Airbus A380. A photo
Airbus A380 (Airbus A380) is the largest aircraft of Airbus S.A.S. (European Union) and the largest passenger aircraft in the world. This is the world's first long-haul civil aircraft with two full-size decks along the entire length of the fuselage. The decks are connected by two wide staircases in the bow and tail sections.
The liner can make non-stop flights over a distance of 15,000 kilometers and take on board a third more passengers than the Boeing 747.
The Airbus A380 is the most economical among large airliners: three liters of fuel are consumed per 100 kilometers per passenger.
The main competitor of this model is the Boeing 747.
First flight - April 27, 2005.
The first aircraft sold - MSN003, registration number 9V-SKA, was delivered to Singapore Airlines on October 15, 2007. The first commercial transcontinental flight with passengers (flight from Singapore to Australia, flight number - SQ380, there were 455 people on board) - October 25, 2007.
The Airbus A380 has 12 single suites and several double suites.
The suites are equipped with a bed, wardrobe, reading lights, a mirror and a 23-inch TV. At the request of airlines, bars, billiard rooms, showers, a library and a conference room can be made on the first floor of the liner.
The cost of a flight from London to Singapore in luxury class (for 2005) is about $10,000.
For first-class passengers, pajamas with slippers are provided, it is possible to close the windows and the cabin door with special curtains.
The cost of one airliner (for 2005) is $281 million, which is 15 percent cheaper than a double-deck Boeing 747.
The number of assembled A380 liners (as of March 2008) is 27.
As of March 2009, the A380 aircraft are in the fleet of three airlines: Singapore Airlines, Qantas Airways, and Emirates.
The first airport in Russia, which agreed to accept the Airbus A380, is Moscow's Domodedovo.
History of creation
The development of the liner began in 1994 under the code A3XX and continued for 10 years. The designation A380 was chosen because the number 8 resembles the cross-section of this double-deck aircraft.
The cost of the program is 12 million euros. The most difficult part of the project was the problem of reducing the weight of the aircraft. This was achieved through the use of a new composite material from which the fuselage and wings are made.
Already at the design stage, 55 orders were received from 6 customers.
The final configuration of the aircraft was approved in January 2001. Production of the first A380 wing components began on January 23, 2002.
The main structural sections of the airliner were built at enterprises in France, Germany, Spain, and Great Britain.
Components for the A380 were supplied by: Rolls-Royce, SAFRAN, United Technologies, General Electric, Goodrich and other well-known companies.
The most ambitious project of the European aircraft manufacturer brought him big problems. The main faults were found in the electrical wiring of the aircraft. For each aircraft, 100,000 wires and 40,300 connectors were required, which is about 530 kilometers of electrical wiring. Problems were solved within two years.
The A380 has an improved glass cockpit and electric remote control of the rudders linked to the side stick. Information display devices are located in the cockpit: nine interchangeable liquid crystal monitors, including two navigation data indicators, two main flight data indicators, two engine operation indicators, two multifunctional ones. Another monitor displays data on the current state of the entire system as a whole.
After assembly, the aircraft were equipped and painted in Hamburg. Each liner (3,100 square meters) requires 3,600 liters of paint to cover.
To service the A380, special terminals are needed for boarding passengers.
The runway pavement load was measured using a custom 580-ton load cart built to mimic the A380 chassis. For the Airbus A380, lanes of group V are sufficient - 45 meters, their expansion to the estimated 60 meters is not required.
Five A380s were built for demonstration and testing purposes.
On September 4, 2006, the first flight test of the A380 took place with passengers on board. The purpose of the flight was to test the comfort and quality of passenger services. The plane took off from Toulouse with 474 employees of Airbus S.A.S. on board.
In November 2006, test flights took place in order to check the aircraft's performance under standard airline operating conditions.
The start of operation of the A380 was delayed for almost two years due to a number of technical problems, which cost Airbus 8.5 billion euros.
Specifications of the Airbus A380
The liner has four engines - Rolls-Royce Trent 900 or Engine Alliance GP 7000.
The noise level in the cockpit of the A380 is 50 percent lower than that of the Boeing 747. Higher air pressure is maintained inside the aircraft. According to the developers, these characteristics will reduce passenger fatigue during long non-stop flights.
Dimensions:
Wingspan: 79.80 meters.
Aircraft length: 73.00 meters.
Aircraft height: 24.10 meters.
Wing area: 845.00 square meters.
