Before you is the Airbus A380 - the largest passenger aircraft in the world today. Its length is 80.65 m, height - 24.08 m, and wingspan - 79.75 m. It has a large number of seats - either 853 passengers in a single-class configuration, or 525, but in three classes. It also differs in that it is capable of making long flights without landing over a distance of more than 15 thousand kilometers.
The airliner is equipped with four turbojet engines, but of two different types to choose from: Engine Alliance GP7000 or Rolls-Royce Trent 900. The aircraft weight is 280 tons, and the maximum take-off is 560 tons. There is also a cargo modification called the A380F - it can transport 150 tons of cargo at once over a distance of no more than 10 thousand kilometers.
In total, the development of this colossus from Airbus S.A.S. (formerly Airbus Industrie) took about 10 years. According to the developers, the main design problem was weight reduction. To solve it, we had to resort to the use of special composite materials, both in the structure itself and in the interior, units, and so on. In addition, aluminum alloys, carbon fiber, and hybrid materials are widely used.
Interestingly, among its competitors, this aircraft is one of the most economical - it consumes about three liters of fuel per passenger. According to the manufacturer, the Airbus A380 burns almost 20 percent less fuel than “another modern airliner” (here, apparently, we are talking about the Boeing 747, which is the main competitor of this model).
In total, about 12 billion euros were spent on the development of the aircraft. In order for the model to fully pay for itself, it is necessary to sell 420 airliners (this is stated by the manufacturing company). According to other sources, this figure is underestimated by at least half. Be that as it may, to date only 68 Airbus A380s have been produced.
The dimensions of the first aircraft with an engine were more than modest. Its length was 6.4 meters and its height was 2.7 meters. Flyer 1, designed and built back in 1903 by the Wright brothers, was capable of lifting only one person into the air. The wingspan of the first aircraft was just over 12 meters, and the wing area was 47 square meters. Of course, aviation has come a long way since then. Modern airliners amaze with their dimensions, power, and carrying capacity. The largest aircraft in the world are capable of carrying several hundred tons of cargo, and passenger giants carry more than 800 passengers per flight. Let's talk about the heavyweights of modern aviation.
Leader in wing length
Before moving on to the giants, let's remember the unique Hughes H-4 Hercules. It is he who has held the lead in wingspan for more than 70 years, and only the modern Airbus A380-800 has equaled it in height.
The aircraft has a complicated history. At the beginning of World War II, the US government ordered Hughes Aircraft to build an amphibious aircraft for cargo and passenger transportation. Yes, he had to not only fly, but also be able to swim. The main goal stated by the customer is to spend a minimum of strategic raw materials, that is, to make it not from metal, but from wood.
The "flying boat" was intended to be the largest aircraft in existence. But the search for an ideal solution dragged on, and the amphibious aircraft was built only two years after the end of the war. The device, which received the famous nickname “Spruce Goose,” was made entirely of plywood. It is estimated that the development and construction of the aircraft required $22 million from the US budget, with another $18 million contributed by company owner Howard Hughes.
The dimensions of the Hercules were seven times greater than those of any aircraft. The length was 66.45 meters, height - 24 meters, and wingspan - 97.5 meters. It weighed 136 tons, the carrying capacity was 59 tons. The flying boat was capable of carrying more than 700 soldiers.
According to the project, the aircraft could reach speeds of up to 378 km/h, gain an altitude of more than seven thousand meters and fly 5.6 thousand km. But it was never possible to test its extreme capabilities. The Hercules made its first and only experimental flight in November 1947 in Los Angeles Harbor. After making several passes around the harbor, the amphibious aircraft took off from the water and flew about two kilometers at an altitude of 21 meters and a speed of about 120 km/h. After a perfectly perfect landing, the Hercules returned to its hangar, where it was maintained in working order until 1976. Today you can see the wooden giant at the Oregon State Museum in the USA.
