Airbus A380 Special On TLC

[TonyC]

I watched it last night and found it to be only somewhat interesting. Oh, the drama as the wing travels over the bridge, missing the railings by mere inches. Oh, the drama as the barge carrying a wing under a bridge misses the bottom of the bridge by 19 inches - perfect timing on the tide. Oh, the drama as the barge carrying the fueslage under another bridge misses the sides of the bridge by 20 inches on either side. Oh, the drama as the fuselage sections miss the houses on either side of the street in the small French village by mere inches. Oh, the drama as... oops, I think we ran out of drama.

My only question was: Why was John Travlota there dressed up like a Quantas pilot? (I know all about him and Quantas, my question is, what did his contribution to the show have to do with the 380?)

It'll haul lotsa boxes, that's fer sure!

 

[labbats]

As I woke up and surfed channels this morning, I paused on the international news. Seems those Frenchies are upset about some power regulations and have been protesting and such. It also mentioned that small town the Airbus went through was blocked by protesters and the 380's parts got held up.


My question is this. If you're spending the hundreds of millions on new factories and partnerships around Europe, wouldn't it follow logistically to move the connecting facility to the coast? It's just bad business to have to move those parts hundreds of miles inland along roads and through towns every week. Seems shortsighted to me.

 

[TRLpilot]

ditto tonyc, ditto labbats.

i was impressed by the size of everything and the huge undertaking that is happening to make it happen, but at the same time thought it was outrageously inefficient. i guess they want each country to have a hand in it and create jobs, but if you're going to be building those mega-structures for fabrication and assembly why build them in places that have problems with transporting logistics. when they moved the wing or fuselage from the hangar to the boat they talked about the few inches between the sides of the trailer and the railing of the bridge. wouldn't it have been a drop in the bucket to make a bigger bridge after they spent catrillions of dollars on the fabrication plant? and then they have to move it down a river when the tide is just right so they don't hang up on a bridge or sandbar. oh the drama! and now they have to do it week after week after week. they showed the one guy upset in the small town the trucks passed through as the pieces made their way to the final assembling area. i would be too if every time they hauled a piece to the plant they had to squeeze through town and bring everything to a halt. can't they just build a loop around town? oh wait, they're french.

 

[TonyC]

... but at the same time thought it was outrageously inefficient. i guess they want each country to have a hand in it and create jobs, but if you're going to be building those mega-structures for fabrication and assembly why build them in places that have problems with transporting logistics.

CAE, or Airbus, is a consortium, and the jobs are by definition spread out oveer numerous countries. The risks, also, are spread out over the same countries. It's hard to imagine the amount of risk that is assumed when such a project is undertaken, and I think the approach of sharing risks is a very shrewd one. You can't argue with their success.

Inefficient? Well, let's look at it another way. The American way would be to tear down that bridge and build another (the first bridge the wing went OVER). The American way would be to dredge the river, jack up the bridge, and build a special barge for the wing traveling up the river. The American way would be to tear down the bridge along the river/canal and build another that would provide 20 feet of clearance on either side instead of 20 inches. The American way would be to displace the villagers into a cookie-cutter community 13 km off the transport route, or build a 25km bypass to miss the village entirely. Given that scenario, the parts would arrive at Toulouse in the same condition as they did with the original bridges untouched, the original roads undiverted, and through the original village unharmed. Just how efficient would THAT have been? Personally, I think it's remarkably efficient the way they do it. Measure the bridge, measure the town, yepp, that fits, let's go. What they didn't show on the program was the trial runs they had performed with fuselage section mockups months ago to ensure there was clearance. When the actual sections were inching through the village, the part TLC showed, Airbus already knew they'd fit - - it had already been proven.

As for problems with logistics... well, The Learning Channel was certainly keen on playing up the problems, but when it comes down to it, EVERY place is going to have its own unique problems. You're not going to find a single location that is populated by Brits, Spaniards, Germans, French, and all the other players, is rich with raw materials and manufacturing capability, and happens to sit alongside a 15,000 foot runway that always aligns with the wind. Wherever you are, there will be obstacles, and they'll be overcome.

I just think TLC overdid the drama.

when they moved the wing or fuselage from the hangar to the boat they talked about the few inches between the sides of the trailer and the railing of the bridge. wouldn't it have been a drop in the bucket to make a bigger bridge after they spent catrillions of dollars on the fabrication plant?

But, it cleared the railing. Whether it was inches or feet or yards, it cleared. Inexpensive, regardless of it's size in proportion to the proverbial bucket, is always less efficient than FREE. I don't think they were worried - - in fact I'm sure they weren't. But, they didn't get to hear from John Travolta before they moved the wing, either.

(Oh, and remember, these guys were Brits - - can't blame the French for the whole show! )

and then they have to move it down a river when the tide is just right so they don't hang up on a bridge or sandbar. oh the drama!

Again, I don't think the barge Captain was worried. Do you REALLY think Airbus would allow transport of such a crtical and expensive part if they REALLY thought it might get hung up under a bridge. No. We owe the drama, again, to TLC.

and now they have to do it week after week after week. they showed the one guy upset in the small town the trucks passed through as the pieces made their way to the final assembling area. i would be too if every time they hauled a piece to the plant they had to squeeze through town and bring everything to a halt. can't they just build a loop around town? oh wait, they're french.

Of course they'd have to find the one eternal pessimist in the town, the guy that complains about everything. A journalist's day just wouldn't be complete without it. The commotion was caused by the huge crowds gathering to see the first sections come through. As I said before, Airbus already knew they'd fit. They move in the middle of the night so as to not disturb traffic. By the time the third week rolls around, that same guy will be sleeping through the night as if nothing were going on. 6 months down the road, villagers will wonder why they haven't seen any of those Airbus fuselages come through lately. It will become a non-event to them, just as it already is to Airbus.

Drama courtesy of TLC.

 

[minitour]

Inefficient? Well, let's look at it another way. The American way would be to tear down that bridge and build another (the first bridge the wing went OVER). The American way would be to dredge the river, jack up the bridge, and build a special barge for the wing traveling up the river. The American way would be to tear down the bridge along the river/canal and build another that would provide 20 feet of clearance on either side instead of 20 inches. The American way would be to displace the villagers into a cookie-cutter community 13 km off the transport route, or build a 25km bypass to miss the village entirely. Given that scenario, the parts would arrive at Toulouse in the same condition as they did with the original bridges untouched, the original roads undiverted, and through the original village unharmed. Just how efficient would THAT have been?

...pretty sure the "American Way" was to build a factory in the middle of nowhere and assemble the entire B747 there...jobs, jobs, jobs...oh...and we do it in MILES not KM...

 

[TonyC]

...pretty sure the "American Way" was to build a factory in the middle of nowhere and assemble the entire B747 there...jobs, jobs, jobs...oh...and we do it in MILES not KM...

Yepp. That seems to be working real well for Boeing these days.


We do both - - have you heard of a 6.2 Mile race lately? Nope. Bet you've heard of a 10K, though.

 

[minitour]

Yepp. That seems to be working real well for Boeing these days.


We do both - - have you heard of a 6.2 Mile race lately? Nope. Bet you've heard of a 10K, though.

Tuchet (I'm assuming thats how its spelled)


I got spanked

 

[TonyC]

Tuchet (I'm assuming thats how its spelled)

I am compelled by the irony here to offer help with the spelling.


It's touché, a French word.

 

[minitour]

I am compelled by the irony here to offer help with the spelling.


It's touché, a French word.

Again...I don't know what to say..."darn french?"

You're my new hero

 

[414Flyer]

Tuchet =

Nawww, thats just what MJ tells kids....