Wing sweep angle along the 1/4 chord line (degrees): 33.50.
Number of places:
Passengers in the cabin of three classes: 555.
Passengers in the cabin of two classes: 644.
Passengers in the charter version: 853.
Masses and loads:
Takeoff: 560 tons.
Empty equipped aircraft: 276.8 tons.
Aircraft without fuel: 361 tons.
Toll load: 66.4 tons.
Landing: 386 tons.
Flight data:
Cruise speed: 900 kilometers per hour.
Flight range with passengers and baggage (with fuel reserves): 15,000 kilometers.
Operating ceiling: 13,000 meters.
Incidents
On January 10, 2008, a Singapore Airlines A380 was unable to fly from Singapore to Sydney due to a tractor failure. The liner continued to move by inertia for some time, then moved off the runway and rolled onto the lawn. As a result of the incident, no one was injured, the aircraft was not damaged.
Promising modifications of the A380
It is planned to create the following passenger modifications: A380-800 for 555 seats, shortened A380-700 for 480 seats and extended A380-900 for 656 seats. A cargo modification of the A380F has also been developed, capable of carrying cargo with a total weight of up to 150 tons over a distance of up to 10,400 kilometers.
Employees of the Airbus ECAR Engineering Center in Moscow have already completed a number of important tasks under the A380F program.
Russian designers were instructed to carry out a significant amount of work on the design of fuselage parts, strength calculations, placement of onboard equipment and support for serial production of aircraft.
The Airbus A380, the photo of which is located below, is the largest passenger airliner on the planet. Its height is 24 meters, while the wingspan and length are about 80 meters. The aircraft is designed for flights over a distance of up to 15.4 thousand kilometers. At the same time, it is capable of carrying up to 853 passengers at the same time.
Project development
The purpose of creating the airbus a380 was the desire of the manufacturing company of the same name to develop an aircraft that could compete with Boeing aircraft (at that time, its 747th model held the leadership in the wide-body passenger airliners market for 30 years). The engineers of the European consortium began development in June 1994, christening the project with the name "3XX". Initially, the designers considered several options for creating an airliner. In the end, they agreed on a two-deck concept, which provided the ability to carry more passengers than the Boeing 747.
The Airbus Board of Directors approved the launch of the program on December 19, 2000. At the same time, the model received its final name - A380. The characteristics of the aircraft were so impressive that even then orders for 55 of its copies were received from six different customers. In early 2001, the final configuration of the aircraft was approved, and a year later, production of the first wing components began. The total cost of the project, the development of which lasted more than ten years, is estimated at 12 billion euros.
Tests
For testing and demonstration, five copies of the Airbus A380 aircraft were originally built. The first of these was assigned the number MSN001, and on January 18, 2005 it was officially presented to the general public. It was this ship that made its first flight on April 27, 2005. The liner took off from Toulouse International Airport. Its crew, led by Jacques Rosy, included six people. After staying in the sky for 3 hours and 54 minutes, the aircraft landed successfully.
The Airbus A380 made its debut transatlantic flight on January 10, 2006. Then the airliner arrived at the airport of the Colombian city of Medellin, where the functioning of its systems was successfully tested in high-altitude conditions. Then the ship headed to Canada, where it was tested in severe frost.
The first flight with a cabin filled with people was carried out on September 4, 2006. Then 474 Airbus employees acted as passengers, who had to evaluate the level of comfort and quality of services provided. In the same year, the aircraft was tested more than once, which made it possible to very carefully check its performance.
Start of operation
The first copy of the Airbus A380 model was handed over to the customer (Singapore Airlines) on October 15, 2007. Ten days later, the aircraft made its first commercial flight from Singapore to Sydney. After two months of operation of the vessel, the president of Singapore Airlines said that the novelty is significantly superior in basic characteristics, including fuel consumption per passenger, to Boeing 747 airliners. On January 25, 2008, the ship of the second customer, Qantas Airlines, made its debut flight from Melbourne to Los Angeles.
Salon
The developers have provided two options for the internal configuration of the Airbus A380 model. Photos of the cabin of an airliner are clear evidence that the surface area of its floor significantly exceeds that of its main competitor. Be that as it may, the standard version of the aircraft provides business and economy class seats located on two decks. In this case, 555 passengers can be carried on board at the same time. In addition, there is a budget version of the aircraft. In this case, 853 economy class seats are installed inside. At the request of the customer company, bars, a library, a conference room and even shower cabins can be provided on the ground floor of the aircraft. It should be noted that at least an hour before using the shower, you must leave a request, and the water will flow no longer than five minutes. The lower and upper decks are interconnected by two ladders located in the tail and bow sections. They are wide enough for two adults to pass each other.
