How much does an Airbus A380 cost? History of the Airbus A380

Airbus A380, Lufthansa
Welcome aboard the world's largest passenger airliner, the Airbus A380, one of best airlines! What does the A380 look like inside? How is the work of the crew on board organized? And absolutely exclusive for my blog - an interview with a flight attendant Lufthansa airlines Anna Rodney. A380: Be part of it!

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

The Lufthansa Airbus A380-800 has the following passenger cabin configuration: upper deck - First Class - 8, Business Class - 98, lower deck - Economy Class - 420 seats, i.e. total 526 passenger seats:

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

The crew boards the aircraft 40-60 minutes before departure and, in fact, 20-30 minutes before passengers board the plane. This time I boarded the flight together with the crew of the Singapore-Frankfurt flight. The first thing that happens in the cabin is a short pre-flight briefing by the crew. The senior flight attendant informs the team about the number of passengers on the flight, introduces the newcomer who will join work on the A380 for the first time, and reports working details. 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 and restrained in case of conflict situations, take into account the fact that we checked out at hotel in the evening before the flight (flight at 23.00), and most passengers have been on their feet since the morning and are already tired from the day." She also thanked the crew for their coordinated work on the previous flight from Frankfurt to Singapore, when medical problems arose and were successfully resolved.

The duration of this briefing is 5-7 minutes, after which all crew members go to their workplaces to prepare for boarding the aircraft. The plane arrived at 17.00 and stayed 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 crew's job 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, she is the one who will tell me today and show me how everything happens on the other side.

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

A little later, a ground service employee entered the cabin with whom a check was carried out and documents were signed:

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

Let's take a 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 they still give the impression of being large.
The cabin is much quieter than other planes. High ceilings and spacious compartments for hand luggage.

Traditional postcard:

LCD screens in the back of the seat in front:

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

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

Business Class:

First grade:

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

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

The traditional colors of Lufthansa airlines are blue and yellow; the interiors of business and economy class cabins are designed in these tones. In First Class, completely new modern shades are used in the interior - brown, beige. The First Class lounge at the airport is also decorated in the same colors. At Frankfurt Airport, gates with two levels of jet bridges are specially equipped for servicing A380 aircraft. Business and first class passengers already at the airport board on the second floor, enter the business lounge and then immediately onto the upper deck of the aircraft upon landing. This way they don't meet economy class passengers.

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

Staircase leading to the First Class cabin:

Welcome champagne:

Bose headphones for First Class passengers:

Chair control panel:

The wall between the seats is individually adjustable.

Each passenger has an individual wardrobe:

Adjusting the window shade:

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

From the flight attendant's point of view, the A380 has much more space and is much more comfortable to work with.

And this is what the cockpit looks like:

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

And these are crew rest areas. The entrance here is down the stairs from first class - these are individual niche beds.
Depending on the duration of the flight, 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 even 45 minutes, the rest of the time he was on his feet.

Here's a Lufthansa A380 inside:)

Now comes the fun part!
I asked Anna a few questions, to which I received interesting answers; it’s always interesting to find out what is not 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 in Airbus family, I fly the A320 and A340, and, quite logically, the A380. Within one family of aircraft, everything is located in approximately the same places and has a very similar technical layout.

Can you compare Boeing and Airbus?
- They say here that the type of aircraft you start flying on is more comfortable. 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, but to me the European one is more logical. The Americans, in my opinion, are more conservative and we (the European manufacturer) have greater comfort for passengers than Boeing.

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

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

What time do you live at your destination?
- I try to live according to local time, I always change my watches.