Passenger transportation record holders
Among the largest modern airliners in the passenger air transportation segment, two competing aircraft models stand out: the Boeing 747 and the Airbus A380. The first holds the palm in terms of length, the second has become the undisputed leader in capacity.
Leader in size
The longest passenger airliner today is the Boeing 747-8. It is also the largest commercial aircraft ever built in the United States.
The wide-body, double-deck Boeing 747-8 is almost a meter longer than the previous leader, the Airbus A340-600. The fuselage length is 76 meters, height - more than 19 meters. The wingspan of this giant is almost 68.5 meters.
The airliner was announced in 2005, and the first flight took place five years later. Its key differences from previous Boeing 747 models were the extended fuselage, new wing, engines and on-board systems. Significant improvements have led to it becoming the quietest and most economical airliner in the family. Boeing's calling card, the hump at the front of the hull, remains; this is where the upper deck is located.
The ship can accommodate up to 581 passengers. The airliner is capable of traveling up to 14.1 thousand kilometers at a speed of 917 km/h. The maximum speed of the Boeing 747-8 reaches 950 km/h, which makes it the leader among subsonic passenger airliners.
The Boeing 747-8 is available in three versions: cargo, passenger and presidential. Today, the longest aircraft in the world are used by Air China, Korean Air, Cathay Pacific Airways, UPS Airlines and others. It is he who holds the lead in orders for VIP versions of the aircraft, intended for flights of top officials of the state, statesmen and politicians.
Record holder for passenger capacity
For 37 years, the leadership in three parameters: size, weight and capacity was held by the passenger Boeing 747. Everything changed in 2005, when the Airbus A380 took off into the sky. Since then, it has held the lead in passenger capacity.
The aircraft can carry up to 853 passengers at a time, while the Boeing 747 can accommodate up to 600 people.
It took about ten years and 12 billion euros to develop the airliner. As stated by Airbus S.A.S, in order to recoup the project, 420 aircraft need to be sold. At the end of 2017, 317 aircraft were ordered, more than 220 of them are already operated by airlines.
The A380 made its first commercial flight in 2007 from Singapore to Sydney under the flag of Singapore Airlines. In honor of this event, passengers were treated to champagne and presented with memorable certificates.
The record holder’s dimensions are no less impressive: height 24 meters, length almost 73 meters, wingspan almost 80 meters. It weighs 280 tons, and can lift the same amount. The most difficult question, according to the developers, was how to make such a giant as light as possible. To solve the problem during construction, lightweight composite materials were used.
Despite its size, the A380 is the most economical among the giants, fuel consumption is 20% lower than the Boeing 747. It can travel up to 15.4 thousand kilometers without landing at a speed of 1020 km/h.
Heavyweights in the world of aviation
Let's move on to the largest and heaviest cargo aircraft. The line of leaders here has not changed since the 80s of the last century, when the An-225 entered the “pedestal”. Among the production versions of cargo models, its prototype, the An-124, holds the lead. Although American aircraft designers are already catching up with the leaders with their latest developments.
Record holder for cargo transportation
The An-225, called “Mriya” (“Dream”), is officially recognized as the most load-lifting aircraft in the world. The pinnacle of thought of Soviet designers set about 250 world records, many of which have not been surpassed to this day.
The An-225 was designed and built at the Antonov Design Bureau. The aircraft was intended to solve specific problems during the implementation of the Soviet space program "Buran". In particular, it was supposed to transport heavy components of the spacecraft and launch vehicle, and also be used as the first stage of the spacecraft launch system.
The designers took the An-124 as a basis, this gave it the qualities of a universal cargo aircraft. And fundamental improvements have made it possible to achieve record carrying capacity: Mriya can transport up to 250 tons over a distance of up to four thousand kilometers.
The An-225 made its first flight in 1988, and a year later the demonstration of its capabilities created a sensation at the Paris Air Exhibition.
