History of the Airbus A380. The layout of the cabin and the best places Airbus A380 Emirates

Imagine a huge airliner with a length of about 73 meters and a height of just over 24 meters, this is almost eight-story building, which has a wingspan of almost 80 meters and can accommodate up to 853 passengers. Although, you are probably among those people who saw, and maybe even flew in the belly of this four-engine "monster".

And this handsome man is not today the pinnacle of technological thought of engineers, designers, assemblers and another huge number of people of the Airbus corporation, as well as other companies, without which such a huge “chick” would not have been born - Airbus A380, double-deck, weighing 280 tons, wide-body, liner flying on long-haul flights.

The development of the A380 took more than twelve billion euros. And about ten years of development. And its capacity is 35 percent more than that of its main competitor, the Boeing 747. One of the problems in the construction of the A380 was the problem of weight, because an extra kilogram of load increases the consumption of precious fuel.

Therefore, it was necessary to make the outer shell as light as possible, but at the same time as strong as possible. For this purpose, a combination of a large amount of a new aluminum alloy was applied, which is lighter and has better impact resistance compared to conventional aluminum alloys and composite materials, including those based on fiberglass. Since the factories for the production of components for the liner are located not only in France, but also in other countries, such as Spain, Germany and the UK, for the delivery of components to Toulouse, Airbis S.A.S. built for these purposes a special transport vessel, for the delivery of parts of the fuselage, by water.

Airbus A380 saloon

The aircraft is equipped with Rolls-Royce Trent-900 engines or Engine Alliance GP-7000 engines. The A380 uses the latest integrated modular avionics IMA (Integrated modular avionics), which was first used on the modern F-22 fifth-generation fighter. Eight 15x20 cm displays are installed in the cockpit, which displays all flight information and data on the status of on-board systems.

The first flight of the Airbus A380-800 with Rolls Royce engines was made on April 27, 2005. And the transatlantic flight took place on January 10, 2006. And already on December 12, 2006, the A380-841 modification with Trent900 engines was certified. The variant with GP-7000 motors received a certificate in 2007 on December 14th.

Best Airbus A380-800 Seats - Emirates

The best seats on the Airbus A380-800 - Lufthansa

Airbus A380 cabin layout

Apart from base case, there is a variant of the A380 in a luxury finish, where passengers have their own bed, bar, lounge or gym. The A380 liner is capable of flying without refueling over a distance of fifteen thousand kilometers.

It is also proposed to produce a cargo version - A380-800F, with a carrying capacity of more than 145 tons and a range of 10,000 kilometers.

Specifications Airbus A380-800:

• Years of production: 2004 - present.
• Length: 67.90 m
• Height: 24.09 m.
• Wingspan: 79.75 m
• Wing area: 845 m
• Fuselage diameter: 7.14 m
• Cruising speed: 900 km/h
• Max Speed: 1020 km/h
• Range of flight: 15200 km.
• Ceiling: 13100 m.
• Takeoff length: 2050 m
• Run length: 2900 m
• Number of passenger seats: 480 - 853 seats
• Crew: 2 persons

Airbus A380. Gallery.

Airbus A380 video

Airbus A380 (Airbus A380) is the largest aircraft of Airbus S.A.S. ( European Union) and the largest passenger aircraft in the world. This is the world's first long-haul civil aircraft with two full-size decks along the entire length of the fuselage. The decks are connected by two wide staircases in the bow and tail parts.

The liner can make non-stop flights over a distance of 15,000 kilometers and take on board a third more passengers than the Boeing 747.
Airbus A380 is the most economical among big liners: 100 kilometers consumes three liters of fuel per passenger.
The main competitor of this model is the Boeing 747.

First flight - April 27, 2005.
First aircraft sold - MSN003, registration number 9V-SKA, handed over to Singapore Airlines on October 15, 2007. The first commercial transcontinental flight with passengers (flight from Singapore to Australia, flight number - SQ380, there were 455 people on board) - October 25, 2007.

The Airbus A380 has 12 single suites and several double suites.
The suites are equipped with a bed, wardrobe, reading lights, a mirror and a 23-inch TV. At the request of airlines, bars, billiard rooms, showers, a library and a conference room can be made on the first floor of the liner.
The cost of a flight from London to Singapore in luxury class (for 2005) is about $10,000.

