Next A380 models
What are the next A380 models Airbus would build?
Boeing 747-100 entered into service in January 1970. In June 1971, KLM started service of Boeing 747-200, with increased MTOW.
Douglas DC-10-10 entered into service in August 1971. In 1972, Douglas started delivering DC-10-40 and DC-10-30, with new wing, extra middle leg and increased MTOW.
Boeing 707-320 came out not very long after Boeing 707-120.
How much growth capacity is built into the Airbus 380-841?
The MTOW is 569 tons. There are mentions of MTOW like 590 tons, 625 tons, 650 tons...
Airbus 340-600HGW has MTOW of 380 tons and wing area like, 427 square metres. Which is barely more than half the 845 square metre wing area of A380.
If you want to build an A380 model whose wing loading, stall speed and runway length is similar to A340-600HGW, you get MTOW of about 750 tons!
So, what would be the next A380 models? And when would Airbus be ready to deliver them?
Boeing designed and built Boeing 747-400ER to satisfy a single order for 6 planes - the Qantas ones.
Qantas wanted 747-400ER for the MEL-LAX route. 12 800 km, and LAX-MEL is westwards - 747-400 non-ER has payload-range restrictions.
Qantas 380-841 would enter into service on the same MEL-LAX, because SYD-LAX is comfortable for 747, but even 747-400ER still struggles on MEL-LAX.
SQ wants to use A380-841 on HKG-SFO - 11 200 km. SQ was worried that A380 would struggle with payload-range on the westbound side nevertheless. Now that A380 is flying SIN-SYD, they discovered that the fuel burn is several % better than Airbus promised - it would also be better on SIN-LHR and SFO-HKG...
EK plans flying A380 DXB-JFK (11 000 km).
There are a number of routes now flown by A340-500 and B777-200LR. EK has DXB-GRU (12 200 km). PIA has KHI-JFK (11 700 km). Indian has JFK-BOM (12 500 km). Singapore has A340-500 struggling on SIN-LAX (14100 km) and SIN-EWR (15 400 km).
Are there any attractive routes which are slightly beyond the range of the now A380 and which have sufficiently large demand to fill A380-800 rather than A340-500 or B777-200LR?