The An-225 is amazing in size. Its length is 84 meters, its height is more than 18 meters (the height of a five-story building), and its wingspan exceeds 88 meters. The empty weight of the aircraft is 250 tons.
"Mriya" is capable of transporting super-heavy loads both in a sealed cabin and outside on the fuselage. The length of the cargo compartment is 43 meters, width - 6.4 meters, height - 4.4 meters. This area will freely accommodate 50 cars. The second deck accommodates 6 crew members and 88 passengers.
Today, “Mriya” exists in a single copy. The aircraft is used to transport cargo and carry out rescue operations. The second aircraft was planned for release, but remained in a half-assembled state. Due to the lack of a customer, the completion and modernization of the second An-225 is still in question.
Largest serial heavyweight
Among the mass-produced heavyweights, another development of the Design Bureau named after them is considered the most load-lifting in the world. Antonov An-124, or "Ruslan". Before the advent of the Airbus A380, its size was second only to the Boeing 747.
"Ruslan" was originally created for military purposes. With its help they planned to transport ballistic missile launch systems, heavy military equipment and military personnel. The first test of "Ruslan" took place in 1982. For three years it was used exclusively in the interests of the army. The heavyweight was capable of transporting up to 120 tons of cargo, up to 440 paratroopers or 880 soldiers with equipment.
Since 1985, Ruslan switched to servicing civil transportation, making the first “delivery” of a 152-ton mining dump truck from Vladivostok to Yakutia. Among the unusual “orders”, it is worth noting the delivery of 140 tons of equipment from the legendary Pink Floyd from London to Moscow, and the transportation of more than 50 tons of gold from the UAE to Switzerland. Michael Jackson also took advantage of the Ruslans' capabilities, transporting 310 tons of his cargo on three aircraft.
The An-124 is somewhat shorter in size than the Mriya (69 meters), but taller (21 meters). The wingspan exceeds 73 meters. The empty weight of the aircraft is 178 tons.
On the upper deck there are crew cabins (for 8 people) and two passenger cabins (7+21 people). The lower deck is a sealed cargo compartment that is shorter in length than the An-225 and is 36.5 meters.
Production of Ruslans was stopped in 2004. A total of 55 aircraft of this model were produced. Afterwards, some of them were modernized: the fuselage and wing were updated, some systems and units were replaced, and the carrying capacity was increased.
“Ruslans” can transport cargo up to 120 tons over a distance of 4.8 thousand kilometers. If the load is three times lighter, the flight range will be up to 12 thousand kilometers. The maximum speed that the liner can reach is 865 km/h.
Western analogue of An-124
The closest competitor to the Russian serial heavyweight is the American military transport aircraft Lockheed C-5 Galaxy. This is the third largest air transportation giant in the world in terms of cargo capacity after Mriya and Ruslan.
The Lockheed C-5 Galaxy made its first flight in 1968. Quite soon it became the main means for transporting military forces and equipment to places of military operations. In total, several modifications of the aircraft were produced. The latest - C-5M Super Galaxy - is capable of transporting almost 130 tons of cargo (for comparison, this is how much 150 Volkswagen Beetle cars weigh in total).
The height of the hull here is almost 20 meters, the length is 75.5 meters, and the wingspan is 67.9 meters.
The size of the aircraft is no less impressive than its capabilities. The length of the aircraft is 75.5 meters, height - almost 20 meters, wingspan - just under 68 meters. The cargo compartment, 37 meters long and 5.8 meters in diameter, can accommodate 270 soldiers and another 118 tons of payload. On the upper deck there is a crew cabin for five people and seats for passengers. The flight range with maximum load is 5.5 thousand kilometers at a speed of up to 888 km/h.
Promising giant
Aircraft designers never tire of competing to produce giants. Thus, in 2011, the largest twin-fuselage transport aircraft, the Stratolaunch Model 351, developed by Scaled Composites, was announced and six years later presented. The new “titan”, with a wingspan of 117 meters, surpasses both “Mriya” and even the famous “Hercules”.
