Is there an airbus a 390. There are three modifications of this aircraft

Embraer KC 390 - Brazilian medium twin-engine military transport aircraft, developed by Embraer in the mid-2010s. The heaviest aircraft built by Embraer.

History of the KC 390

The development of a medium military transport aircraft was started at Emraer in 2006. The Brazilian government needed an aircraft to replace the aging fleet of American ones, and the company itself saw commercial potential in such a project. In 2007, the project of such an aircraft was announced, which received the initial name C-390. The aircraft was completely new, but based on many successful technological solutions from the E-Jets line of regional liners. It was supposed to be equipped with a cargo ramp in the tail, be able to carry a wide range of cargo and cost no more than $50 million in 2007 prices (the C-130J cost about $62 million at the time).

Calculations showed that by 2030 the world market would need about 800 aircraft of this type, most of which would replace obsolete aircraft. In 2008, the Brazilian government invested $440 million to finance development (the Brazilian Air Force needed up to 30 of these aircraft).

The original idea of ​​​​unifying components with E-Jets had to be abandoned - the military wanted an aircraft that was at least as good as the Lockheed C-130. As a result, it was decided to develop the KC-390 from scratch, although it was still decided to install jet engines on the aircraft, which, with the latest layout, are more efficient than turboprops.

In 2010, at the Farnborough Air Show, the Brazilian Air Force announced an order for 28 KC-390 aircraft, and Embraer announced that the aircraft would be capable of carrying up to 23 tons of cargo. A year later, at the Le Bourget air show, Embraer also announced the creation of a civilian modification of the aircraft for commercial transportation. The civilian version will be longer and get a side cargo door. The aircraft should appear in 2018 with a planned order book of 200-250 units.

In 2010 Argentina, Chile, Colombia and Portugal joined the project. Embraer also entered into a cooperation agreement with Boeing at the development stage, as well as the study of the commercial part of the program.

The program involved the creation of two prototypes. The first one was rolled out at the Embraer plant in 2014. It first took off on February 3, 2015. The second prototype took off on April 28, 2016. Embraer plans to begin deliveries of the aircraft in 2018.

Flight video of the Embraer KC 390 transport aircraft

Design KC 390

The Embraer KC-390 is a cantilever high-wing aircraft with a moderately swept wing and a single-keel T-tail. The fuselage is an all-metal semi-monocoque. Tricycle landing gear with nose strut.

Fuselage elements for the KC-390 are made by the Czech Aero Vodochody, avionics, landing gear and handling systems are supplied by Rockwell Collins, and the electrical remote control system is supplied by Goodrich Corporation. The international concern International Aero Engines (IAE) has created a V2500-E5 turbofan engine for the KC-390 - the KC-390 will be equipped with two such engines. The Argentine Fábrica Argentina de Aviones manufactures the tail, cargo door and landing gear doors.

Supplies

For 2016, Emraer has a firm order for 28 aircraft from the Brazilian Air Force. Also, after the transfer of machines to the domestic Air Force, Embraer will begin deliveries of aircraft abroad, primarily to the air forces and commercial structures of the cooperating countries: Argentina, Portugal, Colombia, Chile and the Czech Republic - these countries plan to use the KC-390 to replace the old C -130. The air forces of France, Sweden, Peru, the USA, Canada and Great Britain were also interested in this aircraft.

Schematic of Embraer KC 390 aircraft

In the report, I talked a little about the features of the largest passenger airliner in the world, the Airbus A380, and its ground handling, in this report, I will show what the Lufthansa A380 looks like inside.

The Airbus A380-800 of Lufthansa has the following passenger compartment configuration: upper deck - First class - 8, Business class -98, lower deck - Economy class - 420 seats, i.е. total 526 passenger seats:

The A380 serves 24 crew members: 3 in the cockpit (pilots), 2 senior flight attendants (one for each of the two levels) and 19 flight attendants and flight attendants in the passenger cabin.