Main characteristics
The model has two options for power plants. The first of these is the Rolls-Royce Trent-900 engine, and the second is the Engine Alliance GP7000 engine. In both cases, thrust reversers are installed on two of the four power units. The maximum flight range of the liner is 15.4 thousand kilometers, while its cargo modification with 150 tons of cargo on board is capable of covering a distance of 10.3 thousand kilometers without refueling. The maximum takeoff weight exceeds the mark of 650 tons. Moreover, experts say that the parameters of the wing are sufficient for possible future, larger modifications of the Airbus A380. Its characteristics and configuration will be changed slightly.
Compared to its main competitors, the model is more economical. In particular, for every hundred kilometers per passenger, an average of three liters of fuel is required here. The mass of the aircraft itself is 280 tons. Its reduction, according to the developers, was one of the priorities at the production stage. It was achieved through the use of composite materials, as well as improved aluminum alloys, to create most of the aggregates and assemblies. As for the emission of harmful substances into the atmosphere, they (per passenger) amount to about 75 grams per kilometer.
Cockpit and crew
The cockpit of the Airbus A380 model (photo can be seen below) is practically no different from other aircraft of this manufacturing company. This was done in order to reduce the cost of training crew members. To display all the necessary information, nine liquid crystal displays are installed inside. All of them are interchangeable and have a size of 20x15 centimeters. In this case, two screens are used as indicators of navigation data, two - show the main data about the flight, two - display the characteristics of the functioning of the power plants. In addition to them, one monitor serves to display the status of the entire system, and two more are multifunctional. The crew consists of 27 people, including two pilots and flight attendants in all classes. If the duration of the flight exceeds fourteen hours, two more pilots are added.
Operation on the ground
Even at the development stage of the Airbus A380 airliner project, skeptics argued that the car, due to its enormous weight, would harm taxiways at airports. The designers managed to solve a potential problem by installing 22 wheels on the chassis. Thus, they exert pressure on the earth's surface that is even less than that of their main competitors. Due to the wingspan, the model was first assigned to the sixth group of aircraft, which requires a runway with a width of at least 60 meters. However, at the request of the manufacturer, this position was revised. As a result, since July 2007, the liner has been assigned to the fifth group, so it is allowed to take off and land on 45-meter runways.
Conclusion
The Airbus A380 became the first civil airliner in the history of world aviation to have two full-size decks along the entire length of the fuselage. The aircraft can carry 30% more passengers on its board compared to its main competitor, which is the American Boeing 747. The flight range of the aircraft allows airlines with its help to carry out non-stop flights on all routes laid between the airports of Asia and Europe. It should also be noted that the engineers of the development company have done a large-scale and successful work aimed at ensuring that the liner can be operated without making any changes to the infrastructure of air harbors.
Airbus A380
Welcome aboard the world's largest passenger airliner Airbus A380 from one of the best airlines! What does the A380 look like inside? How is the work of the crew on board organized? And absolutely exclusively for my blog - an interview with Lufthansa flight attendant Anna Rodney. A380: Be part of it!
In the report, I talked a little about the features of the largest passenger airliner in the world, the Airbus A380, and its ground handling, in this report, I will show what the Lufthansa A380 looks like inside.
The Airbus A380-800 of Lufthansa has the following passenger compartment configuration: upper deck - First class - 8, Business class -98, lower deck - Economy class - 420 seats, i.е. total 526 passenger seats:
The A380 serves 24 crew members: 3 in the cockpit (pilots), 2 senior flight attendants (one for each of the two levels) and 19 flight attendants and flight attendants in the passenger cabin.
The crew boards the aircraft 40-60 minutes before departure and actually 20-30 minutes before boarding passengers. This time I boarded with the crew of the Singapore-Frankfurt flight, the first thing that happens in the cabin is a short pre-flight briefing for the crew. The senior flight attendant informs the team about the number of passengers on the flight, introduces the newcomer, who will join the work on the A380 for the first time, reports working moments. The senior flight attendant this time was a very pleasant and charming woman over 40, who said a very interesting phrase: "Please be extremely polite, attentive with restraint in case of conflict situations, take into account the fact that we checked out in hotel in the evening before the flight (flight at 23.00), and most of the passengers are on their feet in the morning and are already tired from the day." She also thanked the crew for the well-coordinated work on the previous flight from Frankfurt to Singapore, when medical problems arose and they were successfully resolved.
