King-sized Airbus 380 preparing to rule the skies
By Mary Ann Anderson
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
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Elvis has not yet left the building.
But when he does, our way of thinking about the world of aviation will change as we're propelled even further into the 21st century.
Elvis is the nickname I've given to the new Airbus 380, the world's largest, first-ever fully double-decker passenger plane now being built at Airbus' factory in the quiet countryside of Toulouse, France.
As Elvis was known as the "King of Rock 'n' Roll," the A380 will indisputably be crowned the "King of Aviation" when it rolls off the assembly line later this year and is readied for passenger service. Plus, it's huge — so huge, in fact, that you might as well go the extra step and call it fat, even bloated. And Elvis, as we all know, was pretty darned huge himself at one point in his life, and then there's always that king thing going on.
Without a doubt, the A380 — call it what you want, either Elvis, the top end of the scale, the Holy Grail of aviation, the Mother Lode of airplanes — will usher in a new era of air travel when Singapore Airlines becomes the first to fly the "king"-sized airplane from London to Singapore to Sydney on the "Kangaroo Route," perhaps as early as December of this year or more likely in the first few months of next year.
The nearly mythical A380, a long time in the making and unmatched in terms of its size and capacity, is powered by four colossal Rolls-Royce Trent 900 titanium engines so big that you can practically drive a herd of cattle into them. Besides being the world's largest passenger airplane, it also has the widest aircraft fuselage in the industry. While its length is about 240 feet, its wingspan is an astounding, almost disproportional 262 feet.
The wings, which are built in Wales and shipped to Toulouse by water, have no equal in the airline industry. They are so immense, in fact, that about 2,800 people can stand under them in a rain shower and not get wet.
The A380, which can fly nonstop for about 8,000 nautical miles, accommodates 555 seats in a three-class configuration of coach, business and first. But Singapore Airlines, one of the airlines which Airbus first courted for the A380 because it is one of the most successful airlines in the world in terms of profits, elegance and customer satisfaction, will seat fewer than 480 passengers in the same layout.
Some airlines are even considering a full economy class configuration of up to 853 seats, a number that boggles the mind. To put it in perspective, that's almost a quarter of the entire population of 3,600 in my hometown of Hazlehurst, Ga. — and that's on a good day.
But good for Singapore Airlines for setting a precedent. Fewer seats means more leg and elbow room for everyone, which means happier passengers instead of grumpy ones who tend to make long-haul — and even short-haul — flights unbearable.
And for Singapore Airlines passengers who want to pay the price for premium seating, its A380 first-class cabin promises to be totally luxurious with niceties that may include small, private bedrooms, mood lighting and even plush lounging areas.
Even those who have been in aviation for a long time are impressed by what the A380 has going for itself. Singapore Airlines spokesman James Boyd, who admits to having been in the industry for many years, touts, "This aircraft presents a great opportunity to completely rethink and redesign the in-flight experience, starting with our customers' feedback and a blank sheet of paper. It will offer substantial savings in terms of operating costs and the most comfortable, spacious flying experience yet."
Like Airbus, Singapore Airlines has always been a trendsetter. The airline was the first to offer headsets, a choice of meals, and free drinks in economy class, and it was the also the first to operate a commercial flight across the Pacific. For in-flight entertainment, Singapore Airlines wins hands down, as it offered revolutionary gizmos such as "on demand" audio and video capabilities and KrisFone, the first global sky telephone service, before any other airline.
Singapore Airlines and Airbus have been courting for quite a while, not only with the A380, but also the ultra long-haul A340. In 2004, Singapore Airlines offered the world's longest nonstop airline flight on the A340 between Singapore and Los Angeles, and then surpassed itself later that year with even longer A340 nonstop flights between New York-Newark and Singapore.
But back to the A380. Here are a few fun statistics about the aircraft, courtesy of Singapore Airlines:
In the simplest terms, all Airbus did was build a bigger and better mousetrap than was already available in the aviation market. Yes, it's still an airplane, even though its price tag begins at about $300 million, but it is still one that is much improved upon from earlier models.
For example, in terms of noise levels, the A380's cabin is the quietest in the sky, and highefficiency air filters will keep the air cleaner and safer so there are fewer worries about catching someone else's cold. Despite its size, the engine noise level is much less than other airplanes of today, even prompting one Airbus executive to say that it practically "whispers" across the sky. And some of the airlines that have ordered the A380, including Singapore, plan to have sit-down pubs with real barstools and flying duty-free shops.
Several airlines, most notably Singapore, were scheduled to take delivery of the aircraft by the end of the year, but in June, Airbus announced six- to seven-month production delays, including problems with wiring. Even so, Airbus still expects to deliver on its promise to the "First to Fly A380" Singapore Airlines so that it will have its first plane later this year.
While Singapore Airlines and other carriers that have ordered the A380 are unhappy about the delays, let me be the first to say that I, as a member of the flying public, would rather Airbus get all those problems smoothed out before the first passenger ever sets foot on the jetway.
Safety is the priority of Airbus, so be rest assured that the behemoth A380, according to Airbus' vice president of flight testing Fernando Alonso, has been "tested and tested and tested." As a matter of fact — and a matter of common sense — testing is ongoing all the time.
Airbus has even gone so far as to have cameras installed all over each plane to record every movement, so there is no margin for error. Without these safety measures in place, aviation giants like Singapore Airlines wouldn't have ordered the plane in the first place.
Since aviation is here to stay, the growing market simply demanded a larger aircraft to accommodate more passengers. So, yes, ladies and gentlemen and Elvis fans everywhere, it appears that an ages-old question has finally been answered: Size does indeed matter.
For more information on being the "First to Fly A380," call Singapore Airlines toll-free at (800) 742-3333 or visit www.singaporeair.com and follow the A380 link. Visit Airbus at www.air bus.com.
