Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Airbus A380 Completes Maiden Test Flight

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the we-may-experience-a-little-turbulence-people dept.

crazy blade writes "The much anticipated maiden test flight of the Airbus A380 jumbo jet is underway. The aircraft left Blagnac International Airport in Toulouse, France at 10.29 hours local time (08.29 UTC) from runway 32L. Here are some photos if you're interested."

5 of 890 comments (clear)

  1. It's the economy model, stupid by panurge · · Score: 5, Insightful
    The key thing for the A380 is not just that it's big - it uses 20% less fuel per passenger mile than a 747. Given the predictions that oil production may peak this year or in 2006, that fuel efficiency could be very important.
    The thing also has huge (for an aircraft) cargo capability.

    Boeing still seems to be pinning its hopes on midsize wide bodied aircraft that fly between smaller airports. All I can say is, for Boeing to be right an awful lot of people need to be very wrong about the way the world is going.

    --
    Panurge has posted for the last time. Thanks for the positive moderations.
  2. Re:Airbus by Oxygen99 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Bleh, and the US Government doesn't subsidise Boeing? Hmmm. Ok. Guess those big fat juicy aerospace and defence contracts are won purely on merit.

    --
    I had a dream, bright and carefree, but now there's doubt and gravity
  3. Re:Finally by Eternally+optimistic · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Flying 500 people in one big airplane is more efficient than 250 each in 2 planes. But then, by some people's reasoning, people should just stay home.

    --
    What keeps me going is my inertia.
  4. Re:When will India/China/Brazil/Russia enter the r by guacamole · · Score: 5, Insightful

    They didn't design it themselves (and could never have done it).

    Huh, a country that launched into the space on its own the first satelite, the first man, and the first space station (MIR, which at its height was bigger than ISS currently is) and which has built the largest cargo planes in the world couldn't have designed a supersonic passenger jet on its own? Please.

  5. Re:Hub & Spoke vs. Point-to-Point by no+haters · · Score: 5, Insightful

    You'll notice that every article talking about possible routes for the A380 refers to very long distance flights (US to Asia, US to India, etc) where point to point does not make sense. Point to point works extremely well for US travel, but once you need to go international, the hub and spoke system is a necessity, since you can't fill a plane daily with people who want to go from Albequerque(sp?) to Singapore.