The crew boards the aircraft 40-60 minutes before departure and actually 20-30 minutes before boarding passengers. This time I boarded with the crew of the Singapore-Frankfurt flight, the first thing that happens in the cabin is a short pre-flight briefing for the crew. The senior flight attendant informs the team about the number of passengers on the flight, introduces the newcomer, who will join the work on the A380 for the first time, reports working moments. The senior flight attendant this time was a very pleasant and charming woman over 40, who said a very interesting phrase: "Please be extremely polite, attentive with restraint in case of conflict situations, take into account the fact that we checked out in hotel in the evening before the flight (flight at 23.00), and most of the passengers are on their feet in the morning and are already tired from the day." She also thanked the crew for the well-coordinated work on the previous flight from Frankfurt to Singapore, when medical problems arose and they were successfully resolved.

The duration of this briefing is 5-7 minutes, after which all crew members disperse to their workplaces to prepare for boarding the aircraft. The plane arrived at 17.00 and stays at the airport for 6 hours. During this time, airport ground services carry out technical inspection, cabin cleaning, food delivery and clean blankets and pillows. The task of the crew members is to conduct a quick but thorough check before allowing passengers to enter.

Meet Anna Rodney - a crew member who works today in First Class, it is she who will tell me today and show me how everything is going on the other side.

Anna works as quickly as possible, checking the power load.

A little later, an employee of the ground service entered the salon with whom they checked together and signed the documents:

And in just 25-40 minutes, passengers start boarding! I just watched a little from the side - each member of the crew works as quickly as possible, all actions are brought to automaticity!

Let's walk around the salon :)

Economy class:

Of course, the size of the windows is impressive! The portholes themselves are of course smaller than their inner part, but still there is an impression of a large size.
The cabin is much quieter than other planes. High ceilings and spacious hand luggage compartments.

Traditional postcard:

LCD screens in the back of the seat in front:

The control panel is located in the arm of the chair, inconvenient in my opinion, I constantly touched the volume buttons with my elbow:

The entertainment system is good, but significantly inferior to the choice of Emirates and Cathay Pacific:

Business Class:

First grade:

There are only 8 seats, but maximum comfort has been created for passengers. Each airline makes an order for its own cabin layout, Emirates, Singapore Airlines have shower cabins, a bar counter, etc. on board the A380. Lufthansa took a different path - everything is done for maximum comfort, but without frills, like a shower for which you need to carry excess water.

However, Lufthansa First Class has its own characteristics: this cabin has an order of magnitude greater degree of cabin soundproofing, although even in economy it is much quieter than in any other aircraft I have flown. Even in the first class, there is increased air humidity, which significantly reduces overall fatigue during a long flight.

The traditional color tones of Lufthansa are blue and yellow; the interiors of business and economy class cabins are designed in these tones. In First Class, absolutely new modern shades are used in the interior - brown, beige. The same colors are used in the First Class Lounge at the airport. At Frankfurt Airport, for servicing A380 aircraft, gates with two levels of air bridges are specially equipped. Business and first class passengers already at the airport go to the landing on the second floor, get into the business lounge and then immediately to the upper deck of the aircraft upon landing. Thus, they do not meet with economy class passengers.

The interior lining of the cabin is made of artificial material such as velor leather instead of plastic, pleasant to the touch, thereby creating an additional degree of comfort.

Stairs leading to the First Class cabin:

Welcome champagne:

Bose Headphones for First Class Passengers:

Chair control panel:

The wall between the chairs is individually adjustable.

Each passenger has an individual wardrobe:

Window blind adjustment:

Spacious toilet, there are 2 of them in the First Class cabin:

From the point of view of the flight attendant, the A380 has much more space, much more comfortable work.

And this is what the cockpit looks like:

There is also a "compartment" with beds for pilots to rest:

And this is the rest room for the crew. The entrance here is down the stairs from the first class - these are individual niche beds.
Depending on the duration of the flight, the rest time is distributed - after the end of the first stage of the service. On this flight, each flight attendant had a break of 3 hours 45 minutes, which is relatively long, sometimes 45 minutes, the rest of the time on his feet.

Here is such a Lufthansa A380 inside :)

And now the most interesting!
I asked Anna a few questions, to which I received interesting answers, it is always interesting to find out something that does not lie on the surface ...

alexcheban: - How did you get on the A380?
Anna Rodney: - In our airline, everyone who works full-time receives three licenses. I work for the Airbus family, I fly A320s and A340s and, quite logically, A380s. Within the same family of aircraft, everything is located in approximately the same places and has a very similar technical layout.

