A380 Airbus - The Official Thread.

[VladTepes]

The A380 has visited Brisbane. Twice now.

It's big.

I took a few pics - these are on pages 3 onwards of the Aviation gallery in my main gallery (click link in signature line) and I will get some other pics once I get back from Fraser (a mate with better tarmas access took some flight and taxi-ing ones for me).

Unfortunately not parked next to a 747 but apparently JT is in town and they are going to do some pics with his 707 and the A380.

It looks to be not much longer than a 747 but the tailplane is higher (say about 8 stories high :!: ) The wingspan is longer, the wings are thicker and different in profile (see pics from France I have posted in the aviation section of my gallery) and its a double decker all the way back.

Oh and did I mention..... it's big :!:

http://www.aulro.com/albums/Vlad-s-aviation-album/Resize_of_DSCF1096.jpg

Given the tarmac restrictions it was difficult to get a photo that truly shows its great size but at the same time fits all the plane into one frame. I tried.

http://www.aulro.com/albums/Vlad-s-aviation-album/Resize_of_DSCF1098.jpg

All except the tail is in Qantas livery.

http://www.aulro.com/albums/Vlad-s-aviation-album/Resize_of_DSCF1102.jpg

You can see what I mean about the huge wing with unconventional profile in this shot.

As you can also see, it's reasonably big. style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif

[Redback]

Have to recall this one those wings look pretty bent to me, must be the weight of those engines style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tongue.gif style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tongue.gif 8O

[abaddonxi]

Mmmm, large.

What are the cops doing standing there? style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif Waiting for some kid to come along and hotwire it? Stop it from breaking out of the cordon of witches hats and make a run for it?

Simon

[Captain_Rightfoot]

Hmmm... looks big. style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif Ugly as sin though IMHO style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/ohmy.gif

The anhedral appearance on the wing might be a slight optical illusion. You'd probably find it the tip would lift a bit when under load to give a little dihedral. style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif

[DiscoTDI]

Pretty flash, but I think the RR sport is better style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tongue.gif

[one_iota]

Bloated comes to mind

as does waiting several hours in a queue to get on and off

I travelled cattle class electric prodded by cabin attendents





and I was aspiring to a Personal Lear Jet :roll:

[VladTepes]

Simon those aren't (mostly) coppers but rather Airbus' own security people.

Righty: Yep its none too pretty. I hope the Boeing 787 will be prettier. (It's smaller so it has half a chance) and yeah the wingtips would flex up when carrying the load of the aircraft in the air.

OI: Lear Jets and such are rubbish. It's INSANE to spend all that money on a plane you can;t even stand up in :!: :roll:

[Jojo]

Originally posted by VladTepes

...but apparently JT is in town...




Who in hell is this JT ??????? Call me stupid but I really have no clue! Sorry 'bout my ignorance!

[Piggy]

Strange about those wings - Heard a rumour that they bend the other way in the northern hemishere !!!!!!!!!!!!

[Piggy]

p.s. - it is <span style="font-size:12pt;line-height:100%">[/size]BIG

[size=12]</span>who is JT ??????????

[DEFENDERZOOK]

<span style="color:blue">the wings will lift before the the plane lifts......


dont be surprised to find up to a couple of metres difference at the wing
tips from rest to full flight......you dont realise till you are actually in a
plane watching to see how much they really do flex....</span>

[Quiggers]

Those cops may be looking for John Travolta, but he was hanging out at the Soccer in Sydney. The slalom course looks a bit small for the A380. Maybe they thought they were there to look after a Misterbishi 380. Actually saw one the other day (M380). 380 must be a secret manufacturers code for 'ugly'. I assume the A380 will stretch over years as did the 747, this one looks a bit short and dumpy.

[Phoenix]

JT is John Travolta, who has his own 707 :wink:

[VladTepes]

Pictures of which are ALSO in my aviation gallery.

[JamesH]

I've never been an Airbus man myself, Boeing is more my cup of tea.


Having said that, coming from Perth and doing long hauls in 737s that in the early models days could not make it from Brizzy to Perth against the gulfstream in one hop were really annoying. The 767 is a rather tedious plane but my favourite is the 777. I love them.

In the case of personal jets the Citation X is a fave. I had a good look at Steve Forbes' when he was here ballooning. It has a serious pair of bollocks bolted on the back driving the thing. I have heard it can fly straight up like a fighter. You can't stand up in that either but it would get you over to Sydney to collect a creme brule from Victoires stop for a bowl of bolognaise and a coffee at Pellegrinis in Melbourne, a cleanser or 6 off the wood at the Brekky Creek hotel, over to Broome to get nude on cable beach and eat some seafood and back down to Perth all in a weekend. See, you CAN have fun without a Land Rover but it takes a fast jet to do it.

[harry]

8) bastard of a thing is going to rootup the insurance premiums when they get old and the third world mobs splatter one.
and what is the real story on the ozone layer depletion
high altitude gas turbine emissions and heating?