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

Arab/Asian airlines occupy the leading positions in the SkyTtax ranking. I was not on board their A380, but I saw the reports. Their main advantage is their emphasis on luxury service in all classes. The maximum possible refinement in interior equipment, etc. Lufthansa positions itself as a carrier from point A to point B and offers basic service for each class, but at a very high level. On intra-European flights, the new seats are downright uncomfortable. This is my subjective opinion, but what is your opinion on this matter?
- Unfortunately, I 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 side of the plane with gold, etc. Lufthansa is a so-called business carrier - this is also evident in the choice of destinations (mainly the capitals of different countries, not resort towns) and in the frequency of flights. The emphasis is on efficiency and exclusivity, as our business and first class clients value luxury in simplicity and sophistication, not in gold and diamonds. Although, probably, our most important distinguishing factor is our staff. We have employees from 150 different countries around the world! On our Asian flights there are always several so-called regional colleagues - 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 topic of the shower cabin. The majority voted, so to speak, for a spacious bathroom without a shower. Yes, Emirates offers a walk-in shower, but I honestly don't know how popular it is. Probably the whole point is whether to have it or not to have it. Firstly, in order to use it, passengers must add themselves to the list, and who wants to be first? After all, everyone wants to use it before boarding, and not 3-4 hours before boarding...???

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

What are the features of working at Lufthansa Airlines?
- 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 indicated a good company policy regarding your employer regarding American Airlines. What about Asian/Arabic? Do you have friends there? Their impressions?
- I have several friends 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 airlines. Still, there is a very noticeable difference in the attitude of Arab passengers towards the staff and in the attitude of Europeans. As for the Asian ones, the Europeans do not quite get used to their hierarchical structure (many pilots live in other best hotels than flight attendants), plus they cannot cope with the problems of mentality: in Asia no one criticizes anyone openly - everything happens behind the back, which is not very pleasant for our brother...

A feature of the Emirates dress code is lipstick of a certain red color. Does Lufthansa have any such interesting feature in its dress code or some interesting instructions?
- We don’t have such a feature, except that we are obliged to follow the rules of wearing a uniform. We are forbidden to dye our hair in unnatural colors - like red or green...

How is it determined who works in what class on a given flight?
- Positions are distributed 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 flight crew is 24 people. Do you know everyone? How does rotation happen?
- Before the flight, we all meet for a mandatory briefing - there we get to know each other and determine who will work where

What documentation do you fill out before/during/after the flight?
- We fill out 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 is the replacement done? What if it is the PIC or the co-pilot?
- In every country we fly to, we have a doctor with whom Lufthansa has entered into 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 airplane control now, but do you still feel the difference in flying/take-off/landing technique between different pilots?
- Lufthansa pilots always carry out takeoffs and landings manually, so to speak, 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, and not on superstition. :-) Therefore, no, there are no superstitions.

What is the most positive/negative aspect of your work? In outline:)
- Our work is very interesting - we are always in different countries, meet and get acquainted with interesting people and we go to places where not everyone gets to (for example, to Saudi Arabia- where unmarried women are prohibited from entering). 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 low cost carriers in any cases?
- No, we don’t have any connections with them and among my friends I don’t have anyone who works in such a company.

Which destinations do you love the most?
- Personally, I like to fly to South America most of all - Argentina, Colombia, etc. I speak Spanish quite fluently, 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 the amazing tour and interesting conversation! :)

Official page of the A380 airline Lufthansa.

The Airbus A380 is a passenger double-decker (double-decker) jet aircraft. Today it is the largest and most spacious airliner in the world. Officially, its development began in 2000, the first flight was made in 2005, and in 2007 it was fully put into operation by the companies that pre-ordered it.

Airbus A380 review

The Airbus A380 has several modifications:

• Basic models Airbus A380-800, 842, 861, 862. The length reaches about 73 meters. The difference lies in the installed engines: GP72XX and Trent 900. The ability to vary the on-board temperature from 18 to 30 degrees Celsius, thanks to internal 16 temperature zones, has become unique;
• A380-800F. Cargo model of an airplane. For some time, Airbus S.A.S. accepted orders for the supply of such a modification, but its production was shelved until the design of the passenger version was fully adjusted. The specific timing is still unknown;
• A380-900. Currently in the design stage. It is 7 meters longer than the original version, and if the aircraft goes into mass production, it will be the longest and most powerful. The possible flight distance will reach 14,200 km;
• A380-1000. It is planned to be the most spacious airliner. In the future, it will be able to accommodate 1,073 passengers exclusively in economy class and 757 people in three classes. The start of use is expected to date from 2020-2025. The length of the aircraft is 87 meters;
• A380plus. IN this moment This modification is being tested. On board it will be able to accommodate 80 more people than in the basic version, and also reduce fuel consumption and operating costs.