The duration of this briefing is 5-7 minutes, after which all crew members disperse to their workplaces to prepare for boarding the aircraft. The plane arrived at 17.00 and stays at the airport for 6 hours. During this time, airport ground services carry out technical inspection, cabin cleaning, food delivery and clean blankets and pillows. The task of the crew members is to conduct a quick but thorough check before allowing passengers to enter.
Meet Anna Rodney - a crew member who works today in First Class, it is she who will tell me today and show me how everything is going on the other side.
Anna works as quickly as possible, checking the power load.
A little later, an employee of the ground service entered the salon with whom they checked together and signed the documents:
And in just 25-40 minutes, passengers start boarding! I just watched a little from the side - each member of the crew works as quickly as possible, all actions are brought to automaticity!
Let's walk around the salon :)
Economy class:
Of course, the size of the windows is impressive! The portholes themselves are of course smaller than their inner part, but still there is an impression of a large size.
The cabin is much quieter than other planes. High ceilings and spacious hand luggage compartments.
Traditional postcard:
LCD screens in the back of the seat in front:
The control panel is located in the arm of the chair, inconvenient in my opinion, I constantly touched the volume buttons with my elbow:
The entertainment system is good, but significantly inferior to the choice of Emirates and Cathay Pacific:
Business Class:
First grade:
There are only 8 seats, but maximum comfort has been created for passengers. Each airline makes an order for its own cabin layout, Emirates, Singapore Airlines have shower cabins, a bar counter, etc. on board the A380. Lufthansa took a different path - everything is done for maximum comfort, but without frills, like a shower for which you need to carry excess water.
However, Lufthansa First Class has its own characteristics: this cabin has an order of magnitude greater degree of cabin soundproofing, although even in economy it is much quieter than in any other aircraft I have flown. Even in the first class, there is increased air humidity, which significantly reduces overall fatigue during a long flight.
The traditional color tones of Lufthansa are blue and yellow; the interiors of business and economy class cabins are designed in these tones. In First Class, absolutely new modern shades are used in the interior - brown, beige. The same colors are used in the First Class Lounge at the airport. At Frankfurt Airport, for servicing A380 aircraft, gates with two levels of air bridges are specially equipped. Business and first class passengers already at the airport go to the landing on the second floor, get into the business lounge and then immediately to the upper deck of the aircraft upon landing. Thus, they do not meet with economy class passengers.
The interior lining of the cabin is made of artificial material such as velor leather instead of plastic, pleasant to the touch, thereby creating an additional degree of comfort.
Stairs leading to the First Class cabin:
Welcome champagne:
Bose Headphones for First Class Passengers:
Chair control panel:
The wall between the chairs is individually adjustable.
Each passenger has an individual wardrobe:
Window blind adjustment:
Spacious toilet, there are 2 of them in the First Class cabin:
From the point of view of the flight attendant, the A380 has much more space, much more comfortable work.
And this is what the cockpit looks like:
There is also a "compartment" with beds for pilots to rest:
And this is the rest room for the crew. The entrance here is down the stairs from the first class - these are individual niche beds.
Depending on the duration of the flight, the rest time is distributed - after the end of the first stage of the service. On this flight, each flight attendant had a break of 3 hours 45 minutes, which is relatively long, sometimes 45 minutes, the rest of the time on his feet.
Here is such a Lufthansa A380 inside :)
And now the most interesting!
I asked Anna a few questions, to which I received interesting answers, it is always interesting to find out something that does not lie on the surface ...
alexcheban: - How did you get on the A380?
Anna Rodney: - In our airline, everyone who works full-time receives three licenses. I work for the Airbus family, I fly A320s and A340s and, quite logically, A380s. Within the same family of aircraft, everything is located in approximately the same places and has a very similar technical layout.
Can you compare Boeing and Airbus?
- We are told that the type of aircraft on which you start flying is more convenient. I also flew on a Boeing 737, I can say that they have completely different philosophies - Boeing has an American one, Airbus has a European one, European is more logical for me. The Americans, in my opinion, are more conservative and we (the European manufacturer) have more comfort for passengers than Boeing.
What is the occupancy of First Class? Does it happen that there is not a single passenger?