The length of the aircraft is more than 72 meters with a height of 15 meters. According to the project, it will be able to lift up to 250 tons of cargo on an external sling. The Stratolaunch Model 351 is intended to be a platform for air-launched missiles.
The aircraft is currently undergoing the necessary testing. Its commissioning is planned for 2019.
The creation and start of production of the double-deck wide-body airliner Airbus A380 put an end to the undivided monopoly of the aircraft, which lasted for several decades. The car is the largest passenger airliner in the world.
Reliability and reduced operating costs ensure good demand for the machine, despite its high cost. The most expensive option was delivered to the family of the King of Saudi Arabia, and cost the customer 488 million US dollars.
History of creation
Work on a new large-sized Airbus airliner began in the late 80s. The aircraft was created as a competitor to the Boeing 747 airliner, which had a monopoly on the niche of such aircraft since the 70s. At the same time, a similar aircraft was being developed by the McDonnell Douglas Corporation, but its project was a failure.
The management of Boeing and Airbus realized the limitations of the market for high-capacity aircraft, so in 1993 attempts were made to enter into a partnership agreement that would allow them to divide the market. In parallel, the development of projects was underway, called “Airbus” 3XX and “Boeing” 747X.
Several fuselage options were developed for the Airbus, including a twin-length fuselage from the 340 model. The Boeing aircraft was supposed to be equipped with a fuselage with a nose section increased in height.
Development of the Boeing project was stopped in early 1997 due to the emerging economic crisis in East Asia, which reduced the market for large aircraft.
Airbus decided to continue development of the project, concentrating on reducing operating costs while increasing capacity. It was then that the decision was made to use a double-deck fuselage, which ensured the maximum capacity of the aircraft.
The A380 designation appeared at the end of 2000, when the project was approved by the then management of Airbus. Assembly of the first aircraft began in 2002. A special feature of the production of the A380 aircraft was the use of the production facilities of several dozen enterprises scattered throughout Europe.
The first flight of the Airbus A380 took place in the spring of 2005, and already at the beginning of 2006 the first test flight across the Atlantic Ocean was carried out.
Finalizing the design and solving problems that arose with suppliers shifted the start of aircraft production to 2007, in which only one copy was delivered. Actual deliveries began only the following year, in which 12 A380 aircraft were assembled.
At the beginning of 2017, there were 207 Airbus A380 aircraft in active operation, owned by twelve airlines. During the operation of the aircraft, several minor flight accidents were recorded.
In particular, in the fall of 2017, on one of the Air France airliners, elements of a turbojet engine separated in flight. The cause of the incident was determined to be a manufacturing defect in the fan hub of the GP7200 engine.
Fuselage and cockpit
The fuselage of the Airbus A380-800 is equipped with two decks to accommodate passenger seats. Between the decks there are stairs located in the bow and tail of the passenger compartment. When laying out the stairs, it was possible to ensure a width sufficient for the free movement of passengers towards each other.
Carbon fiber composites are widely used in the fuselage structure.
The end section of the fuselage is entirely made of composite. A tail horizontal and vertical stabilizer is attached to it. Inside there is a service compartment and an auxiliary gas turbine unit with a generator.
In the forward part of the fuselage there is a pilot's cabin equipped with two seats. To display data, the cockpit is equipped with liquid crystal monitors (the “glass cockpit” concept) of a unified design that allows devices to be replaced.
Pilots do not have a traditional helm. The steering wheel is replaced by joysticks located on the outside of the seats. Joysticks are connected to electric drive controls. The cockpit contains more than 100 thousand wires connecting various electronic and electrical components.
In front of the pilots there is a folding table with a keyboard. Between the seats there are controls, including four throttle levers for controlling engine operating modes.
