Aircraft Profile: Airbus A380

The Airbus A380 is the largest jet airliner ever built and is the world’s first double-deck passenger aircraft. First flight took place from Toulouse, France on 27 April 2005 and led to a flight test programme involving five Airbus A380s. Service entry with launch customer Singapore Airlines happened on the 25th October 2007, with Emirates now also in service. Total orders for the Airbus A380 stand at 159, from 16 customers.

Two versions of the Airbus A380 are currently offered, the 550-seat passenger version and a freighter, the Airbus A380F. Stretched versions of both are planned.There are two engine options for the Airbus A380: the 74,000lb – 84,000lb thrust Rolls-Royce Trent 900, and the 76,500lb – 81,500lb thrust General Electric/Pratt & Whitney Engine Alliance GP7200, each producing 74,000lb – 84,000lb of thrust.

As with all modern Airbus types, the Airbus A380 is controlled by a fully fly-by-wire flight control system. The upper fuselage of the aircraft is constructed with a new aluminium/glassfibre material, Glare, which is lighter than aluminium and more resistant to fatigue.

History

Conceived as a response to the Boeing 747, the Airbus A380 development programme was officially launched in June 1994, with development of the A380.Development costs of the Airbus A380 were initially put at $8 billion but have risen to $12.2 billion.The Airbus A380 made its first transatlantic flight to Medellin, Colombia, on 10 January 2006 to test engine performance at high airport altitude.