- No, it doesn’t happen, usually 5-7 passengers, today we have all 8.
How long are you in Singapore between flights (flights here daily)?
- 2.5 days
What time do you live at your destination?
- I try to live according to local time, I always translate the clock.
How many flights per month do you operate?
- Accounting is done for flights, and for hours, I need to fly 70 hours a month, respectively, a round-trip flight to Singapore is 30 hours (one-way net flight time is 12.5 hours), i.e. these 30 hours are actually half the monthly norm. My next flight is to Oman, it takes only 4 hours to fly there :)
Arab/Asian airlines dominate the SkyTtax ranking. I was not on board the A380 with them, but I saw the reports. Their main advantage is the emphasis on luxury service in all classes. The maximum possible refinements in interior equipment, etc. Lufthansa positions itself as a carrier from point A to point B and offers a basic service for each of the classes, but at a very high level. On intra-European flights, the new seats are frankly uncomfortable. This is my subjective opinion, but what is your opinion on this?
- I, unfortunately, cannot say much about Arab or Asian airlines, since I have never used their services myself. Lufthansa is a European airline, so it will never decorate the aircraft with gold, etc. Lufthansa is the so-called business carrier - this is manifested in the choice of destinations (mainly the capitals of different countries, not resort cities) and in the frequency of flights. The emphasis is on efficiency and exclusivity, as our business and first class customers value luxury in simplicity and sophistication, not in gold and diamonds. Although, perhaps, our most important distinguishing factor is our staff. We have employees from 150 different countries of the world! There are always several so-called regional colleagues on our Asian flights - Chinese (on all flights to China), Japanese (on flights to Japan), Thais (on flights to Thailand and Singapore), Indians (on Indian flights), Koreans (on flights to Korea). During the order and configuration of the A380 for Lufthansa, a survey was conducted among first-class passengers on the subject of a shower cabin. The majority voted, so to speak, for a spacious bathroom without a shower. Yes, Emirates offer a walk-in shower, but I honestly don't know how much it's in demand. Probably the whole point is to have it or not to have it. Firstly, in order to use it, passengers must put themselves on the list, and who wants to be the first? After all, everyone wants to use it before landing, and not 3-4 hours before it ...???
As for the new seats on European flights, they are much lighter and thus save fuel, plus they have been designed to ergonomic standards, meaning improved seating comfort. You can judge how comfortable they are - I have only flown them as a passenger so far only 2 times. We hear mostly positive comments, and if someone complains, it’s not about the seats, but about the fact that they removed the wardrobe for outerwear in the business class.....
What are the features of working at Lufthansa?
- We have very good working conditions, especially in comparison with the American ones, we live in excellent central hotels in cities, we have a lot of time between flights and in general very good conditions.
You pointed out the good company policy towards your employer towards American airlines. What about Asian/Arabic? Do you have friends there? Their impressions?
- I have a few acquaintances who worked for Asian/Arab airlines. Arab airlines, as far as I know, pay very well, but do not provide decent working conditions, so many work for them for several years, and then switch to European lines. Still, the difference is very much felt in the attitude of Arab passengers to the staff and in relation to Europeans. As for the Asian ones, Europeans do not quite get used to their hierarchical way of life (many pilots live in other, better hotels than flight attendants), plus they cannot cope with mentality problems: in Asia, no one criticizes anyone openly - everything happens behind their backs, which our brother is not very pleased...
A feature of the dress code at the Emirates is a lipstick of a certain red color. Does Lufthansa have any such interesting feature in the dress code or some interesting instruction?
- We do not have such a feature, except that we are obliged to comply with the rules for wearing a uniform. We are forbidden to dye our hair in unnatural colors - like red there or green ....
How is it determined who is in what class on a given flight?
- Distribution of positions occurs at will in accordance with the so-called seniority list - the list is compiled according to the criterion of who has been working in the company for a longer period - chooses first, etc.
The crew of the flight is 24 people. Do you know everyone? How does the rotation work?
- Before the flight, we all meet for a mandatory briefing - there we get to know each other and determine who and where will work
What documentation do you complete before/during/after the flight?
- We fill out the documentation depending on the flight - on most flights there is no documentation for us.
If someone gets sick while in another country between flights, how does the replacement work? And if it's a PIC or a co-pilot?
- We have a doctor in every country we fly to, with whom Lufthansa has signed a contract and whom we call when necessary. If a crew member is unable to fly back, a replacement is sent on the next flight.
