How the Airbus A380 Works

How the Airbus A380 Works by Ed Grabianowski

It's the largest passenger jet ever built -- so huge that airports have to be redesigned to accommodate it. It can pack in more passengers and cargo than any other commercial airliner, yet its designers claim it will actually increase efficiency, use less fuel and generate less noise.

Photo courtesy Airbus SAS

A380 is revealed to the public.

The Airbus A380 is generating a lot of excitement in the airline industry, with many people wondering if the world is ready for a plane this big. Plus, the program has been plagued by expensive delays. Although it has taken three test flights -- one in September 2006 and two in March 2007 -- the delays still lead some to wonder if it will ever be finished and ready for commercial production. In this article, we'll find out just how big it is, how many people it can carry and whether it will revolutionize commercial aviation or turn out to be another "Spruce Goose." The Airbus A380 is truly a giant. It has a wingspan of 261.8 feet (79.8 meters), a length of 239.5 feet (73 meters) and a maximum take-off weight of more than 1.2 million pounds (540,000 kg).

While it is the largest passenger airliner ever made, it is not the biggest airplane in the world -- this honor belongs to the Ukrainian An-225 Cossack. A plane this size can potentially carry hundreds more passengers than today's airliners. The A380's two passenger decks (with a cargo deck below) could be outfitted in a single-class configuration to take on up to 840 passengers. However, Airbus isn't focusing on that option, instead designing a three-class configuration for 555 passengers. That's still a marked increase over the 416 passengers that can fit into a Boeing 747-400, the current leader in passenger capacity. In the next section, we'll talk about the A380's interior arrangement.

The Cost of Greatness Airbus has spent an estimated $15 billion on the development of the A380. The price for a single plane is listed at $300 million. Industry experts point out that airlines rarely pay full list price, especially if they order large numbers of planes, so it is difficult to determine exactly how many planes Airbus needs to sell to recoup the development costs. It's important to remember that a new

airplane design will be modified and upgraded for decades -Airbus has said that it's looking toward 2020 in designing the A380. The Boeing 747 has been flying since 1970.

A380 Interior Setup Why choose the three-class configuration over the higher-capacity, single-class setup? The official Airbus Web site has this to say: The A380's twin-aisle, twin-deck passenger cabin offers the long-distance traveller a whole new level of comfort. A cabin designed around a large sample of today's real passengers providing more space regardless of class of ticket, wider seats and aisles. Optional lower deck use for rest areas, business, bar or other amenities can further enhance the A380 travel experience.

The reality is, economy class seats will be about 1 inch (2.54 cm) wider, while first-class seats may fold down into beds. Some have even suggested that the A380 could be outfitted as a "luxury jet," complete with a casino, shops, hot tubs and double beds.

Photo courtesy Airbus SAS

A380 cabin mock-up, upper-deck business class

Photo courtesy Airbus SAS

A380 cabin mock-up, upper-deck social area

Photo courtesy Airbus SAS

A380 cabin mock-up, main-deck economy class

Most airlines are looking for efficiency rather than luxury, and the A380 provides that, as well. It has a range of 8,000 nautical miles and utilizes a host of new technologies and better engines to increase fuel efficiency. In the next section, we'll discuss these advances in efficiency.

The Biggest Planes Ever The An-225 Cossack is the largest plane to ever fly (see Russian Aircraft Museum: An-225 "Mria" Cossack). This six-engine monster was designed to carry the Soviet space shuttle, and first took to the air in 1988. Only one prototype was built, and the plane never went into production. After years of collecting dust, the Cossack -- with a wingspan of 290 feet (88 meters) and a length of 275.6 feet (84 meters) -- is in use as a cargo plane.

The Hughes HK-1 Flying Boat (known as the Spruce Goose for its allwood construction -- see Evergreen Aviation Museum: Hughes Flying Boat) was built in 1947. With a wingspan of 320 feet (98 meters) and a length of 218.5 feet (66.6 meters), it was the largest plane in the world for many years. Only one was ever built, and it only flew once. "Spruce Goose" has become synonymous with ambitious, incredibly expensive projects that are ultimately doomed to failure. The A380 comes in third overall when you compare planes by an average of their length and wingspan, but several other planes are in contention. These include the KM Caspian Sea Monster, a plane that uses ground effects to float just above the water (known as an Ekranoplan); the An-124 Condor; the U.S. military's C-5 Galaxy transport; and the Boeing 777-300ER.