The Airbus A380 wing was created based on a take-off weight of at least 650 thousand kg, which is considered achievable on future versions.
In addition, this weight was planned for the cargo version of the A380-800F aircraft, which never went into production.
Engines
Depending on the modification, the Airbus A380 airliner can be equipped with Trent 900 family turbojet engines manufactured by Rolls-Royce or GP7200 developed by Engine Alliance.
The GP7200 powerplant is a collection of components developed by several major engine manufacturers. Both types of engines meet modern noise requirements during takeoff and landing.
The table shows some engine characteristics.
| Parameter | Trent 900 | GP7200 |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Turbofan three-shaft | Twin-shaft turbofan |
| Combustion chamber type | Single | Single with reduced emissions of harmful substances |
| Turbine design | One stage each for high and medium pressure, 5 stages for low pressure | Two stages of high pressure and 6 stages of low |
| Compressor | One fan wheel, 8-stage medium pressure stage and 6-stage high pressure stage | Fan, 5-speed low pressure and 9-speed high pressure |
| Length, mm | 5478 | 4920 |
| Diameter, mm | 2950 | 3160 |
| Weight, kg | 6246 | 6712 |
| Take-off thrust, kN | 310-340 | 311 |
To reduce the travel distance, two engines have a thrust reverser (one under each wing). The engines use aviation kerosene as fuel.
Exploration work is underway to operate power plants using a mixture of kerosene and natural gas converted into liquid fuel. The fuel supply is stored in 13 caisson tanks located in the wings and horizontal tail.
The fuel system has 41 pumps that constantly move fuel between tanks to maintain alignment and reduce drag.
Passenger compartment design
The pressurized passenger cabin of the Airbus A380 aircraft has improved sound insulation. The width of the fuselage allows for 11 rows of passenger seats.
All places are connected to communication lines built on the basis of fiber optics.
Passengers board and disembark through two doors located in the forward fuselage on the lower deck.
First class
The seats are located in the bow of the lower deck. There are 14 seats in total, 4 of which are located singly on the sides, the remaining 6 are located in the central row in pairs. A special feature of first class seats is the ability to be folded into a full-fledged berth.
At the beginning and end of the compartment there is a bathroom and a kitchenette. In addition, first class has a shower facility (not available on all Airbus A380s).
Business class
Business class seats are located immediately behind first class. The seats are arranged in eight rows at a fairly large distance from each other. The design of the chairs allows the backrests to be folded out to form a sleeping area.
There are a total of 20 rows of seats, the total capacity of the business class cabin is 76 seats.
At the beginning and end of the salon there are kitchenettes and a bathroom. A bar counter is located in the area of the first emergency exit. The second emergency exit is located towards the rear of the Airbus A380.
Economy class
Economy class seats on the Airbus A380 are located on the upper deck in three rows. The side rows have three seats, the central row has four. There are two aisles between the rows. There are bathrooms in the bow, stern and middle sections.
The cabin is designed for 399 passengers. Passenger seats are equipped with an individual screen mounted in the backrest. The economy class cabin has two kitchenettes and three bathrooms.
In the event of an emergency, economy class passengers can leave the Airbus A380 cabin through 10 emergency exits.
It is possible to expand the economy class cabin to the second deck. In this case, the capacity of the Airbus A380 reaches a record 853 passengers.
Chassis
In the scheme for extending and retracting the landing gear on the Airbus A380, a combined drive is used - from hydraulic systems (duplicated) and from electric actuators (also duplicated). Electric actuators operate the chassis via hydraulic systems.
In this way, it was possible to install four independent control systems, which increased the safety of the aircraft and reduced the risk of dangerous situations. The landing gear niches are closed with landing gear doors made of composite materials. The design of the doors is monolithic.
