A380 - Would you like to work on it?

[Dogs_ears_up]

http://www.aerospaceweb.org/aircraft/jetliner/a380/a380_01.jpg

Ok, so it's left the ground, and should be coming our way late next year. Very pretty, very new, very big...

Would you actually like to work on it? More importantly, would you like to try and evacuate the thing on a wet and rainy night in Lagos? (come to think of it, would you like to try and do anything on a wet and rainy night in Lagos?)

How might the crew be divided up - cabin or deck? Should there be one chef de cabine, or one on each deck? Underfloor galleys? Lifts between floors? If anyone has more info, please post here.

Me, I like my 757/767's - God's aircraft - small enough to be manageable, to remember pax faces and needs, and to know your crew by first name. No major vices and power and brakes that get you in and out of anywhere that matters: and when they break, the gingers know how to glue them back together.

[DEFCON4]

It depends on the Crew/Pax ratio the bean counters come up with.It also depends on how long the sucker will stay in the air and the pax configuration.Say it is configured with 600 pax and has 22 crew and stays up for 18 hours....not really my idea of fun.

[DELTABOY]

I just hope to god 'Monarch' or any of the other charters don't get one, needless to say the config would be.... horrific! & imagine the poor ground staff trying to sort out a long delay situation & overnight accom for 800 plus punters when it all go's tits up!
Imagine standing at L1 or L2 doing the hello's & goodbyes, its a tedious enough practice without hundreds more to have to smile to... & mean it!
I think it will be a very different kind of working environment onboard this leviathan from the cabin crews perspective. I would suspect human nature being what it is that the crews will inevitably become clicky & detatched from each other. it was bad enough working on the B-747 at virgin!:{

[VirginFSM]

Looking fwd to it. Although 26 crew (so they say at VS) will take some organising! After a while though it will be "just another plane". I remember being excited the first few A346 flights I did, but now its just a long bugger to walk around!

VirginFSM

[craic1510]

well...I have to say...the fact that the A380 is actually up in the air is a huge step in the history of aviation and in the history of technology! I think it is amazing! Although I would probably be terrified for my first flight as crew and as a human being! (who wouldn't be) - I can't wait to work on it :)

I got chills watching the maiden flight on the news yesterday and seeing how huge the aircraft is. Seeing it leave the ground on take off left me in silence - probably just hoping that it went up and stayed up lol!

I do realise as some of you have already said - that the crew/pax ratio may upturn the apple cart a little...especially for charter airlines should they decide to go there, but we have plenty of time to figure that out don't we! :) I think we should all be looking at the positives, where this will take the industry, how many jobs it will provide etc.

The A380 is brilliant!! Bring it on he he :)

craic1510

:ok:

[RaverFlaver]

I'm not sure, my gut feeling thinks it will not be fun to work on......as previously mentioned, L1 & L2 hello's and goodbye's and could you imagine being galley operator!!!!!!!!! Take you an hour just to check off the catering!!! he he he.

Will be interesting though, but I think I prefer the 200 - 300 pax mark.

RaverFlaver :)

[ferrydude]

Definitely do not want to be servicing the honey bucket(s)!!!!

[Jetset Kate]

Hi all.

I agree, these are definitely exciting times for the Aviation Industry with the introduction of the First Ever "Double Decker" aircraft. It's fantastic; and Europe, especially the UK should take great pride in our achievement. However, I love my job but I know how much hair I've lost through the stress of attempting to cater the fwd galley of a 767 and not to mention the 757-200, with the old,"atlas box style" half carts that need to be up-loaded from the hold on turn-arounds. Personally, I don't think I'd enjoy working on the A380 but I would love to have a fly on it.

Good luck to all you PPruners out there who will be involved with its first operating pax flights.

I am rather envious (kinda ;)

[apaddyinuk]

Looks cool, I bet it would be fun to work on if you have a great crew but think about the bill at the dinner table down route when everyone wants to pay in different currencies??? WHAT A NIGHTMARE!!!!