V nice pics there and a medal for braving the conditions 🙂

I *think* you might have been stood next to me on the AVP viewing mounds, looking at the pics as they are the same aircraft that i took pics of 🙂

Michael

It’s not the length or the strength that is the problem but the width

Thats also my understanding of the A380 problems that airports face.

Runway length required is stated by Airbus to be similar to a 747’s requirements.

The A380 is approx 30% heavier than the 747, but Airbus say the gound loading is actually less, because the weight is distributed thru more undercarriage wheels than the 747 (22 against 18).

There will be changes needed at airports for loading passengers, freight onto a double-decker, but the main problem appears to be the A380’s wingspan.

Although the cabin width is similar to a 747, the wingspan is 55foot (14m) wider – which means clearance safety problems on taxiways and also means its going to need re-thinking of the layout of parking gates at airports.

I guess that the main commercial problem for airports and airlines is whether it is a lot easier and cheaper to accomodate / operates more conventional aircraft or whether to outlay time and expenditure accomodating a progressive build-up of A380s (and subsequent “super-jumbos” from Boeing and others) over the next decade or 2.

Which i guess is exactly the same dilema they faced when the 747 first appeared.

Whilst talking to my Manx girlfriend in bed (ok ok calm down 😀 ) we started talking about how the civil aircraft registry markings (G-SPIT etc) were arranged…….
BARNOWL

WHAT ??? – I’ve heard of some strange and depraved bedroom activities in my time, but this takes fetishism to new depths…. 🙂

Have you no shame ??? 🙂

Michael

when i am driving, flying or operating dangerous machinery, i like to listen to a self-hypnosis tape i have which is entitled “deep sleep relaxation techniques”. I usually drink a few bottles of cough medicine before take-off in order to really benefit from the tape…..