To an end with the announcement of The production of the Airbus A380, the largest passenger aircraft in the world, ends 2021 ahead of schedule. Only 17 machines are built. By Andreas Spaeth.
Air travel is for many in the industry is an emotional matter. The message of the setting of the Airbus A380-programme to 2021, the Chairman of the largest customer, Emirates, Sheikh Ahmed Al Saeed Al Makthoum commented on Thursday with words like “disappointment” and “sadness”. Emirates President Sir Tim Clark was the biggest driving force behind the only double-Decker aircraft in the world, he had personally pushed a lot of innovations, such as the initial installation of showers in a transport plane, or the establishment of a Bar-Lounge for Premium passengers.
Not surprisingly, the A380, the world’s currently around 230 are on the go, one of the passengers to witness the most popular flight. So Airbus chief Tom Enders rushed on Thursday to assure: “the end of A380 production, does not mean the end of the A380 programme.” Airbus in promises its customers the continued support of the aircraft until well into the 2030s.
Just Jumobo anniversary
How emotional air travel, was only a few days ago, obviously, than the Boeing 747, the Jumbo Jet, the 50. Anniversary of the first flight in 1969, celebrated. The 747 is revered as the “Queen of the Skies” in the world, a Form of the Affection, the less attractive the A380 is never. Over three decades after the Start of the 747 were broken up by the Europeans at the beginning of the Millennium, to crack the long-standing monopoly of the world’s largest aircraft maker from Seattle. At the time, as a Symbol of European unity, as the industrial counterpart to the single currency, the Euro celebrated, should bring the Airbus A380, the world’s largest passenger plane for theoretically up to 853 passengers, the Europeans on the Offensive.
Always an eye-catcher: A A380 on the runway of Leipzig-Halle airport (Saxony)
It was hoped to sell more than 700 aircraft. Boeing had generated with its monopoly on Riesenjets many decades of huge profits, the other programs subsidized and fight prices possible. But from today’s perspective, the Timing and the market assessment were provided by Airbus, at the time, wrong. “We were at least ten years too late”, said Airbus CEO Tom Enders on Thursday.
More passengers, Yes, but not for the giants
It was expected to be steadily increasing air traffic between the large Mega-hubs, which were only overcome by larger aircraft. In fact, the figures reach the global passenger every year new records. However, not benefited, such as from Airbus, the A380 is hoped that program, but other aircraft. Because both Boeing with the already, launched in 1995, 777 and especially the 787 “Dreamliner”, but also Airbus with the A350 new, efficient, economical, two spotlights on the market, flew even lower unit costs per seat than the much larger A380, with four engines. “The end of the A380 is the end of the large four-engined aircraft,” says Airbus chief Enders.
Rather ugly: Destroyed powerplant of the Airbus A380 of Air France after the emergency landing in Goose Bay (Canada)
With the two spotlights are also non-stop, could, suddenly, long-haul flights between secondary markets operate, what proved to be act as a big success in the pass were tired of crowded major airports. Airbus continued with his giant on the wrong horse and should have been 20 years ago, to recognize that already at that time, the 747 had passed its Zenith as a passenger plane. Their newest model, the 747-8, which came on the market in 2012, proved to be in the passenger version, as a shop Keeper.
Being overweight is never good
While the Boeing 747 will be built after 50 years of age and over 1500 copies sold, continue to, if on the back burner and mainly as a cargo ship, the A380 program is now in 2021. Only 14 years after the introduction in the line of duty in 2007, the largest aircraft in the world is not built then. Today just might be sold 313, 123 of them at the Emirates. As Airbus confirmed, will be shipped only 17 machines until the following year – 14 to Emirates and three to the last new customer All Nippon Airways of Japan.
The A380 suffered from especially Overweight. “This aircraft is very difficult and consumes a lot of fuel, because its structure is designed for the stretched Version,” said Qatar Airways chief and A380 operators, Akbar Al Baker only last week. Airbus had forward planned to start out with an extended A380, due to lack of demand but never. “The surface structure of the A380 could carry an additional 100 tons of weight, it would have been better if they had tailored the wings to the actual weight of the aircraft, and thus much easier to built. Then it would have been the perfect aircraft,” said Al Baker. He announced, the first of its ten A380s already in 2024 to get rid of, if you were ten years old, and to replace them by modern, two radiators. Sorry about the premature setting he’s not, but it is said Al Baker.
The A380 is for Airbus still an important milestone, “their DNA is very clear in the A350, its construction would not have been possible without the experience of the A380,” said the designated Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury on Thursday. Airbus had suffered at the beginning of the A380 programme, with significant production irregularities between the German and French locations. The seem to be overcome since then. However, the Airbus countries, such as Germany, France, great Britain and Spain, now have to stay on a portion of the estimated development cost of the 25 billion euros sitting. Refunds will not give it, it said on Thursday.