Last A380 Leaves Assembly Hall
 

As per the title, apologies if this has already been covered elsewhere....

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I imagine this thread will be moved to the Aviation History and Nostalgia forum.

I doubt the proud new owners even want it. Such a shame.

Why is it a shame? It wasn’t needed and the builders knew it wouldn’t work but like WW1 Generals they pushed ahead regardless.

Google Saunders Roe Princess. History DOES repeat itself.

They went ahead with this project knowing it would fail. It doesn’t even look right. It’s an ugly aeroplane and I’m glad they’ve stopped making this eyesore.

I would be interested if you could document this .

Copied from Forbes

Many, many aircraft manufacturing experts, airline executives, industry consultants, airport planners, travel marketing and planning executives, tourism promoters and chamber of commerce-type officials around the globe, and yes, a whole bunch of reporters and pundits did, in fact, advise Airbus leaders in the 1990s not to do it as they were considering whether to build a mega-jet even bigger than Boeing’s 747

Just google “why did the A380 fail”

By all means: if the reporters told them... they should have listened! We all know they unbiasedly report the FACTS!

Well the facts are they’ve stopped making it because it didn’t work.

There was a TV programme about the design and building of the A3XX/A380 made in 1997...An "Aviation Journalist" was interviewed at Farnborough 96, and said "I am not convinced there is a Market for this Aeroplane"

Guess I was right!

The root problem is not the size but it's engine generation that is lagging behind at least half a generation compared to what the latest twins have installed. This is why these smaller aircraft at lower economical risk can match the cost per seat of the big ones. Install the same engine generation and the economies of scale are back again - well that is if corona isn't ruining demand.

srjumbo747, seen your pseudo, I find it ironic to be sarcastic about the final days of the A380 at a time where nearly all the pax 747s are being flown into the desert to die.
Yes Airbus gambled and lost As to telling entrepreneurs what they do will never work , history is full of them , They were plenty of them saying this to the Wright brothers too..

srjumbo747

You might think it’s ugly but I’d far rather be sitting in an A380 for 11 hours than a 787. I remember going to Johannesburg in 1972 on a 747 and it was brilliant, I did the same trip 2 years ago on a 747 and it was a dog, The 380 is a good aircraft for what it was designed to do but times change just a shame it couldn’t be converted to a freighter.

For me, as SLF, I am disappointed that the 380 has gone along with the 747.
Soon there will not be a decently comfy large jet to travel in.

The A380 was not a commercial success to put it lightly. True.

But it was and remains an amazing achievement for Airbus. We are all the richer for it’s existence . I am still waiting to fly it .

The Concorde was not a commercial success either but it was an amazing achievement and we are all the richer for it’s existence .

The A380 has it’s place in aviation .

It does not have the speed and the beauty of Concorde. Nor the romance and passion it instills in many.

It does not have the grace and beauty and the timelessness of the 747. And will never take away anything from the Queen of the skies.

But even though it’s reign was very short and it’s passing untimely it was for a time The King.

it was the ultimate in what could be in the skies . A private apartment with a butler for the lucky very few , showers too.

In it’s way the A380 will never be surpassed ...ever .

it is a tribute to its designers and builders in that you can dream BIG and accomplish BIG things even if it costs you.


a Salute to its expert designers and to those who dreamt BIG and dared to do so.


a Salute to Airbus for making it happen !

Never will we see such a plane again in aviation.

esa-aardvark

Well if you cannot find a large jet to be comfy in that is the fault of passengers who are unwilling to pay.

The race to the bottom was not started (or led) by the airlines - blame people who book the cheapest ticket on kyak.com or a gazillion other comparison websites.

It’s an aeroplane or an airplane but not a plane.

Saunders Roe made another ‘white elephant’, three of them, in the forties.

“passengers were transported within an unprecedented level of comfort, being provided with luxurious first class accommodation, including a promenade, sizable galley, separate bathrooms for men and women, and individual cabins for passengers.”

So we have seen this before and will see it again.

The people in charge then thought they were right as did the people in Airbus and history has repeated itself yet again although the Saunders Roe Princess was a beautiful aeroplane unlike the A380!

The customer decides what he wants to pay for. Some people pay more to go at the time of their choice in the morning, at noon or later compared to one daily flight with some very big aircraft.

It is interesting the comparison with the Concorde - I thought Concorde was cramped and noisy but that was offfset by the time saved and the nice lounge. The A380 used the same lounge as everyone else and had a cabin that was OK but nothing different from anyone else. The A380 didnt have a USP (unlike Concorde)

But both types failed commercially because they were based on the wrong economic reality.

But it's got a very nice wing.

Jet II

Have to disagree with you. First class on the 380 was excellent , spacious and comfortable and even a shower or two for the fortunate 14 pax who were seated there.
A decent lounge bar in the business class area
and depending on the carrier ( not BA) an excellent wine list and entertainment system.

It is, or was undoubtedly the most comfortable aircraft for a long haul trip available. The B747 was comparable back in the day , again depending on the operator .

Economically it will be viewed as a failure but that doesn’t detract from its place in aviation history as a great Engineering achievement
and a fantastic place to endure a really long haul flight. Which sadly won’t be bettered in my lifetime as we rush toward low cost mediocrity in all things.