The logistical challenge of building the Airbus A380, the world's biggest passenger jet, is every bit as awesome as the plane.
Start with a piece of equipment requiring millions of parts and complex technology. Add to that the aircraft's outsized dimensions -- about 50% more floor space than a Boeing 747 and a wingspan more than 10 meters longer.
Then, to make things really complicated, manufacture the wings in England, the tail in Germany, the fuselage in France and Spain -- and move these gargantuan pieces to yet another location to put them together.
Now Lookout the Interiors.....
The ultimate in luxury: The A380 is the ultimate in luxury. It has three decks: the top two for passengers and the lower one available for a medical centre, shopping or a fast-food franchise.
This is the Airbus design for a first-class bed. The aircraft will also have new features like spas, casinos, gyms, bedrooms, and duty-free shops. Some airlines also plan to fix staterooms with beds, showers, a water feature, a double-width staircase between decks, and luxurious, book-lined club-style bars.
More comfort than ever before: The A380 has bigger seats and more space between them.
It is also more fuel efficient -- burning 1.3 gallons per passenger per 100 miles, which the company says is comparable to the fuel economy of a small turbo-diesel car.
The A380 will fly on the busiest routes. Singapore Airlines will be the first to fly the A380 in mid-2006 on high-traffic routes, especially to London, New York, Tokyo and Sydney.
All aboard a jet plane! This is what an A380 library, a shopping kiosk, a communication center would look like.
The plane also has a fitness centre. Some airlines even plan to have a swimming pool on board and will also do away with the traditional trolley service during meal times and will have self-service food counters for its passengers.
The aircraft will have more space for in-flight sales and it could have a duty-free shop onboard.
A cut above the rest: The staircase that takes you from one deck to the other too is tastefully done. To date as many as 13 customers have made orders for 139 A380s. These include 11 airlines, one express cargo carrier (FedEx, 10 aircraft) and one leasing company (ILFC, 10 aircraft). The airlines include Emirates, (43 aircraft, plus 2 leased planes); Lufthansa (15 aircraft), Qantas (12 aircraft), Singapore Airlines (10 aircraft), Air France (10 aircraft), Virgin Atlantic (6 aircraft), Malaysia Airlines (6 aircraft), Thai Airlines (6 aircraft), Korean Air (5 aircraft), Etihad (4 aircraft) and Qatar Airways (2 aircraft).
High-tech bar: This how the bar and chill-out lounge in the A380's first-class will look like.
Airbus is 80 per cent owned by European Aeronautic Defense and Space Co., a consortium formed in 2000 by France's Aerospatiale Matra, Germany's DaimlerChrysler Aerospace and Spain's Construcciones Aeronauticas SA. The rest is held by Britain's BAE Systems Inc. EADS has a dual leadership structure, with a French and a German as co-CEOs. Noël Forgeard is the company's CEO.
Boeing 747 vs Airbus 380
Boeing 747 Airbus 380 (Rs)
Seating Typical 416 (max 524) Typical 555 (max 840)
Internal cabin width 6.1 m 6.58 m
Length wing to wing 64.4 m 79.8 m
Length nose to tail 70.7 m 73 m
Width 19.4 m 24.1 m
Flight range 13,450 km 15,000 km
Cruising speed 0.855 Mach 0.85 Mach