Can you compare Boeing and Airbus?
- We are told that the type of aircraft on which you start flying is more convenient. I also flew on a Boeing 737, I can say that they have completely different philosophies - Boeing has an American one, Airbus has a European one, European is more logical for me. The Americans, in my opinion, are more conservative and we (the European manufacturer) have more comfort for passengers than Boeing.

What is the occupancy of First Class? Does it happen that there is not a single passenger?
- No, it doesn’t happen, usually 5-7 passengers, today we have all 8.

How long are you in Singapore between flights (flights here daily)?
- 2.5 days

What time do you live at your destination?
- I try to live according to local time, I always translate the clock.

How many flights per month do you operate?
- Accounting is done for flights, and for hours, I need to fly 70 hours a month, respectively, a round-trip flight to Singapore is 30 hours (one-way net flight time is 12.5 hours), i.e. these 30 hours are actually half the monthly norm. My next flight is to Oman, it takes only 4 hours to fly there :)

Arab/Asian airlines dominate the SkyTtax ranking. I was not on board the A380 with them, but I saw the reports. Their main advantage is the emphasis on luxury service in all classes. The maximum possible refinements in interior equipment, etc. Lufthansa positions itself as a carrier from point A to point B and offers a basic service for each of the classes, but at a very high level. On intra-European flights, the new seats are frankly uncomfortable. This is my subjective opinion, but what is your opinion on this?
- I, unfortunately, cannot say much about Arab or Asian airlines, since I have never used their services myself. Lufthansa is a European airline, so it will never decorate the aircraft with gold, etc. Lufthansa is the so-called business carrier - this is manifested in the choice of destinations (mainly the capitals of different countries, not resort cities) and in the frequency of flights. The emphasis is on efficiency and exclusivity, as our business and first class customers value luxury in simplicity and sophistication, not in gold and diamonds. Although, perhaps, our most important distinguishing factor is our staff. We have employees from 150 different countries of the world! There are always several so-called regional colleagues on our Asian flights - Chinese (on all flights to China), Japanese (on flights to Japan), Thais (on flights to Thailand and Singapore), Indians (on Indian flights), Koreans (on flights to Korea). During the order and configuration of the A380 for Lufthansa, a survey was conducted among first-class passengers on the subject of a shower cabin. The majority voted, so to speak, for a spacious bathroom without a shower. Yes, Emirates offer a walk-in shower, but I honestly don't know how much it's in demand. Probably the whole point is to have it or not to have it. Firstly, in order to use it, passengers must put themselves on the list, and who wants to be the first? After all, everyone wants to use it before landing, and not 3-4 hours before it ...???

As for the new seats on European flights, they are much lighter and thus save fuel, plus they have been designed to ergonomic standards, meaning improved seating comfort. You can judge how comfortable they are - I have only flown them as a passenger so far only 2 times. We hear mostly positive comments, and if someone complains, it’s not about the seats, but about the fact that they removed the wardrobe for outerwear in the business class.....

What are the features of working at Lufthansa?
- We have very good working conditions, especially in comparison with the American ones, we live in excellent central hotels in cities, we have a lot of time between flights and in general very good conditions.

You pointed out the good company policy towards your employer towards American airlines. What about Asian/Arabic? Do you have friends there? Their impressions?
- I have a few acquaintances who worked for Asian/Arab airlines. Arab airlines, as far as I know, pay very well, but do not provide decent working conditions, so many work for them for several years, and then switch to European lines. Still, the difference is very much felt in the attitude of Arab passengers to the staff and in relation to Europeans. As for the Asian ones, Europeans do not quite get used to their hierarchical way of life (many pilots live in other, better hotels than flight attendants), plus they cannot cope with mentality problems: in Asia, no one criticizes anyone openly - everything happens behind their backs, which our brother is not very pleased...

A feature of the dress code at the Emirates is a lipstick of a certain red color. Does Lufthansa have any such interesting feature in the dress code or some interesting instruction?
- We do not have such a feature, except that we are obliged to comply with the rules for wearing a uniform. We are forbidden to dye our hair in unnatural colors - like red there or green ....