Airbus A380 passenger cabin design

Airbus a380-800 Emirates interior diagram

The aircraft has an upper and lower deck, which are connected by two staircases, at the nose and tail of the aircraft. Various modifications of the A380 accommodate first class, business economy and premium economy classes.

First grade

IN on a passenger plane Airbus A380 usually has first class seats at the very beginning. Everyone already knows that these places are the best, and the attitude towards the passenger is as if he were a guest of a five-star hotel. Each chair here can be converted into a small bed. The first class section may even have a shower, which is widely used by some airlines.

However, not everything is so smooth and the “suite” also has its drawbacks: these are seats located in the 1st and 4th rows, located in close proximity to the toilet. Also, opposite the 1st row there is a staircase connecting the two decks of the plane, and not every passenger will like such a neighborhood.

Business Class

Business class in the Airbus A380 is located immediately behind the first. There are also comfortable armchairs that can be turned into a bed if desired. The distance between the seats is sufficient, so you can easily stretch your legs to their full length. Passengers are provided with a minibar, which is usually included in the ticket price.

Economy class

On the bottom or main (if the plane consists entirely of one class) there is an economy class. It amounts to 399 seats in the classic layout offered by the manufacturer. The seats here do not lie flat, as in first and business class, but they are quite comfortable. According to the world standard, the distance for the legs between the rows reaches 80 cm. Each passenger has his own screen installed in the back of the previous seat, the ability to watch video, listen to audio, a USB connector and paid Internet. Availability of the latter will depend on the airline.

Best places

As stated earlier, ideal places on this airliner they are in first and business class. In economy you can also get a good job on rows 45, 54 and 82. The seats are located far from the toilets and technical areas, there are no seats in front, which means there is plenty of legroom. Rows 68 and 81 would also be good. They are located near the windows and are considered one of the most comfortable in economy class.

Rows 43, 52, 67 and 80 are considered “average” in terms of convenience. There is enough space between the seats, but technical rooms and a toilet are located nearby, which can cause inconvenience. The worst seats are in row 88. This is where the wall is located, because of which the seat and the toilet room do not recline, where passengers scurry back and forth. It is better to buy tickets here when there are no other options.

Photo of the cabin in economy class:

Main characteristics

The Airbus 380 has a wide fuselage (aisle). It is unique in its kind, which is why it is in great demand among many airlines, both domestic and foreign. The cockpit is the same for all models. Airbus S.A.S. uses this tactic. used to save on crew training.

The Airbus 380 airliner has the following specifications:

• Number of seats as standard - 525;
• Capacity - 853;
• Cabin width - 6.5 m;
• Length - 72.7 m;
• Height - 24.1 m;
• Wing span - 80 m;
• Wing area - 845 sq. m;
• Empty aircraft weight - 276.8 thousand kg;
• Takeoff weight - 560 thousand kg;
• Landing weight - 386 thousand kg;
• Weight without fuel - 361 thousand kg;
• Fuel tank capacity - 310 thousand liters;

Aircraft flight data:

• Maximum flight altitude - 13.1 thousand m;
• The maximum flight distance with a full load is 15 thousand km;
• Run length - 2.9 thousand m;
• Take-off run length - 2 thousand m;
• Engines - 4 R-R Trent 970 or 4 Alliance GP7270.

History of creation

The development of the wide-body aircraft project was started by Airbus S.A.S. back in 1994. Then it was planned to compete with the then monopolist Boeing with its Boeing-747 airliner. Initially, the future brainchild of Airbus had the code name A3XX. The designers wanted to combine two fuselages of the company's largest aircraft at that time, the A340, but this would have led to a significant decrease in flight parameters, an increase in the acceleration length and total weight.

It was decided to use a two-deck model, which gave the car a number of advantages. The project started in 2000, and the amount of planned costs reached 8.8 million euros. The name of the aircraft also has interesting story. Instead of the A340, it received the number A380. In a number Asian countries Eight is considered a lucky number and this probably served as a positive impetus for customers to purchase an airliner.

