The Airbus A380, the world’s largest commercial plane, has logged its first successful voyage. The A380, which weighs about 569 tons when fully loaded, took off at 10:29 am from the same runway near Airbus’s Toulouse, France, headquarters from which the supersonic Concorde made its maiden flight in 1969. The plane will seat arount 555 passengers.
European aircraft manufacturer Airbus flew the world’s largest airliner, the A380, for the first time on Wednesday.
Here is how the mammoth double-decker measures up:
* The A380 is 15 metres wider, four metres taller, two metres longer and 118 tonnes heavier than the Boeing Co. 747 jumbo, which has reigned as the largest airliner for four decades.
* The A380 looks like a 747 jumbo with the upper deck stretched all the way back to the tail.
* The Airbus double-decker is the length of eight London buses and has enough room on its massive wings to park 70 cars.
via [Reuters.com]
Great story! I heard a radio commentator say that this plane can hold up to 800 passengers! What if all their luggage goes to Cleveland and they go to Denver?
I had heard that too Gil. I think it is 800+ passengers if they piled them in as economy class sardines. Accomodating the 1st class section drops the capacity down to 550.
Whether it’s 800 or 550, I wouldn’t advise trying to catch a connecting flight for at least 2 hours. It may take that long to disembark and get to another plane!