How is it determined who is in what class on a given flight?
- Distribution of positions occurs at will in accordance with the so-called seniority list - the list is compiled according to the criterion of who has been working in the company for a longer period - chooses first, etc.

The crew of the flight is 24 people. Do you know everyone? How does the rotation work?
- Before the flight, we all meet for a mandatory briefing - there we get to know each other and determine who and where will work

What documentation do you complete before/during/after the flight?
- We fill out the documentation depending on the flight - on most flights there is no documentation for us.

If someone gets sick while in another country between flights, how does the replacement work? And if it's a PIC or a co-pilot?
- We have a doctor in every country we fly to, with whom Lufthansa has signed a contract and whom we call when necessary. If a crew member is unable to fly back, a replacement is sent on the next flight.

Everything is standardized/automated in aircraft control now, but do you still feel the difference in the piloting technique/takeoffs and landings of different pilots?
- Lufthansa pilots always take off and land manually, so yes, the difference is felt in the landing.

Pilots in the post-Soviet space do not say the word "last", replacing it with the word "extreme". Do you have any superstitions?
- The Germans are not a superstitious people and rely on knowledge and experience, not on superstition. :-) Therefore, no, there are no superstitions.

What is the most positive/negative part of your job? In outline:)
- Our work is very interesting - we always visit different countries, meet and get acquainted with interesting people and go to places where not everyone gets (for example, in Saudi Arabia, where unmarried women are not allowed to enter). At the same time, it is not always easy to cope with the time difference. Plus, there are countries where the political situation is not very stable (mainly in Africa) or hygienic conditions leave much to be desired…..

Do you have colleagues who work in budget companies? What is your opinion on this matter? Do you use the services of budget carriers in any cases?
- No, we have no connections with them, and I don't have anyone among my acquaintances who would work in such a company.

What directions do you like the most?
- Personally, I like to fly to South America - Argentina, Colombia, etc. most of all. I am quite fluent in Spanish, and in terms of mentality, it seems to me, they are closer to the Slavs, so I feel very comfortable there!

I thank Anna Rodney for an amazing tour and interesting conversation! :)

The official page of the A380 Lufthansa.

The Airbus A380 is the largest wide-body double-deck turbojet passenger airliner on the planet (as Wikipedia says). Its height is 24 m, the wingspan is 80 (in meters), the maximum flight length is 15.4 thousand km, and it can carry 853 passengers at the same time. Moreover, in this aircraft, the level of passenger comfort has been raised to an unattainable height.

Who is the manufacturer

The manufacturer of this airliner is the Airbus S.A.S concern, one of the leaders in the design market of passenger airliners.

Start date of release and modification

Work on the creation of this airliner began in 1994. The goal of the company's designers was to create an aircraft that could compete with the most popular Boeing 747. After thinking about the concept for a long time, they came up with the idea of ​​​​creating a double-deck aircraft that could carry more passengers than its main competitor.

Note! In 1994, work on another large aircraft (600-800 passenger segment) was started by McDonnell Douglas. But, unable to withstand the competition, she was forced to abandon the project and leave the civil aviation market.

The program was actually launched on 12/19/2000. Almost immediately, the company received 55 orders for this aircraft. In 2001, the design solutions were finally approved, and in 2002 the assembly of the aircraft began. In total, the program for the production of a380, called "3XX", was developed and approved for 10 years, more than 12 billion euros were spent on it (with an initial budget of 8.8 billion euros).

Note! The Airbus concern calculated that the payback of the program would be achieved with the sale of 420 ships.

On January 18, 2005, the a380 was first presented to the general public; on April 27, 2005, the first flight was made, lasting about 4 hours.

Note! A total of 5 aircraft were built for demonstrations and testing.

The first transatlantic flight took place in 2006. It was a test flight, the purpose of which was to study the "behavior" of the vessel in high altitude and severe frost. The plane flew across the ocean, landed first in Colombia, and then flew to Canada. In the same year, the first passenger flight took place (it is interesting that employees of the Airbus company acted as passengers). The purpose of the flight was to determine the level of flight comfort.