Construction was completed in 2005 and the aircraft was demonstrated at the airfield in Toulouse. During the tests, engineers identified errors in the design of the wing and it had to be changed in a timely manner. Full tests on the ground and in the air were completed at the end of 2007 and the A380 received European certificates of conformity.

Where is it produced?

Fuselage cross-section

The aircraft is manufactured by the European company Airbus S.A.S., based in Toulouse (France). It also has several offices in Germany, Spain, France and the UK and two factories in Blagnac (a suburb of Toulouse) and Hannover (Germany). The company's activities began in 1969 after the merger of several small European aircraft manufacturing companies. Here, not only passenger aircraft are being developed, but also cargo aircraft, as well as vehicles adapted for military needs.

Cost of different models

The price of different modifications of the A380 can vary greatly. Also, its growth is affected by unstable economic situation in the world. Recently, there has been a steady trend towards higher prices for aircraft. And in general, the airliner itself of this model is considered the most expensive in the entire Airbus family.

The current price of the Airbus A380-800 is US$428 million. The company is still silent about the cost of the models, the production of which is planned to begin in the near future, and the final figure is known only to airlines that have placed pre-orders. Every year prices rise by about 2-3%. A total of 219 vehicles were sold and put into operation, and another 317 are under construction. This information is provided by the official Airbus representative office.

News, modernization, prospects

There are several cases where the order for the A380-800 was placed by important people and famous people. For example, the most common story was about the prince of Saudi Arabia, who bought his own A380 Super Jambo from the company, whose total cost was 488 million US dollars.

There was an opinion that this plane was capable of damaging airport runways, but this turned out to be untrue. The landing gear pressure turned out to be much less than that of its main competitors Boeing 747 and 777. In Russia, the first airport adapted to receive the wide-body A380 was Moscow Domodedovo. The order to rebuild the runway was issued by the agency for air transport in Russia.

The A380 is a true world record holder. It has the quietest passenger cabin noise levels, is the most fuel-efficient and largest aircraft available today.

Due to the large size of the aircraft, 597 kg of paint have to be spent on painting it, and total area surface reaches 10 thousand square meters. m. Also, thanks to the expanded wing area, the airliner's speed is 35 km/h lower than that of its main competitor. This allows you to reduce possible noise at the airport during landing or takeoff.

At the moment, the development of the A380-1000 and A380plus is actively underway. A huge number of airlines have already placed pre-orders for newest aircraft and passengers can only wait for modern cars to go into operation and delight us with their reliable build quality and speed.

Watch a video about the Airbus A380, the largest passenger aircraft in the world.

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

Who is the manufacturer

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 popular Boeing 747. After thinking about the concept for a long time, they came up with the idea of ​​​​creating a double-decker aircraft that could carry more passengers than its main competitor.

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

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

Note! The Airbus concern has calculated that the program's payback will be achieved by selling 420 aircraft.

On January 18, 2005, the A380 aircraft was first presented to the general public, and 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. This was a test flight, the purpose of which was to study the “behavior” of the vessel in high altitude and severe frost conditions. The plane, having flown across the ocean, landed first in Colombia and then flew to Canada. In the same year, the first passenger flight took place (interestingly, the passengers were Airbus employees). The purpose of the flight was to determine the level of flight comfort.

In the same year, the aircraft underwent evacuation certification in Hamburg. Passengers and crew managed to evacuate the plane in 78 seconds against the norm of 90. The European EASA and the American FAA (air safety agencies) passenger transportation) 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 route. Another aircraft was purchased by Qantas and delivered to the Melbourne-Los Angeles route. 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 initially 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; 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 include two decks, which are connected by stairs located in the bow and tail of the aircraft.

If the customer wishes, designers can create various locations on the plane: 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 accommodations for passengers and a gym.

A major contribution to the implementation of the program to create this aircraft was made by the Moscow engineering center Airbus ECAR.

