Got an update on runway width requirements for the A380. The jury is still out around the world on the runway width regulations. Airbus reckon 45m (150 foot) is just OK, some of the FAA are worried and want 60m wide runways, while their flying ops people seem relaxed about using 45m runways.
The problem is that the A380 is on the borderline of two 'design groups', and the 'design groups' were little more then stabs in the dark to cater for these new larger aircraft which hadn't been built at that stage.
Anyway, to bring some maths to the table: the A380-800 wheeltrack (distance between the outer tyres of the outer main gears) is approximately 13.8 metres.
Taking the design? normal? engine failure case on takeoff where Vef is just above true Vmcg. Add aircraft wander off centreline of 5m. Then given a wheeltrack of 13.8m for a A380-800, this places the outer tyres at (13.8/2 + 5 =) 11.9m off centreline. Then have an engine failure just above Vmcg and experience a parallel path departure of 9m allowed in the regs, and the outer wheels are now (11.9 + 9 =) 20.9m off centreline. If the minimum clearance between the outer tyre and the edge of the runway was set to be 1.5m (my estimate to allow for load spreading in the lower pavement), then that is equivalent to a minimum runway width of (20.9+1.5)*2 = 44.8m. Hmm – that's a 'just fit' on the 45m wide runway. And it doesn't leave anything for JTs scenario with a crosswind. No wonder the authorities are debating what to do with their requirements for existing airports. The FAA has said that all NEW runways must be 60m wide. But that still leaves a lot of existing runways. . . . .
And if you can borrow an A380 and want to try it out for runway width, here is the ACN chart to see if you'll bog it down before you can run it off onto the grass.
http://www.geocities.com/profemery/aviation.html There is also a layout of the gear. 20 tyres on the main gears
Call the refuellers - fill it up and check the tyres, sport. She'll take about 85,900 US gallons and give me 210 psi in the slicks.