A380 first flight 4/27!

[TonyC]

I can offer regular updates, though...



They just closed the L1 door.







.

 

[TonyC]

Pushing back...

 

[Sean Smith]

http://www.airbus.com/A380/Seeing/live/video/live.asx

 

[TonyC]

http://www.airbus.com/A380/Seeing/live/video/live.asx

Awesome - - now I'm watching two separate videos!

Tug's away... on her own power.


Large crowds have surrounded the perimeter of the airport. Apparently 9/11 didn't affect them



.

 

[EuroWheenie]

Just shy of 150 orders prior to first flight is hardly an indication of a failed aeroplane. The A380 will be a success for the carriers who can employ them efficiently. Do I sense a slight smell of the "not invented here" syndrome?

Anyway, as I write this BBC World has streaming video of the beast sitting on the taxiway getting ready for first flight. Time now is 08:21 UTC and flight is expected to commence within the hour.

Link: http://news.bbc.co.uk

By the way, congratulations to Boeing for winning the Air Canada order! Still got some way to go to catch up on Airbus; latest figures I saw in Flight International showed a Boeing backlog of around 1000 aircraft and an Airbus backlog of around 1500 ditto. Further, there is only around 20 unfulfilled orders for the 767 left (excluding the possible tanker order) and the 747 is only surviving on the back of freighter orders. The 737NG series has a smaller backlog than the A320 series, and the 777 is behind the A330/A340 backlog. In other words, beaten in every single segment. I suppose it's never easy to give up the number 1 spot, especially to a bunch of Euro's!

Measured by value an A380 with GP7200 donks, more than 50% is US made; less than 20% is French regardless of engine choice.

 

[TonyC]

She flies !

 

[HAL]

Thar she blows!

 

[EuroWheenie]

And UP she goes! Man, that is a thing of grace and it'll blow the whale clear out of the skies!

 

[bocefus]

The taxpayers of Airbus consortium countries should be proud!

 

[Whale Rider]

Just shy of 150 orders prior to first flight is hardly an indication of a failed aeroplane. The A380 will be a success for the carriers who can employ them efficiently. Do I sense a slight smell of the "not invented here" syndrome?

Anyway, as I write this BBC World has streaming video of the beast sitting on the taxiway getting ready for first flight. Time now is 08:21 UTC and flight is expected to commence within the hour.

Link: http://news.bbc.co.uk

By the way, congratulations to Boeing for winning the Air Canada order! Still got some way to go to catch up on Airbus; latest figures I saw in Flight International showed a Boeing backlog of around 1000 aircraft and an Airbus backlog of around 1500 ditto. Further, there is only around 20 unfulfilled orders for the 767 left (excluding the possible tanker order) and the 747 is only surviving on the back of freighter orders. The 737NG series has a smaller backlog than the A320 series, and the 777 is behind the A330/A340 backlog. In other words, beaten in every single segment. I suppose it's never easy to give up the number 1 spot, especially to a bunch of Euro's!

Measured by value an A380 with GP7200 donks, more than 50% is US made; less than 20% is French regardless of engine choice.

Hey wheenie tot,

Just want to point out that there are over 1000 747's still flying world wide. More 777's flying than A330/A340's and overall 11,000 Boeings flying to just over 4000 for Airbus. As for your "Not invented here" syndrome? Try "Reinventing the Wheel over there" Syndrome. "Beaten in every segment" you say? I don't think so.