A380 Advances Airlines aren't ordering A380s just because it's big. The new design has to offer them a way to make more money, especially with the entire airline industry suffering from narrow profit margins. The A380 does offer opportunities for increased profit through the economics of scale.

Photo courtesy Airbus SAS

The operating cost of an A380 is not substantially greater than that of the Boeing 747 (the closest passenger jet in size and capacity). Every extra passenger on an A380 represents money made by the airline above and beyond what they could have made on a smaller plane. The increased range also helps add to an increased number of "seat-miles" per flight.

The end result is a drop in per-passenger operating costs of 15 to 20 percent, according to Airbus. Airbus has also introduced several updated technologies in efforts to make the A380 as fuel efficient and environmentally friendly as possible. High-efficiency engines are being developed by Rolls-Royce and a partnership between General Electric and Pratt & Whitney known as Engine Alliance.

Photo courtesy Airbus SAS

Fitting a Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engine onto the MSN001, the first A380 (September '04)

The use of lightweight materials has helped to keep the weight down, while extensive windtunnel testing has resulted in the optimum aerodynamic shape for the A380. Special dampeners keep the noise level coming from the engines down to about half that of other jumbo jets. Carbon fiber, a strong, light but expensive material, is used on key parts of the A380. Roughly 25 percent of the plane's overall structure is made from carbon-fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP). To create the various shapes that comprise the A380, engineers use different processes. For large, flat pieces, a computer-controlled tape-laying machine processes resin-impregnated carbon-fiber tapes in a pressurized autoclave. For curved pieces, the CFRP fabric is shaped dry and then impregnated with resin. For some parts, large pieces of carbon-fiber were stitched together by computerized, industrial sewing machines.

International Feud The arrival of the A380 is not just a matter of Airbus versus Boeing. The launch of Airbus' mammoth jet is pitting U.S. trade officials against the European Union. At the heart of the matter are World Trade Organization treaties that limit the government subsidization of international industries. Airbus has been funded by low- or zero-interest loans from European nations throughout its existence, with some loans being outright forgiven. Industry insiders claim the A380 is the most heavily subsidized airplane in history, with Boeing claiming that $15 million came to Airbus from EU governments. There are counter-claims that Boeing receives subsidies from the U.S. government.

A380 vs. Boeing 747-400 Let's compare the Airbus A380 with the Boeing 747-400 (the 400 is the most recent and best-selling version). This comparison is based on the basic configuration of the A380, although several variations are planned, including the A380F (for freight).

Photos courtesy Airbus SAS (left) and Chris Sloan

Airbus A380 illustration (left) and Boeing 747-400

Airbus 380

Boeing 747-400

Wingspan

79.8 m (261 ft 10 in)

64.4 m (211 ft 5 in)

Length

73.0 m (239 ft 6 in)

70.7 m (231 ft 10 in)

Height

24.1 m (79 ft)

19.4 m (63 ft 8 in)

Weight: Empty

610,700 lbs (277,000 kg)

393,263 lbs (178,756 kg)

1,234,600 lbs (560,000 kg)

875,000 lbs (397,000 kg)

2

2

555

416

Two decks, two aisles per deck

Two decks, two aisles main deck

8,000 nm (14,800 km)

7, 260 nm (13,450 km)

Service ceiling

43,000 ft (13,100 m)

41,000 ft

Top cruising speed

Mach 0.88 (299 m/s)

Mach 0.92 (313 m/s)

Long-distance cruising speed

Mach 0.85 (289 m/s)

Mach 0.85 (289m/s)

4 Rolls-Royce Trent 900 turbofans (initially 70,000 lb thrust; cleared at 80,000 lb thrust)

4 Pratt & Whitney PW4062 turbofans (63,300 lb thrust)

Measurements

Weight: Max Takeoff Capacity/Layout Crew Passengers (threeclass arrangement) Seating configuration Miscellaneous Range

Powerplant

or 4 Engine Alliance GP7200 turbofans

or 4 Rolls-Royce RB211-524 H2-T (59,500 lb thrust)

or (approx. 82,000 lb thrust)

General Electric CF680C2B5F (62,000 lb thrust)

*Sources: Airbus.com; Boeing.com; Airliners.net; Rolls-Royce.com; Pratt-Whitney.com; AirGuideOnline.com