In the same year, the plane passed evacuation certification in Hamburg. Passengers and crew managed to evacuate the plane in 78 seconds at a rate of 90. The European EASA and the American FAA (Air Passenger Safety Agency) gave their permission for commercial flights.

Commercial flights began in 2007. One ship was sold to Singapore Airlines and began operating on the Singapore-Sydney line. Another aircraft was purchased by Qantas and put on the line Melbourne - Los Angeles. Both companies noted that the a380 is superior in its flight and commercial characteristics to its direct competitor, which is the Boeing 747.

There are three modifications of this aircraft:

• three-class - designed for 525 passengers (with the provision of various services on board); it is interesting that the A380-800 modification was originally designed for a maximum of 583 passengers, but then it was decided to increase the flight range by 370 km by reducing the payload;
• one-class (economy; the same a380 -800) - designed for 853 seats;
• cargo aircraft (a380 -800F) - designed for 150 tons of cargo and a flight range of 10 thousand km.

note! For some time, the Airbus company was forced to stop production of the cargo model, as there were too many orders for the passenger modification.

Both passenger structures provide for the presence of two decks, which are interconnected by stairs located in the nose and tail of the aircraft.

At the request of the customer, the designers can create various locations on the aircraft: bars, showers, lounges, duty-free shops. All this is designed to make the flight even more comfortable.

It is also interesting that the company offers different aircraft configurations for different customers. There are also luxury models that provide sleeping accommodation for passengers and a gym.

A great contribution to the implementation of the program for the creation of this aircraft was made by the Moscow Airbus ECAR engineering center.

Separate parts of the aircraft are manufactured in France, Germany, England, Spain, then delivered to Bordeaux, from there to Toulouse. All finishing work is done in Hamburg.

Capacity, range, speed, altitude

When designing aircraft, a variety of composite materials and improved aluminum alloys were used (especially when creating wings, vertical and horizontal stabilizers). With the help of this, it became possible to reduce the weight of the aircraft several times. The weight was also reduced due to the use of laser welding (the number of fasteners was reduced along the entire length of the fuselage).

Technical characteristics of the aircraft (for example, A321-200)

The cockpit has nine interchangeable displays.

The A380 aircraft has 22 wheels on the chassis, which ensures the most comfortable landing. In addition, such a design solution is aimed at ensuring that a heavy aircraft does not harm the runways at the airport (this is a fifth-group airliner that takes off and lands on a 45-meter runway). In Russia, this type of aircraft was first accepted by the Domodedovo International Airport.

The scheme of seats in the cabin

Consider the most common model of the A380-800 aircraft, a three-class aircraft with several additional locations, which carries out transportation for Singapore Airlines.

The aircraft is double-deck. On the first deck there are seats for economy class passengers, 396 in total, installed in three rows, according to the 2-4-2 scheme and in two rows, according to the 3-3 scheme. On the second floor of the a380 there are seats for first and business class passengers according to the 1-2-1 scheme. A total of 14 first class seats and 76 business class seats.

On the second floor there are also two bars, one for business class with a bartender, the other for first class, with elite drinks, without a bartender.

In total, there are 15 toilets on the plane. 5 of them are on the upper deck, 10 - on the lower one. All restrooms are well-equipped, with mini cosmetics and disposable razors on the risers. On the upper deck (bow side) there are 2 shower rooms for first class passengers. They need to be ordered in advance, the water flows only 5 minutes, but there is everything you need to put yourself in order.

On the first floor there are crew rest rooms with beds. One room - for flight attendants and one - for pilots for 9 and 2 people, respectively.

As mentioned above, there are 27 people in the team, but with a flight range, a couple more pilots and one attendant are added, who prepares a bathroom for first-class passengers. There are 24 flight attendants in total: 4 are senior, 8 are in economy class, 8 are in business class, 4 are in first class.

Description of seats by blocks of rows

Consider the cabin of an Airbus A380-800 Emirates in a standard three-class configuration. The locations are as follows.

1. Upper deck a380:

• 14 cabins (1-4 row) - first class;
• 76 seats (6-26 row) - business class.