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

Capacity, flight range, speed, altitude

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

Technical characteristics of the aircraft (using the example of the A321-200)

Crew	27 people (2 pilots + flight attendants; if the flight range is more than 14 hours, then + 2 more pilots)
Length (m)	72
Wing span/wing area (m)	80 / 845
Height (m)	24
Empty/take-off weight	280 tons/650 tons
Cruising speed (km/h)	900
Maximum speed (km/h)	1020
Run length (m)	2050
Run length (m)	2900
Maximum flight altitude (m)	13100
Specific fuel consumption	3 liters (per passenger, every 100 km)
Flight range (with maximum load, without refueling)	15.4 thousand km (the cargo modification of the aircraft, designed for 150 tons of cargo, covers distances of 10.3 thousand km)
Capacity (with and without classes)	480-853 passengers

There are nine interchangeable displays installed in the aircraft cockpit.

The A380 aircraft has 22 wheels on the landing gear, which ensures the most comfortable landing. In addition, this design solution is aimed at ensuring that a heavy aircraft does not damage 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 began to be accepted for the first time international Airport"Domodedovo".

Layout of seats in the aircraft cabin

Let's 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 plane has two decks. On the first deck there are seats for economy class passengers, 396 in total, installed in three rows, in a 2-4-2 pattern, and in two rows, in a 3-3 pattern. On the second floor of the A380 there are seats for first and business class passengers in a 1-2-1 configuration. A total of 14 first class seats and 76 business class seats.

There are also two bars on the second floor, one for business class with a bartender, the other for first class, with premium drinks, without a bartender.

There are a total of 15 toilets on the plane. 5 of them are on the upper deck, 10 are on the lower deck. All toilet rooms are well equipped; there are mini-sets of cosmetics and disposable razors on the risers. On the upper deck (on the bow side) there are 2 shower rooms for first class passengers. They need to be ordered in advance, the water only runs for 5 minutes, but they have everything you need to get yourself in order.

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

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

Description of seats by block of rows

Let's consider Airbus salon Emirates A380-800 in standard three-class configuration. The locations are located as follows.

1. Upper deck a380:

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

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

Description of seats by row for a standard three-class configuration

1-4 row (first class)	Great places. Actually separate compartments with a door and bed seats. There is a monitor, a minibar, a blanket, a mattress, a separate menu, access to a VIP bar and a shower. But the seats in the 1st and 4th rows are close to the technical rooms, which are constantly illuminated, so falling asleep here will be problematic.
Rows 6-26 (business class)	Same great places providing a high level of service. But it’s better not to choose seats on rows 23 and 26. They are close to the technical rooms, bar and toilets. A constant flow of people is guaranteed.
Rows 43-51 (lower deck, economy class)	There are good seats here on row 43 (free legroom, but a constant flow of people to the toilets). Excellent seats on row 45 (4 seats in the center row). There is also empty legroom (due to the proximity of the stairs), and there are no people going to the technical rooms. The seats in rows 50 and 51 are not very good; the kitchen is located next to it.
Rows 52-66 (lower deck, economy class)	The best seats here are on rows 52 and 54. Not very good at 65 and 66 (close to the toilets).
67-79 row	Good seats on row 67. There is free space here, but very close to the toilets, so there is a constant flow of people. Row 66 has excellent window seats on both sides (there is free space created by the absence of a seat in front). The seats in row 79 are not very good, as they are close to the kitchen.
80-88 row	The best seats here are on row 81 near the windows and row 82 (4 seats in the center row). The worst seats on the entire lower deck are in row 88. There are toilets nearby, stairs from the upper deck, chairs do not recline.

Facilities on board

Each passenger is given socks and seat stickers. The stickers represent sleep, the desire to have lunch and the desire to receive a booklet from the duty-free store. For an overnight flight, the flight attendant will provide you with a blanket, mattress and pillow (in economy class, only a blanket). The distance between seats in economy class is 80 cm.

The seats are equipped with a touchscreen (17 inch screen) and electric outlet. The multimedia system control panel is combined with a satellite (in first class and business class cabins). Also, massage systems are built into the first and business class seats, which are controlled by a remote control (it also brings the seat to a horizontal position).

Economy class A380 and stairs to the upper deck

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

The plane has a multi-course menu for lunch and dinner, and also has a wine list.

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

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

There is also a satellite channel available, which provides telephone communications 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.

