• Welcome to the Off-Topic/Schweb's Lounge

    In addition to the Mac-Forums Community Guidelines, there are a few things you should pay attention to while in The Lounge.

    Lounge Rules
    • If your post belongs in a different forum, please post it there.
    • While this area is for off-topic conversations, that doesn't mean that every conversation will be permitted. The moderators will, at their sole discretion, close or delete any threads which do not serve a beneficial purpose to the community.

    Understand that while The Lounge is here as a place to relax and discuss random topics, that doesn't mean we will allow any topic. Topics which are inflammatory, hurtful, or otherwise clash with our Mac-Forums Community Guidelines will be removed.

Airbus A380, World's Largest Passenger Aircraft

Joined
Sep 13, 2006
Messages
3,570
Reaction score
470
Points
83
Location
Colorado
Your Mac's Specs
Mac's
That is very cool Mathogre.... Although it does have a ring of "unsinkable" to it. :(
 
Joined
Apr 29, 2006
Messages
4,576
Reaction score
378
Points
83
Location
St. Somewhere
Your Mac's Specs
Mac Studio, M1 Max, 32 GB RAM, 2 TB SSD
Amazing, just amazing. The bit about approach speed was really neat, although I notice they didn't tell us what it is!

The "unsinkable" comment rings true. I hate to think what happens when 500-700 passengers get taken out in a crash. Are we ready for that sort of mass destruction?
 
OP
mathogre
Joined
Jan 20, 2007
Messages
3,269
Reaction score
270
Points
83
Location
Oakton, VA USA
Your Mac's Specs
White MacBook Intel C2D 2.2GHz, 2G, 250G, SD, Leopard.
A few months ago there was a plane that landed at Newark (EWR), a 757 as I recall, not a large plane but no slouch on size either. It was supposed to be landing on a westbound runway, but instead landed on the parallel taxiway just to its north.

Ah ha! Found some links...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continental_Airlines_Flight_1883_taxiway_landing_incident
http://www.nypost.com/seven/1031200...gionalnews_murray_weiss_and_jeremy_olshan.htm

If you Google Map it w/ the satellite images (or Google Earth), you'll see a most interesting taxiway. It's a bit narrow, curves toward the runway, parallels it, and then curves away. It would have been an exciting ride in the cockpit for sure.

Newark, while not the busiest airport in the US, *is* busy and is very crowded physically. It's well modernized, and the 757 is a very capable and modern aircraft. Imagine an A380 landing on a taxiway like that.

Oh, and on approach speed, it's probably something like 120 knots (~180km/hr or thereabouts).
 
Joined
Mar 30, 2006
Messages
1,611
Reaction score
72
Points
48
Location
Southern California
Your Mac's Specs
Unibody MBP 2.4 GHz C2D/27" Core i7 iMac
One just landed at LAX the other day. :)
 
Joined
Feb 25, 2006
Messages
643
Reaction score
19
Points
18
Location
Streator, Illinois
Your Mac's Specs
MacBook Pro 13 Inch, 2 Mac Mini's 1.66 & 1.83, 2- iMac Intel i3 iPhone 4 & iPad 2 32 gig.
Joined
Dec 29, 2006
Messages
1,177
Reaction score
61
Points
48
Location
California, the golden state
Your Mac's Specs
G4 AGP 400 MHz 1.34gb RAM
I have to admit that I would appreciate the leg room when I travel 11 hours straight.
 
Joined
Jan 13, 2007
Messages
4,773
Reaction score
166
Points
63
Location
Central New York
Your Mac's Specs
15in i7 MacBook Pro, 8GB RAM, 120GB SSD, 500GB HD
Joined
Dec 8, 2006
Messages
205
Reaction score
8
Points
18
Location
UK
Your Mac's Specs
MacBook 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 1 GB RAM, 80GB Hard Drive, 80GB Video iPod (Black)
I wish they would bring back the Concorde. That was a great step forward for mankind, one accident and people overreact. My fathers friend used to fly regularly by Concorde out to Australia and places like that. I really wish I could have had the opportunity.

While impressive there doesn't seem much point in the overall size of the aircraft. It might be a good option for long-haul flights but not so much so for short-haul flights.
 

eric


Retired Staff
Joined
Nov 4, 2006
Messages
8,704
Reaction score
447
Points
83
Location
twin cities, mn, usa
i'm still waiting for them to bring back zeppelins. ;)
 
Joined
Apr 29, 2006
Messages
4,576
Reaction score
378
Points
83
Location
St. Somewhere
Your Mac's Specs
Mac Studio, M1 Max, 32 GB RAM, 2 TB SSD
The real problem with the Concorde was its age. Those planes were all built in the early 70's - they were simply at the end of their serviceable life time. The accident just sealed their fate.

The REAL problem with the Concorde of course is that it was only marginally profitable if at all. It cost too much to run for what they could charge.