Flight performance compared to competitors
| Parameter | A380 | A380 Plus | Boeing 747-8F |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wingspan, mm | 79 800 | 68 450 | |
| Length, mm | 73 000 | 76 250 | |
| Height, mm | 24 100 | 19 350 | |
| Empty weight, kg | 276 800 | 191 100 | |
| Maximum take-off weight, kg | 560 000 | 578 000 | 442 000 |
| Fuel capacity, l | 325 000 | - | |
| Total takeoff thrust, kN | 1244-1360 | At least 1244 | 1188 |
| Maximum speed, km/h | 1020 | 988 | |
| Cruising speed, km/h | Up to 945 | 908 | |
| Flight range, km | 15 200 | 15 756 | 14 100 |
| Ceiling, m | 13 115 | 13 000 | |
| Crew, people | 2 | ||
| Number of seats, persons | 853 | 933 | 581 |
Prospects
In mid-2017, Airbus announced the creation of an improved A380 Plus. The main direction of improvements was to reduce the cost of the aircraft, which in theory should increase demand for the aircraft.
At the same time, the redesigned cabins are designed to accommodate a record 933 passengers. Capacity has been improved due to a tighter cabin layout and a reduction in the area of service compartments.
Externally, the A380 Plus is not very different from its predecessor - the main changes affected the wing design, which should have reduced drag.
Modified Rolls-Royce and Engine Alliance power plants have reduced fuel consumption and increased thrust by 7%, but there is no official data on them in the public domain.
Video
The Airbus A380 is a passenger double-decker (double-decker) jet aircraft. Today it is the largest and most spacious airliner in the world. Officially, its development began in 2000, the first flight was made in 2005, and in 2007 it was fully put into operation by the companies that pre-ordered it.
Airbus A380 review
The Airbus A380 has several modifications:
- Basic models Airbus A380-800, 842, 861, 862. The length reaches about 73 meters. The difference lies in the installed engines: GP72XX and Trent 900. The ability to vary the on-board temperature from 18 to 30 degrees Celsius, thanks to internal 16 temperature zones, has become unique;
- A380-800F. Cargo model of an airplane. For some time, Airbus S.A.S. accepted orders for the supply of such a modification, but its production was shelved until the design of the passenger version was fully adjusted. The specific timing is still unknown;
- A380-900. Currently in the design stage. It is 7 meters longer than the original version, and if the aircraft goes into mass production, it will be the longest and most powerful. The possible flight distance will reach 14,200 km;
- A380-1000. It is planned to be the most spacious airliner. In the future, it will be able to accommodate 1,073 passengers exclusively in economy class and 757 people in three classes. The start of use is expected to date from 2020-2025. The length of the aircraft is 87 meters;
- A380plus. This modification is currently being tested. On board it will be able to accommodate 80 more people than in the basic version, and also reduce fuel consumption and operating costs.
Airbus A380 passenger cabin design
Airbus a380-800 Emirates interior diagram
The aircraft has an upper and lower deck, which are connected by two staircases, at the nose and tail of the aircraft. Various modifications of the A380 accommodate first class, business economy and premium economy classes.
First class
On an Airbus A380 passenger aircraft, as a rule, first class seats are located at the very beginning. Everyone already knows that these places are the best, and the attitude towards the passenger is as if he were a guest of a five-star hotel. Each chair here can be converted into a small bed. The first class section may even have a shower, which is widely used by some airlines.
However, not everything is so smooth and the “suite” also has its drawbacks: these are seats located in the 1st and 4th rows, located in close proximity to the toilet. Also, opposite the 1st row there is a staircase connecting the two decks of the aircraft, and not every passenger will like such a neighborhood.
Business class
Business class in the Airbus A380 is located immediately behind the first. There are also comfortable armchairs that can be turned into a bed if desired. The distance between the seats is sufficient, so you can easily stretch your legs to their full length. Passengers are provided with a minibar, which is usually included in the ticket price.
