[beatspete]

http://www.airliners.net/open.file?id=751309&size=L&sok=&photo_nr=

Link to the latest photo of Airbus' A380.  This is the first shot of it with all the engines and paint.  The official 'rollout' should be later this month.  First flight is probably going to be in March.

Big, huh?

[Corsair]

There is no photo in our database with that ID number.

But I've seen pictures of it and yeah... it's monstrous.

[Corsair]

[Thorn]

Jesus. Its a freakin air whale.

[Rictor]

excuse my ignorance, but aside from having 4 engines how is this so different from a 747?

[Corsair]

Two complete decks? A passenger capacity of something like 560 people?

[vyper]

I'm trying to figure out the economy of using it, bar the more modern engines (and hence greater fuel efficiency).

[Corsair]

Economy? Ha! You fool! Bigger = Better

ALWAYS!

[Col. Fishguts]

2 passenger decks on the whole length of the plane.

EDIT: they beat me to it. And yes the thing is more all-around-efficient than the 747 (which has also 4 engines btw...)

[karajorma]

Originally posted by Rictor
excuse my ignorance, but aside from having 4 engines how is this so different from a 747?

Ummmm. The 747 has 4 engines.

[Aspa]

Someone needs to do an Ursa size comparison again... or maybe the Sephiroth?

[Col. Fishguts]

Here's another pic.

It's a really, really big plane.

[vyper]

No no no, you're not getting my point. Of course the engines will be more efficient, but beyond that how does this help any current airline business model?

Successful airlines today operate on an affordable, frequent service basis. If you start having over-sized jets you have fewer flights per day, and thus less flexibility for the passenger/tour operator.

[aldo_14]

Originally posted by vyper
I'm trying to figure out the economy of using it, bar the more modern engines (and hence greater fuel efficiency).

Well, I think Virgin Atlantic were talking about outfitting it as an ultra-luxury plane and charging shedloads for tickets......

[vyper]

Originally posted by aldo_14


Well, I think Virgin Atlantic were talking about outfitting it as an ultra-luxury plane and charging shedloads for tickets......

So it's a low brow Concord.

Class.

[IceFire]

Big sucker....Boeing is focused now on the 7E7 which is totally different than their previous airliners.  Definately no 747.

[Corsair]

Originally posted by vyper
No no no, you're not getting my point. Of course the engines will be more efficient, but beyond that how does this help any current airline business model?

Successful airlines today operate on an affordable, frequent service basis. If you start having over-sized jets you have fewer flights per day, and thus less flexibility for the passenger/tour operator.

vyper, I told you, BIGGER = BETTER

it's very simple, logical economics.

[Crazy_Ivan80]

Originally posted by Corsair
vyper, I told you, BIGGER = BETTER

it's very simple, logical economics.

but in this case, BIGGER can't land on all airfields. Only the big ones (i.e. the "hubs")

[vyper]

Unlike cocks, bigger aircraft don't always fit into..erm onto their target.

[Clave]

I think mine will fit into that plane....