I agree though, real shame. I always wanted to ride in one and never did. My wife and I frequently daydreamed about a vacation where we would take the QE2 across the Atlantic to England for the first leg of the trip, and then the Concorde back. Sigh.. never happened, and now never will.

I wish they would bring back the Concorde. That was a great step forward for mankind, one accident and people overreact. My fathers friend used to fly regularly by Concorde out to Australia and places like that. I really wish I could have had the opportunity.

While impressive there doesn't seem much point in the overall size of the aircraft. It might be a good option for long-haul flights but not so much so for short-haul flights.
 
Joined
Nov 18, 2006
Messages
4,934
Reaction score
207
Points
63
Location
Anytown, USA
Your Mac's Specs
27" iMac 2.7GHz Core i5, iPhone 6, iPad Air 2, 4th gen Apple TV
Whatever happened to the sub-orbital planes that would get you from New York to Tokyo in 2 hours?? That was going to be the next big thing in transportation back in the 80's. I think networking capabilities are hindering the travel industry a great deal.
 
Joined
Oct 10, 2004
Messages
10,345
Reaction score
597
Points
113
Location
Margaritaville
Your Mac's Specs
3.4 Ghz i7 MacBook Pro (2015), iPad Pro (2014), iPhone Xs Max. Apple TV 4K
There are many problems with the A380, only a few of them are technical:

1) Too big. It requires major upgrades to Runways and Aircraft handling facilities not to mention gate areas. With the slump in air travel after 9/11 many airlines and airports are not willing to pay this price and won't be anytime soon. As a result, no US based airline has placed an order for the A380 and likely never will.

2) Airbus is arguing internally about where certain parts should be build and assembled. Since they are a consortium owned my several European governments (France, Germany, Spain and the UK IIRC) this issue tends to fall along national boundaries and national pride is an issue. Internal management changes and disputes, accusations of severe mismanagement, fraud and pressures from the high powered European Workers Unions (demanding better wages, shorter work weeks, more vacation and a socialist revolution) are all working against the success of the A380.

3) Fuel efficiency. 4 Engines burn more fuel that 2. All 4 of Boeings best offerings get better gas mileage (757, 767, 777 and the soon to be 787). With prices creeping up at the pump, the A380 is not seen as an optimal buy for many airlines.

4) Airline have been configuring hubs much more in the last few years. You fly people on lots of flights between a few cities and then shuffle them around. The A380 holds too many people for it's own good. At a time when airlines are having a problem filling seats between hubs and cutting back flights to save money, a plane that holds 800 people isn't that good an idea. Couple that with the fuel issues and it becomes less desirable. Oppositely, Boeing currently has 500+ orders for it's small, fuel efficient 787 Dreamliner.

5) Airbus has lost some major contracts for the A380 and it's future existence is in question. Both UPS and FEDEX canceled pre-orders for the A380 citing cost overruns, delivery delays and all of the issues I have listed above. Both then took out contracts with Boeing for 777 aircraft which will fit into their existing fleet without any changes required.

6) At least one non-US airline has canceled their order for the above mentioned reasons (Emirates IIRC)

7) Both Singapore Air and Virgin Atlantic have placed orders but neither has announced expected in-service dates as the deliver of the aircrafts continues to slip, initial delivery is now slated for 2013. The real possibility exists that one of them may cancel their orders.

In summary, cool airplane, wrong time to build it though.
 
Joined
Dec 29, 2006
Messages
1,177
Reaction score
61
Points
48
Location
California, the golden state
Your Mac's Specs
G4 AGP 400 MHz 1.34gb RAM
I don't condone fighting, but these photos looked interesting.
The condensation around the plane makes it look like it is flying through fog.

Air Force presents world's fastest jet, the F-22A Raptor, stealth fighter.

capt.756df30233714d86899ac72b67532090.ventura_county_air_show_carv103.jpg

20070402-000540-pic-204258750_e.jpg
 
Joined
Oct 10, 2004
Messages
10,345
Reaction score
597
Points
113
Location
Margaritaville
Your Mac's Specs
3.4 Ghz i7 MacBook Pro (2015), iPad Pro (2014), iPhone Xs Max. Apple TV 4K
I missed that at a local Air Show a few weeks back. Everyone I know who saw it said it was phenomenal.
 
Joined
Nov 18, 2006
Messages
4,934
Reaction score
207
Points
63
Location
Anytown, USA
Your Mac's Specs
27" iMac 2.7GHz Core i5, iPhone 6, iPad Air 2, 4th gen Apple TV
I don't condone fighting, but these photos looked interesting.
The condensation around the plane makes it look like it is flying through fog.

Air Force presents world's fastest jet, the F-22A Raptor, stealth fighter.

Nice pics! That is, by far, the most beautiful piece of machinery I have ever seen.

What ever happened to the one that was made for vertical take-off and landing? I watched a great documentary on it's development, but haven't seen any in use.
 

Shop Amazon


Shop for your Apple, Mac, iPhone and other computer products on Amazon.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
Top