[FenianEel]

I heard the servicing on these babies is almost as expensive as a Land Rover!!!

Fuselage, wings, tail, jets etc. all built in different countries. Biggest Meccano set yet - hope it's not wired by Lucas!! style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif

[VladTepes]

It's an electrical system that does NOT require a constant earth..... style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif

[Lionel]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE</div><div class='quotemain'>and what is the real story on the ozone layer depletion
high altitude gas turbine emissions and heating?[/b][/quote]

Apparently it uses "20% less fuel" than a 747. I assume that that is when averaged out per weight of load, as I can't see what appear to be 4 RR Trents using less than the 747 powerplants in fuel volume terms.

Cheers,

Lionel

[FenianEel]

It's also much much quieter than a 747.......

but still fr*ggn loud! style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif

[VladTepes]

Lionel they probably mean the engines are 20% more efficient than the previous generation of engine.

[VladTepes]

A few more pics:

The wing design clearly seen here:
http://www.bne.com.au/graphics/images/airbus_9.jpg


The brand new massive hangar built in Brisbane recently for aircraft maintenance - I think its the 75- 76- or 77- 7's that are now getting done up here. In any event, looks like we are going to need a bigger one.
This photo is pretty good at showing how damn big this aircraft is:
http://www.bne.com.au/graphics/images/airbus_12.jpg

[DEFENDERZOOK]

<span style="color:blue">that looks a lot like the good ol B52 from behind......</span>

[JamesH]

Ahhhhh the B52. Now that's an airplane. The Perentie of the sky.

[Pedro_The_Swift]

Originally posted by JamesH
Ahhhhh the B52. Now that's an airplane. The Perentie of the sky.

not sure a perentie ever carried a VERY FAST jet plane,, but this B52 did,,,
http://www.aulro.com/albums/album244/Tech28G6.jpg


and yes Zook,,
the wings do seem to rise up under load,,, style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif

[Ace]

I hate it, because it is getting some other bloke rich and not me. :twisted: style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif

You are right vlad, it certainly is big. Matt

[Bushie]

[quote=DEFENDERZOOK]<span style="color:blue">the wings will lift before the the plane lifts......


dont be surprised to find up to a couple of metres difference at the wing
tips from rest to full flight......you dont realise till you are actually in a
plane watching to see how much they really do flex....</span>

IIRC the wing tips of a 747 flex 14 feet from rest to flight.


Bushie

[DEFENDERZOOK]

<span style="color:blue">hey thats 4 metres.....


thats a hell of a lot of flex.....</span>

[Piggy]

Why do you Aussies have to go all metric - 14ft is 14ft, not 4 metres.

Go into any timber merchant in the UK and ask for an 8' x 4' sheet of 3/4inch plywood and that's what you get. The fact that the invoice says 2440 x 1220 x 18mm is irrelevant.

[DEFENDERZOOK]

<span style="color:blue">its the imperial metric system.....


its like buying a box of drinks........you buy 1 litre bottles.....12 to the box...

now is this metric or imperial.......?</span>

[Piggy]

Driving round SA last November, I kept treating km as miles, and got everywhere a lot quicker than expected !!!!!!!!

[DEFENDERZOOK]

<span style="color:blue">ive done that twice....once to melbourne and once to canberra.....



the signs said 110

but didnt specify what..... </span> style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif

[Pedro_The_Swift]

maybe they meant wheelbase??? style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif

[Bushie]

Metric

Used to buy "canvas" firefighting hose out of Japan 38mm diam x 100ft.

and 38mm BSP threaded couplings :twisted: :evil:


Bushie

[Bushie]

A couple of A380 pics sent to me by a mate who works in ARFF S(KS)A taken from the front of the fire station?

http://www.aulro.com/albums/Flying-Low/A380.jpg

And out bound to Melbourne

http://www.aulro.com/albums/Flying-Low/A3802.jpg

At least I'm assuming this is where/when they were taken. The first is definately Sydney from the taxiway/runway signage, second I suppose could be anywhere (Bris/Syd/Mel).

Bushie

[FenianEel]

Not that I'm a big Qantas fan, but from the Qantas A380 site:

The initial assembly stage of the first Qantas A380 is now completed. The aircraft emerged from the Toulouse assembly line on its own wheels in early March. Next, the Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engines will be fitted and interior systems installed.

[FenianEel]

back to the Airbus......

One visited Sydney yesterday I believe, as part of a round the world trial...

They are also WAY WAY behind on delivery - which means millions of $ in penalties from Airbus to the companies that oredered them.

Meanwhile.....the RAAF just took delivery of one of these (C-17 Globemaster) in the states today, and is getting flown back to Amberley (via a welcome shindig in Canberra) this week.

To give you an idea of size and payload, they can handle, 4 - yes FOUR times the payload of a C-130 Hercules :eek:

http://www.boeing.com/companyoffices/gallery/images/c17/c1704.jpg

[incisor]

tyres wont last long smokin em up like that :P