Everything is standardized/automated in aircraft control now, but do you still feel the difference in the piloting technique/takeoffs and landings of different pilots?
- Lufthansa pilots always take off and land manually, so yes, the difference is felt in the landing.
Pilots in the post-Soviet space do not say the word "last", replacing it with the word "extreme". Do you have any superstitions?
- The Germans are not a superstitious people and rely on knowledge and experience, not on superstition. :-) Therefore, no, there are no superstitions.
What is the most positive/negative part of your job? In outline:)
- Our work is very interesting - we always visit different countries, meet and get acquainted with interesting people and go to places where not everyone gets (for example, in Saudi Arabia, where unmarried women are not allowed to enter). At the same time, it is not always easy to cope with the time difference. Plus, there are countries where the political situation is not very stable (mainly in Africa) or hygienic conditions leave much to be desired…..
Do you have colleagues who work in budget companies? What is your opinion on this matter? Do you use the services of budget carriers in any cases?
- No, we have no connections with them, and I don't have anyone among my acquaintances who would work in such a company.
What directions do you like the most?
- Personally, I like to fly to South America - Argentina, Colombia, etc. most of all. I am quite fluent in Spanish, and in terms of mentality, it seems to me, they are closer to the Slavs, so I feel very comfortable there!
I thank Anna Rodney for an amazing tour and interesting conversation! :)
The official page of the A380 Lufthansa.
Airbus A380 is the largest aircraft in the world. More precisely, a passenger plane.
The height of this giant is 24 meters (~ 8th floor of a residential building), the length and wingspan are almost 80 meters each. On 2 decks in the cabin of three classes, 525 passengers are freely accommodated, in a single-class configuration - 853!
The development of the Airbus A380 spent 12 billion euros. It can make non-stop flights over a distance of up to 15,400 km, and the maximum take-off weight of the aircraft is amazing - 560 tons.
welcome aboard the largest passenger aircraft in the world!
At the beginning of October, another dream related to aviation came true. Lufthansa is invited to a press tour to showcase one of its new Airbus A380 aircraft. The demonstration flight took place as part of the promotional campaign for the A380 show in European capitals.
It was possible not only to board the scheduled A380, but also to make a circular trip on a giant plane on the route Frankfurt - Prague - Budapest - Frankfurt, to stay with the pilots in the cockpit and film the work of the pilots during takeoff, flight and landing.
In ordinary life, these giants will not land at any such airport, so many people were waiting for the arrival of the A380 in the capitals of the Czech Republic and Hungary. Looking ahead, I will say that I did not even expect such solemn meetings and such a large number of spectators.
"Our" A380 had just arrived from Johannesburg and while the cleaning team was putting the salons in order. At this time, the co-pilot walked with a flashlight and examined the engine blades:
The sun came up, it was time for us to fly:
The first floor of the aircraft modification A380-800- these are three economy class cabins for 420 passengers. In total, such an A380 takes on board 526 passengers. By the end of the year, Lufthansa will already have 8 of the 18 ordered aircraft of these aircraft. The company invests about five billion euros in aircraft and airport infrastructure, maintenance, and crew training.
passenger seats for the economy class "Lufthansa" was developed by the famous German company Recaro. To be honest, I didn’t really like them - the backs are too thin and any movement in front of the seated passenger affects the comfort of the seated one.
Well done design portholes. With their standard external size inside the aircraft, they look large due to the enlarged internal frame. This large oval gives the impression of an open space inside the cabin.
The plane is very "quiet", the engines are almost inaudible. I was surprised by the short takeoff run - I followed the takeoff in Budapest, I thought that we would run for a long time along the runway, and the plane took off almost immediately.
The multimedia center with a 9″ screen is very good. In addition to the standard set with music, movies and games, the monitor displays a picture from three external cameras and complete information about the flight. Seat spacing 79 cm, seat width 52 cm:
For the duration of the flight, the aircraft cabins were completely at our disposal - it was possible to walk everywhere, sit, lie down, press buttons, climb into all holes.
Standard sets for breakfast and lunch were demonstrated. Special thanks for the metal appliances in Lufthansa economy class, of course. It would be high time for Aeroflot to switch to them.