Economy class
On the bottom or main (if the plane consists entirely of one class) there is an economy class. It amounts to 399 seats in the classic layout offered by the manufacturer. The seats here do not lie flat, as in first and business class, but they are quite comfortable. According to the world standard, the distance for the legs between the rows reaches 80 cm. Each passenger has his own screen installed in the back of the previous seat, the ability to watch video, listen to audio, a USB connector and paid Internet. Availability of the latter will depend on the airline.
Best places
As mentioned earlier, the ideal seats on this airliner are in first and business class. In economy you can also get a good job on rows 45, 54 and 82. The seats are located far from the toilets and technical areas, there are no seats in front, which means there is plenty of legroom. Rows 68 and 81 would also be good. They are located near the windows and are considered one of the most comfortable in economy class.
Rows 43, 52, 67 and 80 are considered “average” in terms of convenience. There is enough space between the seats, but technical rooms and a toilet are located nearby, which can cause inconvenience. The worst seats are in row 88. This is where the wall is located, because of which the seat and the toilet room do not recline, where passengers scurry back and forth. It is better to buy tickets here when there are no other options.
Photo of the cabin in economy class:
Main Features
The Airbus 380 has a wide fuselage (aisle). It is unique in its kind, which is why it is in great demand among many airlines, both domestic and foreign. The cockpit is the same for all models. Airbus S.A.S. uses this tactic. used to save on crew training.
The Airbus 380 airliner has the following technical characteristics:
- Number of seats as standard - 525;
- Capacity - 853;
- Cabin width - 6.5 m;
- Length - 72.7 m;
- Height - 24.1 m;
- Wing span - 80 m;
- Wing area - 845 sq. m;
- Empty aircraft weight - 276.8 thousand kg;
- Takeoff weight - 560 thousand kg;
- Landing weight - 386 thousand kg;
- Weight without fuel - 361 thousand kg;
- Fuel tank capacity - 310 thousand liters;
Aircraft flight data:
- Maximum flight altitude - 13.1 thousand m;
- The maximum flight distance with a full load is 15 thousand km;
- Run length - 2.9 thousand m;
- Take-off run length - 2 thousand m;
- Engines - 4 R-R Trent 970 or 4 Alliance GP7270.
History of creation
The development of the wide-body aircraft project was started by Airbus S.A.S. back in 1994. Then it was planned to compete with the then monopolist Boeing with its Boeing-747 airliner. Initially, the future brainchild of Airbus had the code name A3XX. The designers wanted to combine two fuselages of the company's largest aircraft at that time, the A340, but this would have led to a significant decrease in flight parameters, an increase in the acceleration length and total weight.
It was decided to use a two-deck model, which gave the car a number of advantages. The project started in 2000, and the amount of planned costs reached 8.8 million euros. The name of the aircraft also has an interesting history. Instead of A340, it received the number A380. In a number of Asian countries, eight is considered a lucky number and this probably served as a positive impetus for customers to purchase an airliner.
Construction was completed in 2005 and the aircraft was demonstrated at the airfield in Toulouse. During the tests, engineers identified errors in the design of the wing and it had to be changed in a timely manner. Full tests on the ground and in the air were completed at the end of 2007 and the A380 received European certificates of conformity.
Where is it produced?
Fuselage cross-section
The aircraft is manufactured by the European company Airbus S.A.S., based in Toulouse (France). It also has several offices in Germany, Spain, France and the UK and two factories in Blagnac (a suburb of Toulouse) and Hannover (Germany). The company's activities began in 1969 after the merger of several small European aircraft manufacturing companies. Here, not only passenger aircraft are being developed, but also cargo aircraft, as well as vehicles adapted for military needs.
Cost of different models
The price of different modifications of the A380 can vary greatly. Its growth is also affected by the unstable economic situation in the world. Recently, there has been a steady trend towards higher prices for aircraft. And in general, the aircraft of this model itself is considered the most expensive in the entire Airbus family.
