Singapore Airlines Airbus A380

The Airbus A380 is a double-decker, four-engine airliner manufactured by Airbus. First flew on April 27, 2005 from Toulouse, France.

Commercial flights should begin in late 2006 after 15 months of testing, with the delivery of the first aircraft to launch customer Singapore Airlines. The A380 is the largest passenger airliner in the world, topping the Boeing 747, which was the largest for 35 years. However, the Antonov An-225 retains the record of being the world's largest commercial aircraft.


The A380 (F-WWOW) takeoff to Singapore on 6 November, 2005

Design
The new Airbus will initially be sold in two versions: the A380-800, carrying 555 passengers in a three-class configuration or up to 800 passengers in a single-class economy configuration. Expected range for the -800 model is 15,000 km (8,000 nautical miles).

The second model, the A380-800F dedicated freighter, will carry 150 tonnes of cargo 10,400 km (5,600 nautical miles).


Cockpit

Flight deck
Airbus made the cockpit layout, procedures and handling characteristics similar to those of other Airbus aircraft to reduce crew training costs. Accordingly, the A380 features an improved glass cockpit, and fly-by-wire flight controls linked to side-sticks.

There are two Primary Flight Displays, two navigation displays, one engine parameter display, one system display and two Multi-Function Displays (aka MFD). These MFDs are new with the A380, and provide an easy-to-use interface to the flight management system replacing three multifunction control and display units. They include QWERTY keyboards and trackballs, interfacing with a graphical "point-and-click" display navigation system.

Engines
Either the Rolls-Royce Trent 900 or Engine Alliance GP7200 turbofan engines may power the A380.

Technological features
As compared to the Boeing 747 the colossal size of the A380 requires novel approaches to application of technologies, especially for weight saving purposes, in order for it to meet its performance guarantees. Many of the technologies first used here may later be used by other jetliners as operational experience is accumulated.

New materials like aluminum -glass-fibre laminate, carbon-fiber reinforced plastics, glass-fiber reinforced plastic and quartz-fiber reinforced plastic are also used extensively in wings, fuselage sections and on doors.

New and advanced avionics architecture includes Integrated Modular Avionics (IMA), Avionics Full Duplex Switched Ethernet (AFDX)/ ARINC 664, Network Systems Server (NSS), Power-by-wire flight controls, 350 bar (35 MPa) hydraulic system, advance electrical generation, LED and High Intensity Discharge (HID) lighting and Electrical thrust reversers.

Amenities
Given the history of the airline industry, the A380 will significantly expand the improvements that the 747 made more seats and lower seat-distance costs - while providing wider seats and better amenities. With 555 passengers, the A380 represents a 35% increase over the 747-400 in standard three-class configuration, along with a nearly 50% larger cabin volume - meaning much more space per passenger. Singapore Airlines will have 490 seats on its A380s.


A mockup by Airbus shows a roomier cabin for Economy Class

Maybe a Minibar for the First and Business Class Passengers

Airport
Changi International airport has upgraded certain gates and holding rooms in the existing terminals to facilitate boarding from the A380's double-decker design. In addition a new terminal has been built to cater to the A380s.


3 doors boarding

Construction
Airbus operates 16 manufacturing sites across Europe with exception of wing component to be made by Indonesian aircraft manufacturer, IPTN. The European manufacturer will produce most of parts for the new A380 airliner.


The first completed A380 at the "A380 Reveal" event in Toulouse

Fitting the tail section of the aircraft

Fresh from the hanger without SIA colours.

Development
After years of research, Airbus decided to proceed with the € 8.8 billion A380 project in 1999, the final budget settling at about € 12 billion. The double-decker layout would provide higher seat capacities, and hence cost savings, than a traditional design.

The A380's wing has been designed to cope with a Maximum Take-Off Weight (MTOW) of 590 t, albeit with some strengthening required, allowing for a future stretch. The stronger wing (and structure) is used on today's freighter version, the A380-800F. This approach sacrifices some fuel efficiency on the initial passenger model but the sheer size of the aircraft coupled with the significant advances in technology over the years should provide lower operating costs per passenger than the various versions of the 747.

First flight to South East Asia
On 6th November 2005, the A380 embarked on a tour of South-east Asia and Australia, partly as a promotion, and partly as part of its long-haul flight testing.

Delivery
Airbus has not publicly announced delivery dates, though they have recently notified airlines that delivery will be delayed by up to six months, which means Singapore Airlines will receive the first A380 in the fourth quarter of 2006 The new plane's entry into service, first with Singapore Airlines, will take place between London Heathrow and Sydney via Singapore from late 2006. Subsequent routes by Singapore Airlines may include the Singapore - San Francisco route via Hong Kong, as well as direct flights to Paris and Frankfurt.

Specifications


General characteristics
(800F Freighter in brown)

Flight crew: 2
Capacity: 850 passengers in 1 class or 555 in 3 classes, with up to 66.4 tonnes (146,400 lb) of cargo in 38 LD3s or 13 pallets 152.4 tonnes (336,000 lb) of cargo (158 t option)
Powerplant: 4 x 311 kN (70,000 lbf) turbofans. Either Rolls-Royce Trent 900 or Engine Alliance GP7200
4 x 340 kN (76,500 lbf)

Dimensions
Length: 73 m (239 ft 6 in)
Wingspan: 79.8 m (261 ft 10 in)
Height: 24.1 m (79 ft 1 in)
Wing area: 845 m² (9,100 ft²)

Weights and fuel capacity
Typical Operating Empty Weight: 276,800 kg (610,200 lb) 252,200 kg (556,000 lb)
Maximum takeoff: 560,000 kg (1,235,000 lb) 590,000 kg (1,300,000 lb)
Maximum fuel: 310,000 litres (81,890 US gal) 310,000 l (352,000 l option)

Performance
Normal cruise speed: 0.85 M (approx 902 km/h, 560 mph or 487 kt)
Maximum cruise speed: 0.89 M
Range: 15,000 km (8,000 nautical miles) 10,400 km (5,600 nmi)
Service ceiling: 13,100 m (43,000 ft)

Pictures courtesy from Ethan21, Yankeat77, Planepictures.net, Airliners.net, wikipedia.org and Airbus.