For first-class passengers, pajamas with slippers are provided, it is possible to close the windows and the cabin door with special curtains.
The cost of one airliner (for 2005) is $281 million, which is 15 percent cheaper than a double-deck Boeing 747.

The number of assembled A380 liners (as of March 2008) is 27.
As of March 2009, the A380 aircraft are in the fleet of three airlines: Singapore Airlines, Qantas Airways, and Emirates.

The first airport in Russia, which agreed to accept the Airbus A380, is Moscow's Domodedovo.

History of creation

The development of the liner began in 1994 under the code A3XX and continued for 10 years. The designation A380 was chosen because the number 8 resembles the cross-section of this double-deck aircraft.

The cost of the program is 12 million euros. The most difficult part of the project was the problem of reducing the weight of the aircraft. This was achieved through the use of a new composite material from which the fuselage and wings are made.

Already at the design stage, 55 orders were received from 6 customers.
The final configuration of the aircraft was approved in January 2001. Production of the first A380 wing components began on January 23, 2002.

The main structural sections of the airliner were built at enterprises in France, Germany, Spain, and Great Britain.
Components for the A380 were supplied by: Rolls-Royce, SAFRAN, United Technologies, General Electric, Goodrich and other well-known companies.

The most ambitious project of the European aircraft manufacturer brought him big problems. The main faults were found in the electrical wiring of the aircraft. For each aircraft, 100,000 wires and 40,300 connectors were required, which is about 530 kilometers of electrical wiring. Problems were solved within two years.

The A380 has an improved glass cockpit and electric remote control of the rudders linked to the side stick. Information display devices are located in the cockpit: nine interchangeable liquid crystal monitors, including two navigation data indicators, two main flight data indicators, two engine operation indicators, two multifunctional ones. Another monitor displays information about current state the entire system as a whole.

After assembly, the aircraft were equipped and painted in Hamburg. Each liner (3,100 square meters) requires 3,600 liters of paint to cover.

To service the A380, special terminals are needed for boarding passengers.
The runway pavement load was measured using a custom 580-ton load cart built to mimic the A380 chassis. For the Airbus A380, lanes of group V are sufficient - 45 meters, their expansion to the estimated 60 meters is not required.

Five A380s were built for demonstration and testing purposes.
On September 4, 2006, the first flight test of the A380 took place with passengers on board. The purpose of the flight was to test the comfort and quality of passenger services. The plane took off from Toulouse with 474 employees of Airbus S.A.S. on board.
In November 2006, test flights took place in order to check the aircraft's performance under standard airline operating conditions.
The start of operation of the A380 was delayed for almost two years due to a number of technical problems, which cost Airbus 8.5 billion euros.

Specifications of the Airbus A380

The liner has four engines - Rolls-Royce Trent 900 or Engine Alliance GP 7000.
The noise level in the cockpit of the A380 is 50 percent lower than that of the Boeing 747. Higher air pressure is maintained inside the aircraft. According to the developers, these characteristics will reduce passenger fatigue during long non-stop flights.

Dimensions:
Wingspan: 79.80 meters.
Aircraft length: 73.00 meters.
Aircraft height: 24.10 meters.
Wing area: 845.00 square meters.
Wing sweep angle along the 1/4 chord line (degrees): 33.50.

Number of places:
Passengers in the cabin of three classes: 555.
Passengers in the cabin of two classes: 644.
Passengers in the charter version: 853.

Masses and loads:
Takeoff: 560 tons.
Empty equipped aircraft: 276.8 tons.
Aircraft without fuel: 361 tons.
Toll load: 66.4 tons.
Landing: 386 tons.

Flight data:
Cruise speed: 900 kilometers per hour.
Flight range with passengers and baggage (with fuel reserves): 15,000 kilometers.
Operating ceiling: 13,000 meters.

Incidents

On January 10, 2008, a Singapore Airlines A380 was unable to fly from Singapore to Sydney due to a tractor failure. The liner continued to move by inertia for some time, then moved off the runway and rolled onto the lawn. As a result of the incident, no one was injured, the aircraft was not damaged.

Promising modifications of the A380

It is planned to create the following passenger modifications: A380-800 for 555 seats, shortened A380-700 for 480 seats and extended A380-900 for 656 seats. A cargo modification of the A380F has also been developed, capable of carrying cargo with a total weight of up to 150 tons over a distance of up to 10,400 kilometers.
Employees of the Airbus ECAR Engineering Center in Moscow have already completed a number of important tasks under the A380F program.
Russian designers were instructed to carry out a significant amount of work on the design of fuselage parts, strength calculations, placement of onboard equipment and support for serial production of aircraft.

