Does anyone know if Pakistan requested the Block 50/52 or the Block 60! If they were to choose the latter, then the question is relevent. If it was to be the Block 60 then I believe the closest competitor would be the Rafale, which I believe India has expressed an interest at some point.

I am certain that Airbus wouldn’t allow the aircraft to move forward with taxying and flight tests if the aircraft even the smallest problem with its landing gear. There has been enough hoopla about the A380 that EADS doesn’t need to see its masterpiece execute a belly land after any of its test flight. I can guarantee the technical directors have gone over all the data before they moved forwrd with further testing.
The one thing which I keep wondering is how excited the flight crew must be knowing that the moment of truth is near! I know that I would hardly be able to contain myself.

If BMW own Rolls Royce, wouldn’t it be safe to say that they indeed indirectly manufacture jet engines! After all, before they began designing cars, they built engines for WWII fighters such as the Me109 and the Fw-190.

This is in fact great news for Boeing but it’s funny how no one really knows who has expressed interest in the A350. Not to take anything away from Boeing’s great sales thus far this year, I find it interesting that only Boeing would announce to the world that they have “potential” sales for 600 787s!

Read article on Yahoo.finances that EADS hopes to have the A380’s first flight achieved during the second half of April. Taxy test, however, are scheduled to begin sometime this week.

Is the second airframe the A380 that will be equipped with the GP7000 engines? If so I would imagine that they are just starting the build now as it is not scheduled to fly until later in the year (Hopefully while I am in France, that would give me the excuse to drive to Toulouse!).

I dont want to start a new thread on this but is a 900 varient in the offering, possibly with a launch at paris. I heard somewhere that Emirates want to order 40 of them!!!!- although i dont believe it….

I’ve read the same thing but I can’t remember where.

Another way to make the difference between the M and C variants is the sturdy looking landing gear used by the naval aircraft. You will notice the important nose up attitude when the Rafale M sits on the ground. This landing gear was created to allow carrier operations which are very demanding when the aircraft operates from the De Gaulle or any other flat top.