Currently, 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 are quite sufficient to enlarge the aircraft and improve its technical and commercial characteristics. The A390 promises to become an 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 only be implemented by the beginning of 2025. The length of the aircraft will be 87, the wingspan will be 84 (in meters). It will be capable of lifting 1,073 passengers (757 with a three-class configuration). This will be the second largest aircraft in the world, after the An-225 Mriya.

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

Passenger cabin Airbus aircraft The A380 has two decks and can be had in two variants. The first option is when the cabin is divided into three classes (first and business class on the upper deck and economy class on the lower deck, thus the capacity is from 516 to 525 people). The second version of the passenger cabin layout of the A380 aircraft provides only economy class, located on the upper and lower decks with a capacity of more than 644 people.

Interior layout and best seats

The three-class version of the passenger cabin provides for the location of the first class in the front part of the upper cabin. There is no point in proving that the places here are the most comfortable, and the staff service is no worse than in a five-star hotel. Each seat in the first cabin of the A380 aircraft looks like a closed separate compartment with a convenient door. The passenger seat can be folded out and turned into a comfortable bed. Services such as Internet and the ability to charge mobile devices are offered. In addition, each of these “mini-compartments” has a large, convenient monitor and a mini-bar. For first class passengers, there are showers (as, for example, on Emirates Airline aircraft), and an exquisite restaurant menu is also provided.

However, it should be noted that even in first class there are places that have their drawbacks. These are seats in the first and fourth rows (according to the diagram), located close to the toilets. Most likely, passengers will visit the toilet at any time of the day, so the noise of the doors can seriously interfere with the rest of passengers. The close proximity of the service areas also means that staff will often walk past the first and fourth rows of first class, creating additional inconvenience. And of course, in addition to everything, directly opposite the first row of seats there is a staircase leading down to the main deck, which also will not contribute to proper rest, especially at night.

Business class also has very comfortable seats for passengers (although not as good as first class). Each place here is equipped with a comfortable chair, which, if necessary, can be unfolded and turned into a comfortable bed. In addition, there is a good bar here, and the distance between the seats allows you to absolutely not worry about legroom. However, in the business class of the A380 aircraft there are seats with less comfort. These, as in first class, are seats near the bar and near the toilets - usually in the first and last rows. On the diagram of the upper passenger cabin of the Airbus A380 aircraft, these seats are indicated by rows 6, 21, 22 and 26. As for first class, the inconvenience of these seats is explained by the intense flow of passengers to bars and toilets at any time of the day, as well as the movement of service personnel. When booking tickets, you should take this factor into account and take seats in the rows listed above only in cases where there are no more tickets for other seats.

On the lower (or main) deck of the passenger cabin of the Airbus A380 aircraft there is an economy class, usually designed for 399 seats and, as a rule, occupying rows numbered from 43 to 88 (according to the diagram) with two large aisles. The backs of economy class seats cannot recline 180 degrees, but they are very soft and comfortable. The distance between rows is approximately 80 centimeters - according to generally accepted standards. Each economy class seat has its own screen mounted in the seat in front and an audio/video system. Just like for seats in other classes, economy class seats are equipped with USB charging systems and the Internet, which, by the way, is paid on the Airbus A380 aircraft.

The most successful and comfortable seats here are the seats with the letters D, E, F and G, located in rows 45, 54 and 82. The convenience of these seats is explained by the fact that there are no seats in front of them, which means there is ample legroom, in addition , toilets, bar and service areas are located quite far from them. Of course, the absence of seats in the front does not mean that these seats are not equipped with electronic displays for entertainment.

Also very good for relaxation and viewing in economy class are the seats with the letters A and K, located in rows 68 and 81. Their advantage is explained by the fact that these seats do not have other seats in front of them, and also by the fact that they are located near the windows , which makes them “aside” from the general movement of passengers, so they are considered the most profitable and comfortable in the entire economy class.

The seats in rows numbered 43, 52, 67 and 80 are also good. These seats also have more space in front of them, but at the same time they have the serious disadvantage of being close to service areas and toilets with all the associated inconveniences.

The most unfortunate for economy class, and therefore for the entire Airbus A380 aircraft, are the seats located in the 88th (rearmost) row and the seats designated by the letters C and H. Their inconvenience lies, as in many cases, in the fact that that there are toilets right behind them. The fact that the backs of the last seats are blocked does not add to the convenience of these seats, which limits the comfort of passengers.

