars, waterfalls, and huge open spaces in some widely read periodicals.  I can assure folks that this airplane will be filled with wall to wall seating.  Don't go expecting in-flight shopping malls, bowling alleys, and movie theaters in any of the common air carrier's airplanes.

Wasn't that exactly how Boeing marketed the 747? Of course it is going to be wall to wall seating as soon as they get bigger engines, just like the 747 did.

Originally posted by cpxxx
But you may also be pleased to know that no less than 50% of the A380 will be American made. So much for it being a European statement.

I hear that only card carrying members of the ACLU will work on it.

[Dinger]

Heh, now in the global market economy, it is to be expected that parts are manufactured all over the world. But development and assembly are centralized. They'Boeing's not doing the interior in Hamburg then moving it to Toulouse to have a plane attached to it.

[NUKE]

Boeing has been working on anti-gravity propulsion. Just wait until GRASP is realized....then we'll be all that.

Seriously, if you google "Boeing anti gravity" you will find some interesting material. Those damn Russians are to blame I think.

Anyway....... gravity is heavy chit.

[Kubwak]

perk the a380!

[mora]

Chairboy,

Can that plane be flown without Fly By Wire, or is it so unstable that it doesn't stay in rhe air without computers?

[Dinger]

And who the hell said I was a conservative?

Let's face it, if the US were a socialist country, we'd kick the living tar out of any socialist system built yet. Our 'conservatives' don't know how good they've got it. Our bureaucracies are actually efficient and relatively free of corruption. And our businesses function pretty well too. In any case, I think I share a time zone with you scholtz, only I don't have to wear a jacket outside -- err check that, you guys are an hour behind us.  See, you're even backwards right now!



Debout les damnes de la funkin' terre!

[Dinger]

I didn't say government.

[Monk]

Where would you put the 1000 PAX.  Frankfurt has 1 position that can fit the A380, but the gate isn't big enough.  I wonder how many other airports are able to support the A380?

How long would it take to board it?  A 747 on the average takes about 45-50 mins, with only about 250 to 300 passagers.

If I flew with a 747 or 340, and started boarding the same time as a 380, I would be over Irland before it took off.

I think speed and economics are a better sell then size.

[Gixer]

Originally posted by Fishu
Concorde flopped because of the huge expenses it had compared to the carry capacity.
Drinks jet-fuel like a drunk, has very little cargo space and doesn't carry enough passengers for all that.

And wasn't helped by being banned by the US for the route it was intentionally built for at the start of it's service.

Some are saying the same thing with US airports dragging their heals in accomodating the A380 and that if it was a Boeing they would already be complete.



...-Gixer

[mora]

If the Boeing 2707 would have been built, they wouldn't have banned the Concorde.

[Monk]

Ooops.


http://business.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,8209-1118081,00.html

[NUKE]

Originally posted by mora
If the Boeing 2707 would have been built, they wouldn't have banned the Concorde.

One of the reasons we didn't build an SST is because of the noise restrictions in the US.

it wasn't just Concord that was banned.

[Habu]

Originally posted by Chairboy
The 'Blended Wing Body', it was called.  It might still be built some day.  It's a unique solution to the problem of "How to move more passengers without redesigning all the current terminals and runways".

I want a window seat takes on a whole new meaning.

[cpxxx]

Originally posted by Dinger
Heh, now in the global market economy, it is to be expected that parts are manufactured all over the world. But development and assembly are centralized. They'Boeing's not doing the interior in Hamburg then moving it to Toulouse to have a plane attached to it.

You're right the interior is not being made in Hamburg. It will be made in Washington. The fuselage in Italy and Texas the flight deck in  Kansas or OK. Most of the wing in Japan.  Landing gear in France.  The toilets in California!!!!!!!!

Exactly like Airbus!

[Dinger]

...and then all the parts (not the assembled fuse, or an entire wing) are shipped to washington for assembly.
Most of the parts involved can be shipped using existing means. Doing the interior in Washington means that the aircraft does not need to move between assembly and delivery (which, by the way makes sense)

Check out that Times article. Those logistical problems with the A-380 are quite impressive. They are building the whole darn wing in Wales, and then relying on custom transports to get the wing to Toulouse.  Then they have to get the Hamburg plant runway extended so they can fly the planes there to do the interior.
These aren't subcontractors either: these are Airbus plants. Why not have it all centrally located, or at least the final assembly?  Well, that's not how state-subsidized business works in Europe, now is it?

I'm not saying they won't overcome those obstacles; of course they will. But it's a classic example of ass-backwards business made to satisfy government interests instead of market needs, and complicating design in the process.  You want a socialist government? Great, just do it right, and stop aping your american friends by feeding EADS.