There are a huge number of different airliners in the world, but the Airbus A380-800 is the aircraft that is really worth paying attention to. There are not very many such liners on the planet. The fact is that this is the largest passenger wide-body aircraft equipped with two decks. Let's consider what specifications The A380 has, and also, what is the layout of the cabin of the A380 aircraft.

In order to understand how large and roomy the Emirates A380 is, you need to understand in detail its technical characteristics. Let's start with how much the Airbus A380 weighs. So the mass aircraft like this:

• without passengers - 276 thousand kg;
• without passengers and fuel - 361 thousand kg;

As for other parameters, the capacity of the Airbus A380 is 853 people in a one-class model and 525 passengers in a three-class cabin. The length of the aircraft is 72.7 meters, the height is 24 meters, and the wingspan is 79 meters.

Extra options:

• wing area - 844 m 2;
• takeoff run - 2000 m;
• run length - 3000 m;
• the path that can overcome - 15,000 km, subject to full load;
• fuel tank capacity - 310 thousand liters.

This airliner has a special cockpit for pilots, where the most modern technologies. The A380 is equipped with a glass cockpit and remote rudder control for electric operation. As for the devices on which the data is displayed, this aircraft has 9 interchangeable LCD screens, of which:

• 2 are for navigation data;
• 2 main for flight information;
• 2 indicators of functioning of fuel units;
• 2 - multifunctional;
• 1 main, which shows general information.

If we talk about motors, they are heavy-duty and modern. As fuel, mixtures of aviation kerosene with GTL from environmentally friendly clean gas. And in the design this aircraft composite materials are used. Weldable aluminum alloys are also used.

Detailed scheme Airbus aircraft A380-800

As for the noise level, the operation of the engines is almost inaudible in the Emirates A380. This greatly exalts him against the background of the Boeing 747. The airliner also has high air pressure, which is another of its features. Both decks are connected by a comfortable and spacious staircase. Although it is not easy for passengers whose seats are located near this staircase, it is very difficult to fall asleep under the condition of constant walking. But some still buy tickets for them.

The width of the cabin is 5.9-6.5 m. In the one-class version, passengers are offered 700 seats, and in the three-class version - 555 seats. There is also a shower, lounge, bar and shop on board. Let's take a closer look at what the layout of the cabin of this aircraft, as well as what best places for long distance travel.

Airbus A380-800 Emirates: cabin layout

Thanks to the photo of the Airbus A380 cabin attached to this article, you can see how the passenger seats. The ship has two floors in total. On the 2nd there are places for tourists of the first and business classes. The 1st floor is designed for those who fly in economy class. First class is very comfortable. Even those passengers who are hard to endure the flight, getting this class, will be able to relax and forget about their poor health.

Rows 1-4 are just used for the first class. There, everyone can reach their destination in comfort, because everyone is placed in a separate compartment with a door, so you can completely retire. Also, travelers have comfortable chairs that can fold out 180 degrees, thus transforming into a bed. In addition, the first-class cabin has free Internet access, sockets for recharging mobile gadgets, a mini-bar and, of course, individual lighting, which allows you to read books, magazines, newspapers.

Those who order food in advance have the opportunity to have a hearty lunch or dinner with gourmet dishes, as well as enjoy cold or warm drinks. Among other things, there is a shower where you can freshen up. First class is like a real five-star all-inclusive hotel. In such comfort, the flight goes unnoticed. Moreover, there are places where it is especially convenient to stay. You need to know about this if you want to get to the most comfortable right place. So, the most convenient places are farther from the kitchen and the toilet, as it is always quiet, calm and comfortable there: it is there that you can read books, listen to music or chat via e-mail.

Travelers who have chosen business class are placed on rows 6-26. These places are also distinguished by special comfort. If you want to easily and discreetly make a flight, then business class is a very suitable option. The only thing, it is undesirable to occupy rows 7, 20, 21 and 23, since then you will have to sit near the toilets, bar and kitchen. There are always a lot of people near these premises, and activity does not decrease even at night, which is why it is unlikely that you will be able to fully relax. The rest of the places are distinguished by increased comfort and have all the necessary amenities. Passengers can charge their gadgets, watch movies on them, play video games, chat on social networks and much more thanks to Internet access.

