Airbus A380.....

One up for the European?
Will the US try and ban it like Concord?

have you seen the news? it landed at heathrow a few hours ago.
didnt look that big untill a landrover parked beside it

it cant be an ecological beats its more ecological than most of the planes out there today....

You guys really shold go and experience it live and next to a 747, A330/340 or 777 First time you see it is unbelievable. The wings are so massive, it is like nothing else seen before in Aviation.

My girlfriends sister flies the 777 which is a fine aircraft but this beauty takes some beating!

Saw it today, it did a flypast at the Filton plant in Bristol. Absolutely monstrous, it looked close when it was a few miles away! Surprising quiet as well (I know, it was empty and throttled back, but impressive nontheless

I think its a fantastic plane. I also agree that Concorde's failure was mainly the result of American jealousy. Already we hear Boeing deriding the new plane.

I hope it succeeds and brings down the cost of trans-atlantic flying.

http://events.airbus.com/A380/default1.aspx

Originally Posted by Alfaguy

Already we hear Boeing deriding the new plane.

Yeah, typical.

I see BAe are flogging their share of Airbus
to concentrate on the more profitable "war & death"
I mean defence market.

Its high time the EU stopped playing second fiddle to the USA in economics.

http://www.pinr.com/report.php?ac=vi...anguage_i d=1

Its not a pretty plane but thats not the point, it's still an engineering masterpiece. I am going to fly to Manila just after it is launched and I am going to fly singapore airlines so that on the fist leg of my journey I can go on it.

Nev,
You say "war & death", what about all the technological advances which have been made by those companies and agencies innovating in the field of defence over the years? For example, would we have had the jet engine or radar developed as well as they are today without the "war & death" industry? and more recently GPS? All now fundamentals to modern life.

It's not all war-mongering you know, for example Search & Rescue platforms are produced by defence companies - are they a bad thing?

That company is also the largest exporter by monetary value in the UK - thanks to it's "war & death" products! All good for the UK taxpayer - but that doesn't affect you!

Originally Posted by Spider Charlie

Nev,
You say "war & death", what about all the technological advances which have been made by those companies and agencies innovating in the field of defence over the years?

Don't disagree with you.

There are only two major technological drivers:

War and ....... [drum roll please]

Porn. (Surprising, but true.)

It's just wierd that when there is the possibility of a successful
civilian project and BAe want ot pull out.

Anyway all tech advances in the UK will now belong to the US
now that they've sold off DERA.

Originally Posted by Nev

There are only two major technological drivers:

War and ....... [drum roll please]

Porn. (Surprising, but true.)

Eros and Thanatos, Freud was right

You're right, the A380 could well be an excellent Euro product and will hopefully show Boeing a thing or two.

However, it appears that the majority of R&D and design has now been completed - the areas though which technological advances are made - and what remains is a (hopefully long!) production activity - which is likely to produce less in terms of technical advances. Although, hopefully the UK-based skilled jobs in the production run will remain in this country.

Also BAE Systems (new name after it's merger with GEC Marconi Avionics a few years back) thinks that they have made their money out of their share in Airbus over the years - I understand that they are likely to make a healthy return over the amount they initially paid for their share.

Is DERA not now QinetiQ - and is still a UK organisation - I think . Although, I suspect you're right about the Americans "obtaining" all those advances

Originally Posted by Spider Charlie

Is DERA not now QinetiQ - and is still a UK organisation - I think . Although, I suspect you're right about the Americans "obtaining" all those advances

Yup, after Qinetiq's (dumb name, don't they know it Q U in english?)
IPO anything the Yanks haven't already taken without paying for
(e.g. chobham armour, hovercraft, jet engine)
they can now buy up for knock down prices.

Originally Posted by mave

Saw it today, it did a flypast at the Filton plant in Bristol. Absolutely monstrous, it looked close when it was a few miles away! Surprising quiet as well (I know, it was empty and throttled back, but impressive nontheless

It was bloody huge from underneath, at the end of the runway!

But also amazingly quiet, & very slow

I saw it fly over the centre of Bristol and thought it was a beautiful aircraft. For it's size it was amazingly quiet and graceful almost.

It is just bringing so many changes with it. It really is a revolution of the entire Aviation industry. Everything affiliated with it is HUGE.. i've seen the Loaders they will use for Catering, and the Tow truck 1200 hp triple axle monster