Charley...
A very eloquent post...
However, I'm still wondering how Airbus achieve similar field lengths etc. to the 747, with a poorer power / weight ratio? Both being 4 engined, the comparison should be fairly straightforward.
Are we saying that the 747 has proportionately more surplus thrust than the A380 for any given situation? Or does the larger wing of the A380 trade drag for lift better than the 747 (presumably the answer is yes, it being a much newer aerofoil).
I'm guessing that a more modern wing design, with less drag for a given amount of lift, requires less powerful engines to achieve similar results??
Saying that, the pure numbers still suggest that the A380 will have 'relaxed' performance.