For the convenience of photographing, he asked the flight attendant to turn on full lighting in the cabins. Not much better, but still:
On the second floor- two business class lounges. They say that these seats do not really like the company's management and they will be changed. Here there are 98 of them - an incredible number for an ordinary passenger liner. The set of options is standard for a modern business class - almost horizontal unfolding, individual light, socket and USB port for each:
Business class monitors size 10.6″, distance between chairs from 145 to 152 cm, seat width 67 cm:
Between the business class and first class cabins there is a huge vestibule with a kitchen and seats for flight attendants:
The subject of special pride of any serious airline - first class cabin. In the A380 Lufthansa, it is designed for eight passengers. Here everything is done practically, but without frills, like separate cabins. Eight chairs transforming into beds, each seat has a 17″ monitor. Seat spacing 213 cm, seat width 80 cm:
Lufthansa calls these chairs the best in their class:
Each first class passenger has his own wardrobe for clothes and belongings:
First class passengers have two such toilet rooms. There is no soul here, the Germans consider it superfluous, according to their experience, few people use a shower cabin during a flight.
A flight from Frankfurt to Tokyo and back will cost a first-class passenger 10,000 euros:
So we fly to Prague. They are already ready for the solemn meeting of the A380 megaliner:
Lufthansa chief pilot Werner Knorr:
The cockpit equipment resembles that installed in the A330 or A321 - in front of the pilots there is only a keyboard and a joystick on the side:
There are hundreds of people below, along the entire landing route - people are standing on the field, on the hillocks, on the roofs of houses:
I asked one of the Czech photographers at the airport to send me a couple of shots of our flight. Thank you Vojtech.
The cost of one A380 is $345 million.
To the right of the entrance to the cockpit is the crew cabin:
On the second floor you can climb two stairs - in front and behind the economy class:
A380 at Budapest Airport:
The A380 is an aircraft developed by Airbus S.A.S. It is the world's largest passenger airliner. The vessel reaches 24.08 m in height and 72.75 m in length. The wingspan of the aircraft is 79.75 m. In a single-class configuration, it can carry 853 passengers, in a three-class configuration - 525. The maximum distance of a non-stop flight is 15,400 km.
The work of the creators
According to the developers, the greatest difficulties had to be faced in the process of searching for options to reduce the weight of the A380 aircraft. It was possible to make the aircraft lighter due to the wide application in the creation of not only power structural elements, but also auxiliary units, interior and much more. In addition, the most advanced technological solutions and modified aluminum alloys were used for these purposes. So, 40% of the mass of an eleven-ton center section is carbon fiber. Glare hybrid material is used for the production of the side and top panels of the fuselage. Laser welding of the skin and stringers of the lower fuselage panel made it possible to significantly reduce the number of fasteners.
The Airbus A380 is an aircraft that took about ten years to build. The cost of the grandiose project amounted to twelve billion euros. According to representatives of the Airbus company, in order for this amount to pay off, it is necessary to sell four hundred and twenty copies of the aircraft. Based on this information, you can calculate how much the plane costs. The amount is impressive - 28 million 571 thousand 428 euros for one copy.
How it all started
The A380 is an aircraft that began to be developed with the following goals: to expand the range of Airbus S.A.S. and remove the Boeing-747 from the leading position. Debates on the final configuration of the aircraft ended in 2001. The first components of the A380 wing were produced in January 2002. According to initial estimates, the cost of the program varied between 8.7 - 8.8 billion euros. After assembly, this amount increased to 11 billion (subsequently it was further increased).
It should be noted that the employees of the Airbus ECAR Moscow Engineering Center made an invaluable contribution to the design of the A380F model. Thanks to the efforts of Russian designers, a large amount of work was done on the design of individual parts of the fuselage, strength calculations were made, on-board equipment was placed and support was provided for serial production of the aircraft.
Where are the components manufactured and how are they transported?
Specialists in France, Germany, Great Britain and Spain are working on building the main sections of the airliner. Due to their large size, these components were delivered to Toulouse by water and land transport. Some parts still fit in the An-24.
The tail and nose elements of the fuselage were horizontally loaded onto the Ville de Bordeaux (owned by the Airbus concern) in Hamburg to go to the UK. Wing consoles made in Broughton and Filton were brought to Mostyn by barge. There, these elements were loaded onto the aforementioned Ville de Bordeaux. In Cadiz, the ship received tail components and lower fuselage sections. Everything was unloaded in Bordeaux. From there, the constituent elements were transported to Langon, and then delivered by land to Toulouse. The already assembled aircraft were sent to Hamburg for the final equipment. A380 is an aircraft that requires 3,600 liters of paint to cover (total skin area - 3,100 square meters).