The current price of the Airbus A380-800 is US$428 million. The company is still silent about the cost of the models, the production of which is planned to begin in the near future, and the final figure is known only to airlines that have placed pre-orders. Every year prices rise by about 2-3%. A total of 219 vehicles have been sold and put into operation, and another 317 are under construction. This information is provided by the official Airbus representative office.
News, modernization, prospects
There are several cases where the order for the A380-800 was placed by important people and famous people. For example, the most common story was about the prince of Saudi Arabia, who bought his own A380 Super Jambo from the company, whose total cost was 488 million US dollars.
There was an opinion that this aircraft was capable of damaging airport runways, but this turned out to be untrue. The landing gear pressure turned out to be much less than that of its main competitors Boeing 747 and 777. In Russia, the first airport adapted to receive the wide-body A380 was Moscow Domodedovo. The order to rebuild the runway was issued by the air transport agency in Russia.
The A380 is a true world record holder. It has the quietest passenger cabin noise levels, is the most fuel-efficient and largest aircraft available today.
Due to the large size of the aircraft, 597 kg of paint have to be spent on painting it, and the total surface area reaches 10 thousand square meters. m. Also, thanks to the expanded wing area, the airliner's speed is 35 km/h lower than that of its main competitor. This allows you to reduce possible noise at the airport during landing or takeoff.
At the moment, the development of the A380-1000 and A380plus is actively underway. A huge number of airlines have already placed pre-orders for the latest aircraft and passengers can only wait for the modern aircraft to enter service and delight us with their reliable build quality and speed.
Watch a video about the Airbus A380, the largest passenger aircraft in the world.
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Since man was able to invent the airplane and take to the air, this industry has developed incredibly quickly. Now the largest passenger Boeing can accommodate almost a thousand people, which seemed simply impossible just a few decades ago.
Dimensions and capacity of the largest passenger Boeing
The largest passenger Boeing is the Boeing 747. This aircraft has held its honorary title for several decades. The American aircraft began to operate in 1970, and since then it has been considered the largest and largest aircraft for transporting passengers.
The Boeing 747 lost its honorary title only in 2005, when the Airbus A380 aircraft was put into operation.
The capacity of the largest Boeing aircraft is about seven hundred people, depending on the modification of the aircraft. Due to the enormous popularity of this aircraft, Boeing hastened to release as many models as possible, distributing them throughout the world. In total, about 1,500 of these giants were produced, each of which was in operation for several years.
Despite its enormous size, the Boeing 747 is an example of the highest quality aircraft and complete thoughtful design. The length of the aircraft itself was initially 70.6 meters, and the wingspan was 59.6 meters. Now the length of the aircraft has increased to 76 meters. Such a giant could reach speeds of up to 955 kilometers per hour, which in 1970 seemed unthinkable.
Because Boeing is constantly modifying its most famous model, the maximum speed of the modern Boeing 747 is 988 kilometers per hour.
Other large passenger aircraft of the world
Currently, the largest passenger aircraft is the Airbus A380. The aircraft received its honorary status only in 2005, displacing the previous leader, the Boeing 747.
The Airobus A380 has a capacity of 852 passengers, which seems like an incredible number. The passengers themselves are located on two decks in the highest class salons. Great Britain, Italy and France took part in the production of this aircraft. Another large aircraft from Airbus is the A340-600. This airliner can accommodate a little less than 700 passengers, but is capable of flying more than 14 thousand kilometers without additional refueling.
Boeing is also proud of the 777-300 ER. This model can accommodate up to 550 passengers. At the same time, the aircraft is an absolute record holder in terms of flight duration without additional refueling. The plane can fly 21 thousand kilometers non-stop, which is unattainable for any other air transport model.
The impressive size of the largest aircraft in the world only speaks of the ambition of modern aircraft designers. Most likely, humanity will not stop there, and many more huge Boeings will appear in the world, striking not only with the quality of their equipment, but also with their incredible, hitherto incomprehensible dimensions.