Sludge shows what it is really about. The poor old 380 is copping a lot of nationalistic antagonism in the heart of 'enemy territory'. It's not about the landing, it's about any excuse to denigrate it. Sludge, I love the 747, I flew it for 18 years altogether in 3 different marques. But it was designed in 1967. The elapsed time since then taken earlier goes back to 1925. Can you imagine a 1925 design still relevant in 1967? And here we are, 2009, with economies of latest design, large scale and ultra long range. As the 747 program nearly caused Boeing to turn the lights off in Seattle, the 380 has cost more than projection, but not nearly so bad an overrun. It will be the non-US airline preferred long haul aeroplane- Europe-Far East, Europe-Australia, Europe South Africa, and Far East-US. US airlines have no place for a leviathan like this, just as the 747 now is too large for the US market.
Attacking it is irrelevant. Airbus has determined it will work. It will prove itself. The sales will gather pace as the recession recedes. There is no point blustering about it- the US taxpayer will not pay. Boeing dropped the ball with large scale, long range airliners. The 380 will top the market over 777 and croaking 747s. In 20 years, nobody will want to be seen dead in a 747. They might be flogging cargo around. Who would have thought BA would end up with 57 747-400s, after buying over 30 747 Classics? They have barely scratched the surface yet of how many 380s they will operate. How many will SIA and Emirates alone get through? The 777 and 787 will just not cut the mustard in 10 years- the world is poised for BIG tourism and travel.
Go to a major airport and watch the wide bodies. You will see landings like that throughout the day. But it's not really about the landing, is it? Poor unloved 380, but it is going to knock the 747 off its perch! And I should think the pilots are not back in France- they will be playing with all the displays at Oshkosh and planning their next home project if I understand pilots, which I do!