SWH,
All the registrations you reference are classic 747s except one. Very deceptive.
You are confident that the unbuilt A350 will be more efficient than a 777X which has not even finalized its specs? Get real joker!
Yes, I know the max ZFW for the A33/40. And yes, I know they can be increased. So when will we actually see one. There is no shortage of A340s available for conversion. I can't wait to see a 340F limp off the runway!
The A320/737NG numbers are not questionable. The answer to your question about 50/50 split lies in the fact that the Airbus is much cheaper, but it will cost more in the long run due to lost efficiency and reliability. You can find the dispatch reliability numbers for yourself...
The carbon fiber technology I was referring to is not fuselage construction but attaching the wings to that fuselage. Good luck Airbus! I understand they are hand drilling each rivet. That shouldn't take too long...
Let's not pretend the A380 wing crack problem is a non-issue. It directly affects production rates and eventually all the wings will need to be fixed. This will likely result in increased time out of service. You would like to compare this to cracks on 20 year old aircraft. Ok, but I'm not sure that's a great comparison.
The 748I tail tank is a non-issue. With a realistic load, it won't be used anyways. The -8I certainly would make HKG-JFK with 400 plus passengers. The question is how much cargo it would be able to take along. I suspect the limitation will be volumetric, not performance based.
Just because the A380 will be doing those routes proves nothing. The question is what load they will carry into the wind coming back. I suspect it won't be pretty based on Qantas' experience. You don't deny that the A380 can't even carry its own bags on the LAX route.
I'm not going to argue the whole WTO case, but let's just agree that Airbus has had heaps of help trying to get caught up with Boeing. Have they caught up? I would say no. Boeing garners a higher premium on average for its aircraft. This is why its profit margins are significantly better.
Last edited by cxorcist; 30th Jul 2012 at 23:08.