Good thing I've already got my order in. EADS and Airbus just announced that they're increasing the price of the A380 because the dollar keeps tanking. While the European conglomerate still does most of their business in Euros, the problem is that their aircraft are priced in dollars. This means that when the dollar falls against the euro it cuts into their bottom line.

It also makes competition difficult because Chicago based Boeing, their primary rival, does most of their business in dollars and their costs have fallen with the dollar. Now, potential aircraft customers are going to find Boeing aircraft a better deal than Airbus.

In that respect, EADS is sort of between a rock and a hard place. EADS CEO Louis Gallois referred to the Euro as a "Sword of Damocles" for the struggling company(obviously). Why can't American CEOs use obscure Ancient Greek references as metaphors for modern economics?

Grant wrote about the first Airbus A380 grounded by Singapore airlines because of fuel pump problems in February.

Today, BBC reports that Singapore Airlines grounded another A380 with similar problems. The official line from Singapore Airlines is that "it is not the same problem, and not the same aircraft." Which, I suppose, is supposed to make us feel more confident in the A380?

The problem last time was with the electrical relay powering the pump, rather than the pump itself. This time, the problem was identified as "premature failure of the pump." Sounds like some sort of sexual dysfunction to me. You know what they say about those big planes...

Dubai's Emirates airline just started revealing some plans for its A380 configurations. They're the second customer for Airbus's giant airship with delivery slated for later this year. And it looks like they're going to try to beat Singapore Air, the first customer, in sheer ridiculousness of their first class product.

With showers. Yes, first class travelers on the new, highly-coveted Emirates A380 routes will soon be able to take a shower while they're flying in the world's skies. The service is slated to unroll on the new New York - Dubai A380 route scheduled for October 1, but eventually will be augmented into all of their super jumbo jets.

I'm curious as to whether this is going to be a high-water pressure, multi-head luxury shower or a tiny RV-style drizzle of water from the ceiling.

To support this service, Emirates plans to haul an extra TON of water on the aircraft, thus as the Times Online reports, increasing the carbon output by an extra 25 tons. Baffling. But as many airlines are wagering these days, the real money lies in the business class product. We cattle will pay anywhere around $1,000 for a flight between New York and Dubai, but each business class ticket should run around $18,000.

So much for being eco-friendly.

I'm sure that you've heard of the A380 by now, Airbus's super mega jumbo modern noah's-ark behemoth of an aircraft, capable of carrying ten thousand passengers, flying around the world twelve times and curing myopia. It's pretty sweet. And I mean that, it's a magnificent creature.

I'll bet you that many of you haven't seen it in real life though, save for a few insiders in the industry and travelers in the South East Asian sector. Fact of the matter is, Singapore Airlines is the only customer with the aircraft right now and they aren't flying the bird anywhere near our shores.

But they're edging their way around the world. With delightful fanfare and general British hobknobbery the A380 made it's first appearance in London last week and the redcoats are tickled pink. Swooning reviews are popping up left and right serenading the aircraft and telling us wild stories of how in business class they have two hooks for your coat on the seat in front of you. Two hooks! I could do anything with two hooks! They do go on to raise and answer an interesting question about ash trays though and why the heck modern airlines are still required to have them.

And honestly, I am looking forward to my first A380 flight, although unlike most reviewers I'll probably be rolling like everyone else in cattle class. If you'd like to check out a review without the pleasure of the writer drooling all over himself though, check out The Cranky Flier's experience.

It looks like the commercial Airbus A380s have hit their first snag. Singapore Airlines (SQ) announced today that it had to ground it's only operational super jumbo because of an issue with the fuel pumps. Luckily the problem was detected while the aircraft was on the ground prior to departure and not sometime during transit.

SQ's other A380 wasn't rotated into the schedule because it was "undergoing maintenance." No mention on this CNN article as to what that maintenance was, or whether or not it was related to the fuel pump.

As those in the know point out, however, what do you expect? With a new aircraft, new pilots and limited flight hours things are going to go wrong. It's a good thing that enough checks are in place to rout out problems on the ground before they manifest in the skies.

