Airbus A-380 is Pretty Big

You know the Airbus A-380 is so huge it takes 2 hours to load and unload and that is if you are rushing the people on and off like cattle. The aircraft holds more fuel than a Boeing 727 weighs. As a matter of fact it has more water on board for the toilets than the fuel in a Boeing 737. Enormous aircraft indeed, but there are many draw backs some you do not even want to think about; for instance it is a prime target for International Terrorists, if they are able to bring one down, they will be very proud of themselves. Luckily an aircraft that big is not coming down with one little surface to air missile unless it hits in exactly the right spot.

Another huge issue is most airports are to small to take the aircraft. The wingspan is so large it sticks out past the width of the runway and when it rotates for take off the wing tip vortices will dig trenches in the ground. Aircraft taking off behind it will need to wait 5 minutes instead of 3-minute separation due to amount of air it will move from the wing tip vortices, enough to flip a little business get right over in flight. Or put a hell of a scare into a normal size airliner. Remember the crash in NY when the Airbus took off behind the loaded 747 Cargo Plane and lost its tail as it closed the distance gap. Sure there was some pilot error involved, always is, but you see the problem.

The massive aircraft also takes a lot of room to turn around, a lot of runway is needed for safety and can you imagine the congestion out front the terminal when that many folks deplane? Anyway, just because you build a huge aircraft does not mean it is the best choice. We shall see what happens, the gamble by Airbus may pay off, or this could be one of the biggest disasters in aviation history since the Comet or the Concorde a few years back. Think on it, the aviation community is as the world waits for an additional six month delay now.

"Lance Winslow" - If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs

---

Airbus to Build $600 Million Aircraft Manufacturing Plant in US

Airbus has announced that it will build a $600 million... Read More

Downed Pilots Hibernating From the Enemy

When we watch Oliver North's "War Stories" or the "Wings... Read More

Helicopters - The Multi Utility Machines

The vertical lift technology of helicopters has far more utilitarian... Read More

NASA SATS for Point-to-Point Air Travel Solutions

It appears NASA's studies of the future of air travel... Read More

China is Starting to Build Military Fighter Trainers

China is entering the jet fighter trainer business and set... Read More

5 Tips for Stress Free Long Haul Flights

The world is becoming smaller by the day. Flying long... Read More

17 Ways to Keep Safe and Secure When Flying

Here are 17 ways to keep safe and secure when... Read More

Young Men Trying to Imitate the 9-11 Scenario, Part I

Why did the young man near Tampa, FL fly a... Read More

Entering Business Aviation, Part III: Training Options

Time for some training! So, you are not sure what... Read More

The History of the Aircraft Wash Guys, Part Two

The continuation of the history of a small service franchise... Read More

The History of the Aircraft Wash Guys, Part Three

As we study this grass roots history of a franchise... Read More

Cracking Aircraft Windows with Directed Sound Waves

Today our modern military scientists have found many uses for... Read More

The History of the Aircraft Wash Guys, Part One

Business scholars and students throughout recent periods have studied the... Read More

Aerodynamic Inflatable Wing Gates for STOL

Low speed flight characteristic are crucial to safety. Those aircraft... Read More

Entering Business Aviation, Part I: Types of Aircraft

The jets that people fly in corporate aviation are usually... Read More

Tactile Strip Sensors on Leading Edge of Material Memory Airfoils

Aircraft designers have always tried to figure out the best... Read More

Making a Mechanical Manta with Material Memory Manufacturing Methods

I propose building a mechanical manta ray as a Underwater... Read More

General Aviation Manufacturing is in the Tank; Hang On It is Going to Get Worse

Change is a constant, Outsourcing Jobs, Capital flows, Emerging Markets... Read More

Sex in a Cessna, Part III

So far we have learned the safety aspect of setting... Read More

India Air Traffic Issues to Come

As India increases its economic growth the population is taking... Read More

Mexico to Manufacture Aircraft

It appears Mexico with its 120 million population is considering... Read More

Essential Oil Skin Care Tips for Frequent Fliers

Are you one of those people that has lots and... Read More

Laser Beam Guidance for Oshkosh Air Show

The Federal Aviation Administration is devising a method of alerting... Read More

Fuel Costs and Air Fares Set To Rocket After Hurricane Katrina Punishes The US

It now looks certain that Hurricane Katrina will push fuel... Read More

Business Aviation Networking Notes

The process of finding out about a job, getting interviewed,... Read More

Leading Private Jet Charter Operators

Flying with the airlines can be a time consuming as... Read More

How to Save on Airfare

The Internet has provided a revolution in the way people... Read More

Tips to Finding Really Cheap Airline Tickets

Finding really cheap airline tickets onlineLooking for a really good... Read More

Whos Paying for the Private Jet?

One of the major perks of being a celebrity is... Read More

Airbus A-380 is Pretty Big

You know the Airbus A-380 is so huge it takes... Read More

Hypersonic or Ultrasonic Sound to Disrupt Laser Beam Attack on Commercial Airliners

In large buildings to prevent sound pollution often double paned... Read More

A Look at Fractional Jet Ownership

We've all experienced it - the commercial flight. After a... Read More

Airline Travel Lingo! Does The Language Need An Interpreter?

With airline travel increasing in record numbers, more people are... Read More