The history of the Airbus A380

The beginning of the 90s of the last century in the aviation industry was a time of complete dominance of the Boeing 747 in the field of wide-body aircraft. Boeing managed to maintain an advantage for almost 30 years, which forced many companies, such as McDonnell Douglas or Lockheed, to look for a solution that could replace the Boeing 747 and gain a monopoly in the wide-body airliner niche.

In the summer of 1994, Airbus began developing its own wide-body aircraft, codenamed A3XX. Initially, options were considered for the possible combination of two fuselages of the Airbus A340 aircraft. This solution would have made it possible to significantly increase the passenger capacity of the aircraft, since the A340 was the company’s largest aircraft at that time. However, such a decision would also lead to a serious decrease in the aircraft’s flight characteristics, an increase in its weight and the required take-off run.

The development of the A3XX was carried out in partnership with Boeing, which was developing its own model, the Boeing 747X, also aimed at increasing passenger capacity and reducing operating costs. This partnership ended in 1996. And the following year, 1997, Boeing closed its project due to the economic crisis that erupted in East Asia. Meanwhile, Airbus decided to use a double-deck design for the A3XX, which would provide the aircraft with a number of advantages.

In December 2000, they decided to launch the A3XX project, which initially required costs of about 8.8 billion euros. The plane received a new name - A380. There are many hypotheses explaining why Airbus decided to “jump” from number 340 to 380. For example, one of them says that the number 8 is lucky in a number of Asian countries, which were potential customers for the future aircraft.

In the spring of 2001, the design of the Airbus A380 was finally approved, and already at the beginning of 2002, production of the first parts for the aircraft began. They were produced in 4 countries of the European Union, and the delivery of components to the assembly site in Toulouse was carried out by ground and by water transport, as well as by air.

At the beginning of 2005, the first Airbus A380 was built and demonstrated in Toulouse, and in April its first flight was carried out. During testing of the aircraft in early 2006, flaws in the design of its wing were identified. After this, the A380 wing structure was urgently changed.

Ground and flight tests of the aircraft were completed in December 2007, and the Airbus A380 received certificates from EASA and FAA.

Design and characteristics of the Airbus A380

The Airbus A380 is a wide-body jet passenger aircraft. The passenger cabin of the aircraft consists of two decks. Due to its size and large capacity, the aircraft is the largest passenger airliner in the world. Power point The aircraft consists of 4 engines. Depending on the modification, this is the Trent 900 from Rolls-Royce (for Airbus A-300-800), or the GP7000 from Engine Alliance (for other modifications of the Airbus).

Characteristics of the Airbus A380 aircraft:

• Length, m – 72.7
• Wingspan, m – 79.8
• Height, m ​​– 24.1
• Wing area, m2 – 845
• Weight:
  • Max. take-off, kg – 560,000
  • Max. landing, kg – 386,000
  • Empty weight, kg – 276,800
  • Max. weight without fuel, kg – 361,000
• Fuel tank capacity, l – 310,000
• Flight range with max. load, km – 15,000
• Ceiling (max. flight altitude), m – 13,100
• Run length, m – 2,050
• Run length, m – 2,900
• Engines:
  • R-R Trent 970 – 4 x 31780 kgf
  • Alliance GP7270 – 4 x 31780 kgf
• Passenger compartment:
  • Number of seats (single-class option) – 700
  • Number of seats (three-class version) – 555
  • Interior width, m – 5.9-6.6

Airbus A380 modifications

There are the following modifications of the Airbus A380:

1. Airbus A380-800 is the base model of the airliner. A380-841 and A380-842 have a Trent 900 engine. Modifications A380-861 and A380-862 have a GP72XX engine.
2. Airbus A380-800F is a cargo modification of the A380 aircraft.
3. Airbus A380-900 is an extended modification of the airliner, currently under development. It will have increased passenger capacity (more than 900 people) and more powerful engines. Potential buyers will include airlines such as Emirates Airline, Lufthansa and others.
4. Airbus A380-1000 is a modification that will be larger in size than the A380-900 and accommodate more than 1,000 passengers. The project was proposed in 2010.