Airplanes are not the world's most eco-friendly commodity. To make amends with their carbon emissions, some airlines offer CO2 offsets for passengers. On Friday, Airbus took an even bigger step with its much talked about A380; it became the first commercial airline to fly with alternative fuel on a test flight from Filton, UK to Toulouse, France.

The fancy-schmancy A380 needs no modifications in order to use gas-to-liquid (GTL) fuel which is mixed with 60% regular jet fuel. Although the GTL used is no cleaner in terms of CO2 emissions, it produces no sulfur, providing for better air quality. Using alternative fuel in a commercial airliner, even at a small percentage, is also symbolically important; GTL is the first step in moving towards biomass-to-fuel (BTL), which could be concocted with anything from wood chips to industrial hemp. Maybe one day we will see airplanes running on 100% renewable resources, until then Airbus is calling its alternative fuel friendly A380 the "gentle green giant."

The first commercial use of GTL might be by Qatar Airways in 2009. Until then it might be better to consider other options for green travel.

Pilots enjoy checking out new and unfamiliar cockpits. Maybe it's because we're still flying airplanes that were developed twenty or thirty years ago. In fact, it seems like we have to wait ten years at a time to see any new technology show up in the form of a new design.

So most of us have salivated over the 787 cockpit picture that hasn't changed in a few years, and waited patiently for detailed images of the A380's front office -- but why not give us more to gawk at, Boeing and Airbus?

Well, someone listened. This panorama shot of the A380 cockpit really puts you in the 'drivers' seat.

Now if we could just get the same look at the 787. What do you say, Boeing? Throw us a bone while we wait on your beautiful Dreamliner!




Join Kent at Cockpit Chronicles which takes you along on each of his trips as a co-pilot on the Boeing 757 and 767 out of Boston.

If you're looking to spend some cash on a status symbol, don't even bother with yesterday's Jaguar and Concord -- instead be the first on your block to own the new Airbus 380. Having one of these jumbo jets is on par with owning your own island, and probably about as expensive.

Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal spent an undisclosed amount (though companies spend more than $300 million) to be the first person to own an A380. Bin Talal is the 13th richest person in the world according to Forbes, with assets adding up to more than $20 billion.

Bin Talal hasn't disclosed any plans for the jet, but really the sky is the limit. Dubbed the "Flying Palace," the A380 has 5,930 sq. ft of floor space and can be outfitted with cocktail bars, casinos, showers and sleeping quarters.

What would you do with a jet this large?

Jamie already covered the potential outcome of putting double beds on an airplane. But now Singapore airlines is directly addressing the situation as well.

The airline's new Airbus A380 flies with two double beds in First Class, which are made private by a screen. But the airline is hoping to quash any funny-business ideas travelers might get when booking a lover's package First Class bed. In a statement to Reuters, the airline said "All we ask of customers, wherever they are on our aircraft, is to observe standards that don't cause offense to other customers and crew." I'd say that statement is open to interpretation, wouldn't you?

A passenger on the inaugral flight argued, "So they'll sell you a double bed, and give you privacy and endless champagne and then say you can't do what comes naturally?" Still, the rooms aren't completely soundproof or sealed, so you've either got to have mad skills or enjoy the fact that you might get caught.

Earlier this Thursday, after numerous delays and management changes at EADS, the A380 finally made her maiden commercial voyage under the emblem of Singapore Airlines.

MSNBC reports that it was a landmark experience, with the short flight between Singapore and Sydney holding 455 passengers and about 30 crew members. Most of the seats were auctioned off on Ebay with the proceeds going to charity while some of the most expensive suites were going for over 100k.

Its going to be a while until the average westerner gets the pleasure of riding an A380; Singapore Airlines has unlimited rights to fly the bird for the next 10 months. After that, Emirates is the next customer. I suppose we'll see a few on the SE Asia - USA routes that Singapore has license to, but the budget get-me-to-asia-as-cheap-as-possible traveler like myself will have to be patient.

As to the performance future of the A380, analysts still vacillate. Most still predict that the market calls for medium-long range super-efficient jets that will cut costs all around, something that the 787 is still crushing the competition at. I personally look forward to flying both jets, but have a feeling that in the end I'll be spending more time on the 787.