FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
2004
2004-09 - 2172.PDF
Directory: world airliners with the first example due to roll out in Toulouse early next year and begin flight testing by the end of the first quarter The only major setback this year has been the decision by two key A380 customers, Air France and Virgin Atlantic, to defer deliveries. Virgin partly attributed its 18-month delay to concerns over the state of readiness of some major airports for the giant - in particular Los Angeles. The $10.7 billion A380 programme was launched in December 2000, but the aircraft had been under development since April 1996 under the "A3XX" designation. The baseline 555-seat passenger ver sion is designated the A380-800, and an -800 Freighter is also being developed. Future planned models include a longer-range version, the -800R, as well as a 650-seat stretch, the -900, and a 465- seat shrink, the -700. Two engine options are offered in the 70,000- 78,000lb-thrust bracket-the General Electric Pratt & Whitney Engine Alliance GP7200 and R-R Trent 900 - with the latter being the lead certification engine. The R-R version will be delivered to SIA in March 2006. Emirates will receive the first GP7200- powered A380 in October 2006. Flight testing of the Trent 900 began in May on the A340-300 develop ment aircraft, while the GP7200 is due to fly on GE's Boeing 747 flight-test aircraft before the year-end. The static test airframe was the first A380 to be assembled in Toulouse - being rolled out in May. This airframe will begin a two-year test programme in November, while a second ground-test specimen - the fatigue test airframe - is being assembled in Dresden and will start round-the-clock fatigue test ing in September next year The second A380 to roll off the Toulouse line - manufacturer's serial number 001 - is the first of four flight-test aircraft. This aircraft emerged from the hangar in early July and was powered up for the first time on schedule the same month. Four Trent-powered A380s will be dedicated to the initial development flight-test and certification campaign, which will run to about 2,000 flight hours for the initial R-R-powered version and conclude in early 2006. The GP7200 test aircraft is due to fly in November 2005 and will be one of two A380s tasked with the development and certification pro gramme for this version. Airbus is planning to offer an optional higher maximum take-off weight from entry into service in . March 2006, which will feature a 9,000kg increase over the current specification aircraft, to 569,000kg, "to satisfy customer payload/range requirements", says the manufacturer, adding that the higher weight will require "local structural reinforcing". Airbus has conceded that initial A380s will be overweight, by saying that aircraft built to the first production standard will incorporate weight savings. The first aircraft built to this standard will be the fourth and fifth A380s to fly - MSN 007 and 003 respectively - which will be the first to go to customers. Meanwhile, the first freighter (GP7200-powered) is due to fly in the second quarter of 2007, and will enter service in mid-2008 with FedEx. The A380- 800F will have strengthened structure and AIRBUS A340 •••••• Length (m) Wingspan (m) Height (m) Wing area (m2) Cabin width (m) Max take-off weight (kg) MTOW option 1 MTOW option 2 Max landing weight (kg) MLW option 1 MLW option 2 Operating empty weight (kg Max zero fuel weight (kg) MZFW option 1 MZFW option 2 Max payload (kg) Powerplant Standard fuel capacity (I) 59.4 60.3 16.83 361.63 5.28 275,000 - - 185,000 - - 129,000 173,000 43,500 4 x 34,000lb CFMI CFM56-5C4 155,040 Normal operating speed (Mach) 0.82 Max cruise speed (kt) Max cruising altitude (ft) Take-off field length (m, sea Landing field length (m, sea Accommodation (1-class) Accommodation (2-class) Accommodation (3-class) Design range with pax Option 1 493 41,100 level/ISA) 2,990 level/ISA) 1,890 420 300 239-263 14,800km/239 - 63.7 60.3 16.83 361.63 5.28 271,000 275,000 - 192,000 - - 130,900 181,000 50,920 4 x 34,000lb CFMI CFM56-5C4 141,500 0.82 493 41,100 3,000 1,926 440 335 295 13,100km/295 13,500km/295 Option 2 Notes * 60,000lb thrust available as option on 380,000kg MTOW version 67.9 63.45 17.1 437.3 5.28 365,000 368,000 372,000 236,000 240,000 - 170,400 222,000 - - 54,100 4 x 53,000lb R-R Trent 553 214,800 0.83 492 41,100 3,050 2,010 440 - 313 15,750km/313 16,000km/313 16,400km/313 • • •"•/ •••' • ' -600 75.3 63.45 17.29 437.3 5.28 365,000 368,000 380,000 256,000 259,000 260,000 177,000 240,000 245,000 246,000 64,300/67,200 4 x 56,000lb R-R Trent 556* 194,880 0.83 492 41,100 3,100 2,100 440 - 380 13,900km/380 14,150km/380 14,800km/380 increased weights, giving it a standard payload of 150t. Airbus is offering various weight options that provide increased range and/or payload. These include a 10t MTOW increase and 8t more payload. A centre fuel tank is also being offered. The freighter's strengthened airframe will provide the basis for the stretched A380-900 model. Airbus plans to offer a standard VIP interior for the A380 and has issued initial concept drawings of the "Prestige" cabin to its authorised completion centres. It is soliciting feedback. The aim of the Prestige concept - already offered on the A319CJ - is to provide a ready-made luxury interior to buyers who want to avoid having to design their own. The preliminary design of the A380 Prestige fea tures airline-style seating and office areas on the aircraft's main deck with the top cabin dedicated to the VIP area. Airbus is understood to be in talks with several heads of state for the VIP A380, but has yet to sign a launch customer. A380 production is gradually ramping up as Airbus prepares for the type's first flight early next year www.flightinternational.com FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 26 OCTOBER - 1 NOVEMBER 2004 55
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
