Just seen it go (from the end of the runway in TLS). Impressive.

Well done Airbus, well done Rolls.

What time is it due down???

Great coverage on a dedicated Sky News Active channel. They showed non-stop views of the aircraft, nice shots from a chopper and NO commentary, with only a few localised mikes picking up chit chat from watching workers.
Be great if they do the same for the flypast and landing later.

Superb .... look forward to first flight on it or even seeing it

Awesome! It looked like an effortless take-off and I love the geometry of those wings.

Well done Airbus. Can't wait to see it land.

Start1

Rumour control predicting landing at 14.00 local.

Just looked at the comparison to the 747 on the CNN site.

It makes the 'jumbo's' wingspan look like a sparrow.

Well done airbus!! Those test pilots must have been wearing huge nappies!

A French TV channel has apparently given out the following information. (Times are local)



Flight time is 4h to 5h depending on success (could be much shorter if
problems). Hence following timings subject to change but

- 14h00 low pass over runway with go-around (if weather and aircraft
condition permits)

- 14h15 landing then taxi up and down the runway and taxiways on the
Airbus side of the airfield

- 14h45 press ceremony

- 16h15 aircraft towed back to the Abreuvoir .

First photo already up on !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Available at :

http://www.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!/open.file/825948/M
http://www.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!/open.file/825948/M

Jordan

Tim Clark President of Emirates looks elated at the first flight of the A380 said they will be getting aircraft in November 2006 and passengers wont have to pay a premium to fly on it being so fuel efficient it will probably lower air fares on long haul routes.

Two more pics:






http://www.spiegel.de/wirtschaft/0,1...353643,00.html

(Sorry, text in german only)

Congratulations to all involved!






(Edited by Heliport)

Gear's now up according to local media.

You can watch the first flight live on this web link
http://www.airbus.com/A380/Seeing/live/video/live.asx

Yup, gear's up. Telemetry/chase aircraft report no snags so far.
Landing 12:30-14:30 local (GMT+2)

In keeping with the philosophy of sports commentators, if it flies it's British, if it doesn't it's French.

A German friend of mine once told me that it was the French who made Concorde look beautiful, but it was the British that made it fly...

I knew we wouldn't have wait long.

A380 first flight photo

A380 first flight photo

Nice photos

JT

Well if the gear is up I was talking a load of crap then!!!

Well done to all involved. Shame the BBC could only credit the UK for making the wings.Maybe someone should have told them it had Rolls Royce engines on it.

All being well, fly-by 14.00 followed by landing at 14.15.