Economy class is an option for those who want to save on flights. For such passengers, there are as many as 399 seats in rows 43-88. Of course, it is difficult to call them comfortable. However, all these places have outlets for charging electronic devices, a separate screen and a video and audio entertainment system. However, those who want to get to the desired place in silence will have to get used to some noise, passenger activity and conversations. But on the other hand, for a special fee, it is possible to connect to the Internet, turn on loud music, put on headphones and “go crazy” until the very arrival. Rows are 80 cm apart.

Salon scheme

Airbus A380-800 cabin layout: the best seats in economy class

Speaking of which are the most convenient places here, these are places in rows 45, 54 and 82. 45th row is different extra bed for legs, which allows for a more comfortable ride. This advantage is especially noticeable if the flight is long. The 54th row also allows you to freely stretch your legs, lean back in your chair, and there is also a kitchen and no restroom, so that unpleasant odors are not as noticeable as on the 67th row. Row 82 is reminiscent of row 45, as there is an opportunity to stretch your legs and visit the galley.

As for other places, the 43rd row is considered one of the most comfortable, but due to the fact that the seats do not recline there and the armrests are blocked, it is not included in the list of the most comfortable. Also, the conversations of flight attendants and their walking are constantly heard there, because there is a room for flight attendants nearby.

50th row is located near the block emergency exits. If you are afraid of flying, then the seats in this row are just for you. In the event of a crash, you will have the opportunity to be the first to leave the emergency aircraft. However, the chairs there are not very comfortable, as they do not recline. Passengers in the 51st row are also limited in this ability. That is why the 50th and 51st rows can be safely called the most uncomfortable, since a sitting position for 4-5 hours causes great discomfort. Also uncomfortable places in the 55th row due to the lack of free legroom.

Some disadvantages are present in rows such as 78, 79, 65 and 66. They are located near the toilets, and the chairs are not equipped with reclining backs.

Thus, getting to such places is extremely inconvenient, especially since unpleasant odors and constant queues in the toilet interfere with rest. Seats in row 67 are suitable for those who travel together. The fact is that there are only two chairs in a row, and it is also possible to recline your legs and straighten your knees. However, there is also a minus - the close location of the latrines, which makes it difficult to get a good night's sleep.

One of the not very convenient places is in the 87th row, because there are also latrines nearby. The places in the 88th row are restless due to non-reclining backs, stairs and a toilet, which do not allow you to fully relax. That is why you should not buy tickets for these places. But on the other hand, they are cheaper, so they are chosen by adherents of budget transportation.

Seat parameters in the cabin

If you go deeper into the numbers, there are 12 seats in first class, 66 in business class, and 399 in economy class. Seat spacing is 83 inches in first class, 74.5 inches in business and 32 inches in economy. Other data:

1. First grade. The monitor has an HD extension.
2. Business Class. Monitor 15.6 inches.
3. Economic class. Monitor 11 inches.

So, we examined in detail the layout of the cabin of the A380 aircraft. Obviously, this is a very spacious and comfortable liner, on which you can quickly and comfortably fly to your destination. Now let's figure out what people who have already flown on this plane think about the conditions in the Airbus cabin.

Salon Airbus A380-800

Advantages and disadvantages of A380-800

As we have already found out, this aircraft is very spacious and large-scale. No wonder, because it is the largest aircraft in the world. It was specially created so that it could carry a large number of passengers. We can safely say that the Airbus A380 returned the romance of flight and excitement to seasoned travelers. Anyone who has flown this air transport, will confirm that it has its own characteristics and flies to the most favorite places of tourists, namely to London, Los Angeles, Paris, New York, Moscow, Dubai, Tokyo, Beijing, etc. It is thanks to this geography that passengers give back preference for this aircraft, regularly flying on it. IN holiday season especially frequent flights on this Airbus.

Speaking about the advantages of the A380, it is necessary to note its spaciousness and spaciousness. It also takes off easily and lands just as easily. Flying over the mountains or the sea, the vibrations are almost imperceptible. Moreover, the salons are equipped with wide and comfortable chairs. This is especially noticeable in those places where there are armrests, a folding backrest and legroom. In addition, passengers note that the salons are always very clean and comfortable. All maneuvers in the air are easy and pleasant.

