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Airbus A380 is a big plane and a big pain in the behind
The Airbus A380 has been in service for over 16 months and a total of 13 of these monsters have been delivered to airlines around the world. One of those airlines is Qantas, who use the plane on their Sydney-Los Angeles route.
Of course, a plane this big offers some major logistical challenges to designers, but the airports they visit get their fair share of hassles too.
Los Angeles airport has had to make special arrangements for the superjumbo, including shutting down service roads and halting other aircraft on taxiways when the plane is being positioned. The wingspan of the A380 is so big that it actually intrudes on the safety zone on either side of the tarmac.
When the A380 is ready for takeoff, air traffic controllers make sure their tower is fully staffed, and the plane receives priority over any other traffic. The plane is so big, that when it prepares to take off in bad weather, the tower tries to let it get airborne as soon as possible to prevent its jumbo size from blocking radio transmissions from airport towers.
Still, despite the hassles, the plane is a blessing for an airport suffering from the global decline in air traffic - LAX has lost 650 flights a day, and since airports make money off planes and passengers, having a superjumbo visit your airport is a sure way to make up for some of those losses.
(Via: LA Times Online)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
philippe Jan 25th 2009 1:45PM
Good training for LAX the 747-8 is longer than the A380 by 2m and has a wing span 5m shorter on each side (6 feet in length and 15feet on each side for those who do not know meters). I hope to see the same article in 2011 for the 747-8 unless of course LAX does not do enough cargo.
DJ Jan 25th 2009 2:33PM
Maybe the Airbus consortium has finally learned a lesson. 13 planes won't pay for the R&D of this needless behemoth. The French/English didn't learn with the Concorde....
Nathaniel Jan 25th 2009 3:52PM
Um More than 13 have been ordered. Only 13 have been delivered, so far.
Billy Jan 25th 2009 2:49PM
The aircraft parks on a ramp. Not a "tarmac" You can always tell an idiot that wants you to think they know all about aviation when, in reality, they know nothing about aircraft or flying because they have to use the word "tarmac" somewhere because they think this is what pilots and aviation professionals use. They're wrong. Aviation professionals don't want to sound like idiots, so you will never hear them use this term. If you don't beleive it get a scanner and listen to some aviation frequencies near an airport and see how mwny times you hear the word "tarmac" (other than from some moron standing next to you that also hasn't got a clue). Maybe that's why most reporters most of which can't even spell "airplane" correctly 2 out of 3 times) have to use "tarmac" in their reports!
Malaycobra Jan 25th 2009 9:25PM
Holy Sh$T! Buddy, how about laying off the caffein for a while?
JrFoxAus Jan 26th 2009 2:17AM
Sorry, but this article is a bit "sensational". Interesting, but still sensational.
Recommend anyone read the actual LA Times article linked in.
Also, re: "650 flights a day came from", it should be noted decrease is over the past 9 YEARS, includes private as well as commercial traffic, and is actually 650 "movements", which is 300-325 planes (some flights don't take off the same day they land).
Finally, Qantas also flies the A380 on MEL-LAX. It's a rotating schedule at the moment to maximise the marketing value of the A380.
mark Jan 28th 2009 6:56AM
to billy
Tha aircraft arrive and depart from the gate not the ramp. the ramp is where you wak to and from the aircraft. I think you should listen to that channel.
de;tap4 Jan 31st 2009 8:23PM
Sorry little Buckaroo, The aircraft parks AT a gate ON the ramp.
paphulla kumar Apr 21st 2009 10:24AM
this A-380 is my drm..........i want to job aout this airlines............