Tests
Modern aircraft undergo the most serious tests before being released into flights. The A380 is no exception in this regard. Five aircraft were built specifically for versatile testing. The first board was presented in Toulouse in January 2005. On April 27 of the same year, the first flight was made. The flight team consisted of six people, led by Jacques Rossi, an experienced test pilot. A successful landing occurred after 3 hours 54 minutes. after takeoff.
A series of test flights started on December 1, 2005. It was then that the aircraft reached an impressive speed of 0.96 max during a gentle dive.
A380 - an aircraft (see photo above), which made its first transatlantic flight on January 10, 2006. The beginning of the same year was marked by the first unforeseen situation: during a static test at the Toulouse aircraft factory, the wing of one vessel unexpectedly cracked, unable to withstand a load of 145% of the nominal . As defined by aviation safety regulations, no change in integrity should occur at 150% load. As a result, the leadership of the Airbus consortium decided to make changes to the design of the aircraft's wings. Due to the addition of reinforcing elements, the total weight of the structure increased by thirty kilograms, fourteen of which were mounting bolts.
The first flight test of the A380 model with passengers on board was successfully completed on September 4, 2006.
Design features
A 380,800 is a modification designed to carry 555 or 583 passengers (depending on configuration). In 2007, Airbus began to offer customers a vessel with a smaller capacity (525 seats) in exchange for an increased flight range (it was possible to increase it by 370 kilometers). This transformation has made it possible to achieve maximum compliance with the trends of premium transportation.
There is another modification of the considered airbus. This is the cargo version of the A380-800F. capable of transporting up to one hundred and fifty tons of cargo. The maximum flight range is 10,370 kilometers.
In the future, it is planned to produce jet passenger aircraft of the A380-900 modification. They will have a larger capacity (656/960 passengers) with a similar flight range.
Pilot's workplace
In order to reduce the cost of additional crew training, all Airbuses are built with the same cockpit layout and flight characteristics. The A380 features an improved quality glass cockpit. The rudders can be manipulated remotely using electric actuators that are connected to the side control stick. The most modern information display devices are installed in the cockpit. These are nine interchangeable LCD monitors measuring 20 by 15 centimeters. Two of them are indicators of navigation data, two display basic information about the flight, two more inform about the operation of the engines, one provides data on the current state of the entire system. The remaining two monitors are multifunctional.
To refuel the aircraft in question, a mixture of natural gas and GTL can be used.
Materials used
How much does a plane cost More than twenty-eight million euros. The hefty price tag per aircraft is largely due to the use of advanced composite materials of construction, including plastic and metal reinforced with quartz, carbon and fiberglass. In addition, aluminum alloys are actively used in the manufacture of aircraft. In combination with laser welding, this eliminates the need for rivets.
Ensuring a comfortable flight
Experts have established that the noise level in the cabin of the A380 is half that of the Boeing-747. In addition, inside the considered aircraft, the air pressure is maintained at a higher level. Both of these factors are designed to provide less passenger fatigue during the flight.
Two ladders, located in the tail and bow parts of the aircraft, connect the upper and lower decks. The A380 has impressive customization options. That is why, as noted in the Airbus concern, the growth in production rates is not as high as previously thought. The aircraft can be equipped with a shower cabin, a bar counter, a lounge, a Duty Free shop. Due to the presence of a satellite channel for passengers, a telephone connection or a wireless Internet connection (Wi-Fi) is organized.
Currently, air transportation in Russia using the A380 is not performed. An order has been placed for four sides, but so far none of them have been built.
Unexpected situations
The first incident occurred on November 4, 2010. On that day, a Qantas A380 was en route from Singapore to Sydney. One of the aircraft's engines failed just a few minutes after takeoff. The plane was forced to return to the airport in Singapore. None of the 433 passengers and 26 crew members were injured, Australian authorities said. In addition, landing gear tires burst at the emergency side during landing. After this incident, the company's management decided to suspend the flights of all Airbus A380 belonging to it for two days until the completion of their detailed check.
The second incident occurred on April 12, 2011. Then a board belonging to Air France caught the tail of a CRJ 700 aircraft with its wing. There were no casualties.
Conclusion
Airbus A380 is the result of hard work of developers and manufacturers. This aircraft outperforms its closest competitors in many ways. How much does an aircraft cost, what are the features of its design and the process of creation? All these questions are answered in the above article.