Also, many travelers note that there are very tasty lunches and breakfasts on board, and flight attendants are always friendly and polite. I must say that not every aircraft has such good conditions for passengers. Many passengers refer to the A380 as an airship whose conditions are comparable to the best car brands.

Summing up, it must be said that the Airbus A380-800 is a powerful aircraft in which everything is thought out to the smallest detail so that passengers can fly in comfort. Those who want to fly in comfort choose business class. There you can not only sleep, but also surf the Internet, reading e-books, listening to music and watching videos. It is very important to choose seats in time so that you can relax on the plane.

You can buy tickets both at the box office and through the official website of the airline that operates the flight. After reviewing the above information, you can decide in advance which place is better and make a purchase. In general, we got acquainted with the technical characteristics of the A380, and the photos of the A380 will allow us to visually assess the capabilities of this aircraft. Today, many people prefer to fly on it, as compared to other liners, it is one of the most convenient and comfortable. That is why, if you want to get to your desired destination in comfort resort place, then choose the A380, because it was specially created for large passenger traffic.

In contact with

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

Manufacturer this liner 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 (segment 600-800 passengers) began the company 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 hard frost. The plane flew across the ocean, landed first in Colombia, and then flew to Canada. In the same year, the first passenger flight(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 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 the production of a cargo model, as orders for passenger modification there were too many.

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 runways at the airport (this is a liner of the fifth group, it takes off and lands on a 45-meter strip). 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 upper deck, 10 - on the bottom. 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 Airbus cabin A380-800 Emirates in 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 major air harbors peace.

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.

The A380 is an aircraft developed by Airbus S.A.S. It is the largest in the world passenger airliner. The vessel reaches 24.08 m in height and 72.75 m in length. The wingspan of the aircraft is 79.75 m. In a single-class configuration, it can carry 853 passengers, in a three-class configuration - 525. The maximum distance non-stop flight- 15 thousand 400 km.

The work of the creators

According to the developers, the greatest difficulties had to be faced in the process of searching for options to reduce the weight of the A380 aircraft. It was possible to make the aircraft lighter due to the wide application in the creation of not only power structural elements, but also auxiliary units, interior and much more. In addition, the most advanced technological solutions and modified aluminum alloys were used for these purposes. So, 40% of the mass of an eleven-ton center section is carbon fiber. Glare hybrid material is used for the production of the side and top panels of the fuselage. Laser welding of the skin and stringers of the lower fuselage panel made it possible to significantly reduce the number of fasteners.

The Airbus A380 is an aircraft that took about ten years to build. Price grandiose project amounted to twelve billion euros. According to representatives of the Airbus company, in order for this amount to pay off, it is necessary to sell four hundred and twenty copies of the aircraft. Based on this information, you can calculate how much the plane costs. The amount is impressive - 28 million 571 thousand 428 euros for one copy.

How it all started

The A380 is an aircraft that began to be developed with the following goals: to expand the range of Airbus S.A.S. and remove the Boeing-747 from the leading position. Debates on the final configuration of the aircraft ended in 2001. The first components of the A380 wing were produced in January 2002. According to initial estimates, the cost of the program varied between 8.7 - 8.8 billion euros. After assembly, this amount increased to 11 billion (subsequently it was further increased).

It should be noted that the employees of the Airbus ECAR Moscow Engineering Center made an invaluable contribution to the design of the A380F model. Thanks to the efforts of Russian designers, a large amount of work was done on the design of individual parts of the fuselage, strength calculations were made, on-board equipment was placed and support was provided for serial production of the aircraft.

Where are the components manufactured and how are they transported?

Specialists in France, Germany, Great Britain and Spain are working on building the main sections of the airliner. Because of large sizes these components were delivered to Toulouse by means of water and land transport. Some parts still fit in the An-24.

The tail and nose elements of the fuselage were horizontally loaded onto the Ville de Bordeaux (owned by the Airbus concern) in Hamburg to go to the UK. Wing consoles made in Broughton and Filton were brought to Mostyn by barge. There, these elements were loaded onto the aforementioned Ville de Bordeaux. In Cadiz, the ship received tail components and lower fuselage sections. Everything was unloaded in Bordeaux. From there, the constituent elements were transported to Langon, and then delivered by land to Toulouse. The already assembled aircraft were sent to Hamburg for the final equipment. A380 - an aircraft that requires 3600 liters of paint to cover ( total area cladding - 3100 square meters).