Airbus A380 operation

Operation of the Airbus A380 aircraft began in 2007. By the end of 2014, the number of Airbuses was already 139 aircraft, and the number of companies operating the aircraft was 10. Emirates Airline operates the most A380 (67 aircraft). Other airlines use from 5 to 19 aircraft of this type, which, of course, cannot compare with Emirates Airline.

The aircraft can be found mainly on intercontinental flights. A larger number of Airbuses are operated by Asian airlines (Emirates Airline, Singapore Airlines, Korean Air and others). Due to operating costs, which are 10-15% less than those for the Boeing 747, the Airbus A380 is a very popular aircraft today. Due to the good price and optimal characteristics of the A380 Emirates airline Airline plans to purchase several dozen more aircraft. At the same time, Emirates Airline also pays attention to cargo modifications of the Airbus. In addition, the air carrier orders more comfortable aircraft (for example, with shower cabins for first class).

Conclusion

The Airbus A380 is the largest passenger aircraft in the world, with a capacity of 519 to 800 people. Reliability, reduced operating costs compared to other wide-body airliners and comfort provide this aircraft with good demand in the market, especially in Asia. The main operator of the aircraft is currently Emirates Airline, which has appreciated the Airbus. In addition, Emirates Airline, albeit indirectly, is helping to further modify the aircraft by showing interest in its new capabilities.

However, in December 2014, Airbus Group announced a possible stop in production of the Airbus A380 aircraft. This is explained by the fact that the demand for this aircraft, according to the company’s management, is not great enough.

However, it is worth recognizing that due to its performance and reliability, the Airbus A380 is a really good aircraft.

If you have any questions, leave them in the comments below the article. We or our visitors will be happy to answer them

Airbus A380 is the largest aircraft of the Airbus S.A.S concern. ( 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 at the bow and aft.

The airliner can make non-stop flights over a distance of 15,000 kilometers and carry a third more passengers than a Boeing 747.
Airbus A380 is the most economical among large airliners: Three liters of fuel are consumed per 100 kilometers per passenger.
The main competitor of this model is the Boeing 747.

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

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

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

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

The first airport in Russia that has agreed to accept the Airbus A380 is Moscow Domodedovo.

History of creation

Development of the aircraft 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 problems were found in the aircraft's electrical wiring. Each aircraft required 100,000 wires and 40,300 connecting elements, amounting to about 530 kilometers of electrical wiring. The problems were resolved within two years.

The A380 features an improved glass cockpit and remote control of the steering wheels using electric drives linked to the side-stick controls. 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 multifunction ones. Another monitor displays data about the current state of the entire system as a whole.

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

To service the A380, special passenger boarding terminals are needed.
The load on the runway pavement was measured using a custom 580 tonne load bogie built to simulate the landing gear of an A380. For the Airbus A380, Group V tracks are sufficient - 45 meters; their expansion to the expected 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 check the comfort and quality of passenger services. The plane took off from Toulouse with 474 employees of the Airbus S.A.S concern. on board.
In November 2006, test flights took place 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.

Technical characteristics of the Airbus A380

The liner has four engines - Rolls-Royce Trent 900 or Engine Alliance GP 7000.
The cabin noise level of the A380 is 50 percent lower than that of the Boeing 747. The air pressure inside the aircraft is higher. 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.
Charter passengers: 853.

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

Flight data:
Cruising speed: 900 kilometers per hour.
Flight range with passengers and luggage (with fuel reserves): 15,000 kilometers.
Operational ceiling: 13,000 meters.

Incidents

On January 10, 2008, an A380 aircraft owned by Singapore Airlines was unable to fly from Singapore to Sydney due to a tractor breakdown. The airliner 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 and the plane was not damaged.

Promising modifications of the A380

It is planned to create the following passenger modifications: A380-800 with 555 seats, a shortened A380-700 with 480 seats and a lengthened A380-900 with 656 seats. A cargo modification of the A380F has also been developed, capable of transporting 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 for the A380F program.
Russian designers have been entrusted with carrying out a significant amount of work on the design of fuselage parts, strength calculations, placement of on-board equipment and support of serial production of aircraft.