The Herald Sun
Hollywood actor and pilot John Travolta said at the Paris air show he found it easy to fly Airbus’s troubled A380 superjumbo and hoped to outdo rival Tom Cruise as a real-life Top Gun.
Travolta is a qualified pilot with more than 5000 flight hours under his belt and he took the controls of the world’s largest airliner as a co-pilot in Australia.
“I did fly that A380 you know. I was the first non-test pilot to fly that and I’m telling you it’s a very easy plane to fly but technically complicated.
“But it was a privilege to be able to be the first (non-test) pilot to fly it.
Delays to Airbus’ A380 superjumbo caused a slump in the 2006 profits of parent company EADS, although the company has since fought back with a series of high-profile orders at the Paris event.
Hollywood’s love affair with aviation peaked with the 1986 movie Top Gun about the training of a naval flying ace starring Travolta’s friend Cruise.
Asked whether he would buy any planes at the show, Travolta replied: “Oh, no, no, no.”
By: bring_it_on - 15th July 2007 at 09:56
Why is it referred to as “Airbus’s troubled A380 ?” :confused:
Well the thing was launched in 2000 , has only sold 170 odd in 7 years , has cost 20 billion dollars+ with delays and is late by close to 2 years and has an entire version (F) pushed back by 6 years ! If that doesnt qualify as “Troubled” for an aircraft development project then i dont know what does !
By: sferrin - 14th July 2007 at 13:15
Why is it referred to as “Airbus’s troubled A380 ?” :confused:
“controversial” is another word lame reporters like to use to describe things.
By: pierrepjc - 13th July 2007 at 13:37
Standard journalist writing, first a bit of good news with a filler/bad news to follow. Even when it enters service they will still report it as troubled.
Paul
By: Ren Frew - 13th July 2007 at 13:24
Why is it referred to as “Airbus’s troubled A380 ?” :confused:
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July 13, 2007 at 6:44 am