The Airbus A380 THE GIANT IN THE SKY

Collected and Contributed by Raminder Singh Senior Aircraft Engineer, Indian Airlines

Simply put it's the world's largest passenger plane. It is also the heaviest and the costliest commercial passenger aircraft ever built. The super jumbo is gigantic, like a Titanic in the sky. It's tail stands seven stories high; and the plane is as wide as a soccer field, stretching 260 feet from wingtip to wingtip. It is also as long as two blue whales.

The A380 was unveiled with grand fanfare at the Jean-Luc Lagardere Final Assembly Line Hall in Toulouse, France, on Tuesday.

It can seat 555 passengers, about 30 per cent more than a Boeing 747; but it can actually hold 800 people.

When fully loaded it will weigh up to 560 tonnes. It has an 118-tonne fuel supply, which is more than two fully loaded Boeing 717s in weight.

Yet, it will be one of the fastest aircraft, capable of speeds of about 650 mph (0.85 Mach) and can fly up to 15,000 miles.

If you wish to buy it, it will cost you $281 million, but big discounts are available

 

Characteristics

Aircraft Dimensions

 

 

ft

m

Overall Length

239ft 3in

73m

Cabin Length

166ft 3in

50,68m

Fuselage Diameter

23ft 5in

7,14m

Max. Cabin Width Main Deck

21ft 7in

5,58m

Max. Cabin Width Upper Deck

19ft 5in

5,92m

Height

79ft 7in

24,1m

Wheelbase

99ft 8in

30,4m

Track

46ft 11in

14,3m

 

 

Wing Dimensions

 

 

ft

m

Wing Span (geometric)

261ft 10in

79,8m

Wing Area (reference)

9 100ft2

845m2

Sweep (25% chord)

33,5 degrees

 

 

Design Weights

 

 

lb X 1000

tonnes

Max. Ramp Weight

1 239

562

Max. Take-off Weight

1 235

560

Max. Landing Weight

851

386

Max. Zero Fuel Weight

796

361

Max. Fuel Capacity

 

81 890 USg
310 000 Litres

Typical Operating Weight Empty

608,4

276,8

Typical Volumetric Payload

145,5

66,4

 

Basic Operating Data

 

Powerplants

Trent 900/GP 7 000

Thrust Range

70 000 lb slst

Typical Seating (three class)

555

Range ( with Max. passengers)

8 000nm
14 800 km

Max. Operating Mach n� (Mmo)

0,89Mo

Containers Capacity Underfloor

38LD3

Max. Pallet Number Underfloor

13

Bulk Hold Volume

650ft3
18,4m3

 

 

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

 

First Flight of AIRBUS A380- Biggest passenger plane ever made....

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