Tests

Modern aircraft before the direct release on flights, they undergo the most serious tests. The A380 is no exception in this regard. Five were built specifically for versatile testing. aircraft. The first board was presented in Toulouse in January 2005. On April 27 of the same year, the first flight was made. The flight team consisted of six people, led by Jacques Rossi, an experienced test pilot. A successful landing occurred after 3 hours 54 minutes. after takeoff.

A series of test flights started on December 1, 2005. It was then that the aircraft reached an impressive speed of 0.96 max during a gentle dive.

A380 - an aircraft (see photo above), which made its first transatlantic flight on January 10, 2006. The beginning of the same year was marked by the first unforeseen situation: during a static test at the Toulouse aircraft factory, the wing of one vessel unexpectedly cracked, unable to withstand a load of 145% of the nominal . As defined by aviation safety regulations, no change in integrity should occur at 150% load. As a result, the leadership of the Airbus consortium decided to make changes to the design of the aircraft's wings. Due to the addition of reinforcing elements, the total weight of the structure increased by thirty kilograms, fourteen of which were mounting bolts.

The first flight test of the A380 model with passengers on board was successfully completed on September 4, 2006.

Design features

A 380,800 is a modification designed to carry 555 or 583 passengers (depending on configuration). In 2007, Airbus began to offer customers a vessel with a smaller capacity (525 seats) in exchange for an increased flight range (it was possible to increase it by 370 kilometers). This transformation has made it possible to achieve maximum compliance with the trends of premium transportation.

There is another modification of the considered airbus. This is the cargo version of the A380-800F. capable of transporting up to one hundred and fifty tons of cargo. The maximum flight range is 10,370 kilometers.

In the future, it is planned to produce jet passenger aircraft modifications A380-900. They will have a larger capacity (656/960 passengers) with a similar flight range.

Pilot's workplace

In order to reduce the cost of additional crew training, all Airbuses are built with the same cockpit layout and flight characteristics. The A380 features an improved quality glass cockpit. The rudders can be manipulated remotely using electric actuators that are connected to the side control stick. The most modern information display devices are installed in the cockpit. These are nine interchangeable LCD monitors measuring 20 by 15 centimeters. Two of them are indicators of navigation data, two display basic information about the flight, two more inform about the operation of the engines, one provides data on the current state of the entire system. The remaining two monitors are multifunctional.

To refuel the aircraft in question, a mixture of natural gas and GTL can be used.

Materials used

How much does a plane cost More than twenty-eight million euros. The hefty price tag per aircraft is largely due to the use of advanced composite materials of construction, including plastic and metal reinforced with quartz, carbon and fiberglass. In addition, aluminum alloys are actively used in the manufacture of aircraft. In combination with laser welding, this eliminates the need for rivets.

Ensuring a comfortable flight

Experts have established that the noise level in the cabin of the A380 is half that of the Boeing-747. In addition, inside the considered aircraft, the air pressure is maintained at a higher level. Both of these factors are designed to provide less passenger fatigue during the flight.

Two ladders, located in the tail and bow parts of the aircraft, connect the upper and lower decks. The A380 has impressive customization options. That is why, as noted in the Airbus concern, the growth in production rates is not as high as previously thought. The aircraft can be equipped with a shower cabin, a bar counter, a lounge, a shop duty free. Due to the presence of a satellite channel for passengers organized telephone communications or wireless Internet connection (Wi-Fi).

Currently, air transportation in Russia using the A380 is not performed. An order has been placed for four sides, but so far none of them have been built.

Unexpected situations

The first incident occurred on November 4, 2010. On that day, a Qantas A380 was en route from Singapore to Sydney. One of the aircraft's engines failed just a few minutes after takeoff. The plane was forced to return to the airport in Singapore. None of the 433 passengers and 26 crew members were injured, Australian authorities said. In addition, at emergency board landing gear burst tires. After this incident, the company's management decided to suspend the flights of all Airbus A380 belonging to it for two days until the completion of their detailed check.

The second incident occurred on April 12, 2011. Then a board belonging to Air France caught the tail of a CRJ 700 aircraft with its wing. There were no casualties.

Conclusion

Airbus A380 is the result of hard work of developers and manufacturers. This aircraft outperforms its closest competitors in many ways. How much does an aircraft cost, what are the features of its design and the process of creation? All these questions are answered in the above article.