1. Lower deck a380 - 399 seats (43-88 rows) - economy class.

Description of seats in rows with a standard three-class configuration

Amenities on board

Each passenger is given socks and seat stickers. Stickers indicate sleep, desire to have lunch and desire to receive a booklet from the duty free store. For night flights, the flight attendant will provide you with a blanket, mattress and pillow (in economy class, only a blanket). Distance between seats in economy class is 80 cm.

A touchscreen (17 inch screen) and an electrical outlet are installed in the chairs. The multimedia system control panel is combined with a satellite (in the first class and business class cabin). Also in the chairs of the first and business class, massage systems are mounted, which are controlled by a remote control (it also brings the chair to a horizontal position).

Economy class a380 and stairs to the upper deck

At the tail end on the upper deck is a bar that serves drinks (including alcohol), as well as cakes, sandwiches and fruits for free. The bar has sofas with seat belts. There is also an indoor bar for first class nearby, serving expensive drinks and snacks (the peculiarity of the bar is that there is no bartender here). This bar is also equipped with a small sofa.

The aircraft has a multi-course menu for lunch and dinner, as well as a wine list.

Passengers note such advantages of the aircraft, which increase the comfort of the flight, such as:

• low noise level;
• high air pressure inside the cabin.

There is also a satellite channel, which provides telephone communication and wifi in the cabin for passengers.

The Airbus A380 is capable of long non-stop flights. Despite its size, it fits into the infrastructure of all the largest air harbors in the world.

At the moment, work is underway to create larger modifications of the a380 (a380-900 or a390 with a capacity of 656 to 960 passengers while maintaining the flight range). The designers claim that the parameters of the existing wing will be enough to enlarge the aircraft and improve its technical and commercial characteristics. A390 promises to become even more convenient and comfortable aircraft. It should also be noted that work continues on the A380-700 and A380-1000.

The seven hundredth can carry 481 passengers (length - 69, that is, it is 4 meters shorter than the A380-800), while the flight range increases to 16 thousand km.

The thousandth is a new, ambitious project that will be implemented only by the beginning of 2025. The length of the aircraft will be 87, the wingspan will be 84 (in meters). It will be able to lift 1073 passengers into the air (757 with a three-class configuration). It will be the second largest aircraft in the world, after the An-225 Mriya.

This plane is really comfortable. Everything is thought out to the smallest detail. Even first class passengers are satisfied with the journey.

2017 in the aircraft industry should be marked by the emergence of the most capacious passenger aircraft in the world, and the Airbus A-390 claims this title, which, according to the most conservative estimates, can carry about 1000 passengers at one time.

Please note that the Airbus A 390 aircraft has 6 engines, but in general it is quite similar to the last own model - Airbus A 380. For a more compact accommodation of passengers, the aircraft uses as many as three levels, which may be divided into comfort classes. Six engines will cope remarkably well with the weight being lifted, but, on the other hand, the flight range of the aircraft will most likely be reduced - now for the Airbus A 380 it forms a little more than 15 thousand kilometers, and as for the new model, it is entirely possible that the designers will limit themselves to 11 -12 thousand kilometers of flight.

Airbus A-390 Photo

Contrary to all expectations, the aircraft did not become supersonic, but rather, on the contrary, retained its own flight speed at the previous level. By and large, and you have the opportunity to notice it with your own eyes, the aircraft belongs to good types, which inspires confidence in its trouble-free operation to a greater extent. no less entertaining besides this is the fact that the aircraft will be equipped not only with backup systems, but also with additional ones, which makes it possible to make the flights of this passenger carrier very reliable.

It is worth emphasizing, however, that most likely due to the enormous mass of the aircraft, the airports that will serve this aircraft model will need to expand the length of their own runways, since, according to preliminary estimates, the aircraft needs at least 2 kilometers of runways.

One way or another, most likely, in the very near future we will witness not only the first passenger aircraft with a capacity of about a thousand passengers, but we will also be able to make one of the first flights on it.

Airbus A-390. Gallery.

Airbus A-390. Video.

Airbus A300 - Airbus A300
Airbus A310 - Airbus A310
Airbus A318 - Airbus A318
Airbus A319 - Airbus A319
Airbus A320 - Airbus A320
Airbus A321 - Airbus A321
Airbus A350 - Airbus A350
Airbus A380 - Airbus A380

Airbus A380 tour

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