This is nothing like the Concorde, really. It's a quiet (half the noise of a 747) wideboy double-decker jumbo. It doesn't have any of the problems of the Concorde (small cabin, afterburning military engines, insane fuel consumption, monstrous noise levels). The Pacific Rim airlines have been clamoring for something like this for years because they move truly astounding, ever-increasing numbers of passengers. I was subscribed to Aviation Week for 3 years, and I swear that every other issue had an article about the record number of passengers flown by Pacific Rim airlines. And said airlines clamoring for larger planes. Companies like Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Thai Airways, and even Qantas! They were all first in line to place orders for the A380. Lufthansa, Virgin, Air France (natch) and several Middle Eastern airlines are also getting them. Emirates is getting 43, which is pretty mindboggling. Total orders right now stand at 166 planes. These are passenger versions only. Nobody's ordering the freight version because of production delays. UPS and FedEx dropped their orders. I bet you that they will eventually get some of those suckers!
This isn't the Hughes "Spruce Goose" Hercules here! It's not a plane that makes sense for the US, but the rest of the world seems to want it.
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momijizukamori
no subject
Date: 2007-03-21 03:10 am (UTC)This is nothing like the Concorde, really.
It's a quiet (half the noise of a 747) wideboy double-decker jumbo.
It doesn't have any of the problems of the Concorde (small cabin, afterburning military engines, insane fuel consumption, monstrous noise levels).
The Pacific Rim airlines have been clamoring for something like this for years because they move truly astounding, ever-increasing numbers of passengers.
I was subscribed to Aviation Week for 3 years, and I swear that every other issue had an article about the record number of passengers flown by Pacific Rim airlines.
And said airlines clamoring for larger planes. Companies like Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Thai Airways, and even Qantas!
They were all first in line to place orders for the A380.
Lufthansa, Virgin, Air France (natch) and several Middle Eastern airlines are also getting them.
Emirates is getting 43, which is pretty mindboggling.
Total orders right now stand at 166 planes.
These are passenger versions only. Nobody's ordering the freight version because of production delays. UPS and FedEx dropped their orders.
I bet you that they will eventually get some of those suckers!
This isn't the Hughes "Spruce Goose" Hercules here!
It's not a plane that makes sense for the US, but the rest of the world seems to want it.