Wirraway

Wed "The Australian"

Carried away on Airbus
By Steve Creedy, Aviation writer
August 18, 2004

FORGET the fast food outlets, bowling alleys, duty-free shops and in-flight casinos.

The reality of the new double-decker Airbus A380 superjumbo, due to land in Australia in 2006, will be more of what you get on every other aircraft: seats.

But they are likely to be wider and more spacious than existing seats with reduced operating costs that could mean cheaper tickets.

Airbus also says the plane will be significantly quieter and cleaner, reducing harmful emissions with a per-passenger fuel efficiency roughly equivalent to that of a small car.

The European manufacturer has already built its first test A380 and is planning a maiden flight for early next year.

While it still expects airlines to use some of the extra space for frills such as stand-up bars, larders, business centres and areas where passengers can socialise, a senior Airbus executive yesterday described some early claims about the plane as "imaginative".

Airbus customer affairs vice-president Alan Brown told a briefing in Sydney that he expected the 50 per cent extra floor space available on the A380 to translate into wider seats and aisles with more storage space.

Passengers on average would each get about 10 per cent more space, but each seat would cost the airline 15 per cent less to fly.

"The A380 will allow airlines both to make air travel more affordable by ordinary people and to offer their passengers a more relaxed and stress-free way to travel," he said.

Qantas has ordered 12 of the giant aircraft.

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itchybum

No real surprises there. Airbus advertising paints the aircraft as airborne bowling alleys/ lap pools/ putting greens/ go-cart tracks and the punters think, "Yeah I'd buy a ticket with an airline that has them..."

The real question regards the critical mass of B.O. when a 900+ seat version rolls up with the unwashed 'Barmy Army" of pro-hooligans from pommy-land.

They reckon just the 757 charter flights are diabolical when the door is opened after the long haul down to Sydney....

BCF Breath

I wonder if Customs/Immigration will put AN extra staff member on to handle the extra influx....

Col. Walter E. Kurtz

Unless, of course, you are on the way to the U.S

QSK?

Probably for the first couple of months in operation, but then it won't take long for the airline bean counters to work out that if they make the seats the same dimensions and pitch as those existing in the current aircraft models then the airlines CAN PUT MORE SEATS IN and make more money!!

No need to worry about pax comfort.

The Messiah

Last I heard they were having certification problems with regard to emergency evacuation.

Anybody know anymore?

Captain Can't

apparently (according to the latest qf fltops propaganda) they are just coming up to there evac certs... the amount of pax they are trying to get off is huge! (I can't remember the number!) but it's the first a/c to have to demo upper deck evacs...
exciting times

swh

747 from memory was certified for over 600, no upper deck evac test was ever done.

RAD_ALT_ALIVE

SWH,
B744 limitations states that the maximum number of persons (crew and passengers) which may be carried is 541.

Don't know whether that's world-wide though.

swh

RAD_ALT_ALIVE,

Thanks, if have a look at the FAA Type Certificate Data Sheet A20WE for the 747, the certified limit for the 747-300 and 747-100B SUD the total passenger capacity is limited to:
660 passengers with 5 pair of Type "A" exits on the main deck plus one pair of Type "A" exits on the upper deck. Main deck limited to 550 and upper deck limited to 110 if in compliance with the requirements of modified Special Condition No. 25-71-NW-3, transmitted to Boeing by FAA letter dated August 3, 1981.)

For 747-400 the total passenger capacity is limited to:
660 passengers with 5 pair of Type "A" exits on main deck plus one pair of Type "A" exits on the upper deck. (Main deck limited to 550 and upper deck limited to 110 if in compliance with the requirements of modified Special Condition Number 25-71-NW-3, transmitted to Boeing by FAA letter dated August 3, 1981.)

The limit you mentioned is like the early 747's for the 747SR and 747-100, -100B, -200B, -200C airplanes the total passenger capacity is limited to:
550 with 5 pair of Type "A" exits on main deck
440 with 4 pair of Type "A" exits on main deck
A20WE Page 10 of 29 Data Pertinent to all Models, except Model 747-400 series (continued):
Upper deck passenger capacity is limited to:
8 with one exit on the upper deck 16 with one exit, improved slide and smoke barrier
24 with one exit, straight stairway, smoke barrier, and escape slide capable of operation in 25 kt. wind
32 if in compliance with the requirements of Special Condition No. 25-61-NW-1
45 if in compliance with the requirements of Special Condition No. 25-71-NW-3
5 persons on upper deck per Exemption 1870D.
(747-100 and 747-200)

The 380 is aiming for over 20% more than the 744