It's all been said before ... when Boeing brought out the 747. It's too big. Airports can't handle it. It's done pretty well over the years though hasn't it?

Does it come in blue?

Quick reaction for all the nay-sayers putting this thing down because it's not new, or somebody drew it on the back of a fag packet in the sixties or whatever:

Anybody can think these things up, but making them a reality is the hard bit - where the history making is!

Just my 2p.

Do the different colours on the fusilage indicate which country built which bit?

swh,

That is such an old picture, but nowhere near as old as the original. If the pictures of the concept models(for the double decker 747) weren't so highly proprietary I would throw them on PPRUNE. :p

Ps. The 747 in present design can never have less than 4 engines. :rolleyes:

Think I'll wait for the stretched version.

swh, now THAT is an ugly aircraft! :yuk:

747 originally designed for cargo
 

The reason the second deck was put on the 747 orignally was that they believed that it would mainly be used as a front-loading freighter, if memory serves. Two full decks were not considered.

Momo

The original 747 was in competition with the C5 for the large airlifter contract

MSF said,

"The original 747 was in competition with the C5 for the large airlifter contract"


Ah! So the 747 was originally designed as a Military project to go into production? Like the 707? Funny how Boeing have one set of financial rules and don't like any alternatives.

Looking forward to years of A380 success. Don't suppose there will be a Military version for a while.

Aviate 1138

Momo - Two full decks were considered until Boeing decided they did not think they could pas PAX EVAC test. To many doors would be required. :E

Not everywhere in the US. My company is the launch customer for the freight version.

It is also #1 on my bid sheet right now. I figure - 16 hour legs - dozing for dollars - a couple of round trips to HKG every month and I'm done!

By the way, the 747 was seen as a long-term freighter, short-term pax bird, for we were all to be flying SST's by now. Hence the upper deck to optimize for freight.

A 380 (Merged)
 

Just to keep you all informed. According to the news I've heard this morning on numerous local radio stations here in Toulouse, Airbus have announced the official public presentation of the A380 on next January 18th here in Blagnac (Toulouse). Numerous EU dignatories will be present for the event. They are however saying that this will be two months before the first test flight, so if true, while many were expecting the first flight in February, it would appear it won't be util mid March.

Mid March ...... wow!!!! :ok:

Plus Thai is about to order 6 380s, probably in the next few days.

Not what I heard. Its supposed to fly January 18, 2005.

Superjumbo to take to sky within weeks
Aircraft to be launched in Toulouse on January 18

Daily Post ( Liverpool) 11/24/04
author: Steve Bagnall

THE first Airbus super jumbos will take to the sky within weeks, company bosses yesterday revealed.

Commercial A380 flights are likely to start in 2006, with airlines still queuing up to buy the massive plane, the wings for which are manufactured at Airbus UK in Broughton, Flintshire.

Prime minister Tony Blair is expected to be at the revolutionary aircraft"s launch on January 18 in Toulouse, France.

The heads of state from Germany, Spain and France -- countries with Airbus factories contributing to the project -- are likely to be at the unveiling.

Scores of employees from Broughton have been invited to a repeat unveiling the day after, with hundreds of workers watching the momentous occasion on massive screens at the North Wales factory.

Six pairs of wings have already gone to Toulouse from Broughton, via barge and ship, for the final assembly.

Speaking yesterday at the French Airbus HQ in Toulouse, Broughton"s head of wing manufacturing Brian Fleet, said 139 aircraft -- 122 public service and 17 freighters -- are set to be delivered to airlines worldwide, including Virgin, Singapore and Air France.

Mr Fleet said: "This really is an international business.

"The first flight will be making aviation history. ""

In the last 12 months, another five airlines have joined the clamour to buy the 550-seater jumbo, including Korean and Malaysian.

Four aircrafts are being completed at a massive hanger at Airbus Toulouse, one of which will be unveiled in January.

More than 60 airports will see the A380 before 2010.

The A380F freighter fleet will enter service midway through to 2008.

Airbus bosses promised the super jumbo will revolutionise the burgeoning air travel industry and provide a solution to increasing plane traffic. It is estimated the number of passengers will double in 15 years worldwide.

By 2016, Airbus bosses said the 60, 000 A380 flights will move 10m more passengers through Heathrow without an increase in flights.

Currently a team of specialists from Broughton are over in Toulouse helping to finish off the super jumbos.

Mark Hibbert, 36, from Gwernaffield, near Mold, said: "It is awesome. It is a project we will never be able to work on again. There will not be another project like this.

"We have been working flat out to get the test flight sorted out. ""

It is a truly marvelous sight to see these wings sailing down the river Dee on their specialy made "Barge", I work next to the river in Queensferry North Wales, and when the wings are dispatched, it always draws a crowd as they sail by. They were getting ready to send another wing tonight as I drove by the factory in the dark! they managed to run the barge aground on a sandbank earlier in the year, so I hope they leave the trip till the morning!
Cheers:ok:

January 18 is the rollout, not the first flight.

Then why is Noel saying it will fly Jan 18, 2005?

Brian Fleet

Is that name for real?