Big day in commerical airplane history

[MMike]

First A380 was delivered to Singapore today

http://edition.cnn.com/2007/BUSINESS/10/15/airbus.a380/?iref=mpstoryview

http://i.l.cnn.net/cnn/2007/BUSINESS/10/15/airbus.a380/art.airbus.afp.gi.jpg

[valve bouncer]

I'll be in Singapore in December, hopefully I'll get a chance to have a bit of a look. No chance I'll be flying in that bastard, I'll be in one of your poxy Boeing death-traps. Flying coffins I tell ya!!!!!!!

[Westy]

I'll be in Singapore in December, hopefully I'll get a chance to have a bit of a look. No chance I'll be flying in that bastard, I'll be in one of your poxy Boeing death-traps. Flying coffins I tell ya!!!!!!!


Smaller planes are better. You don't have to wait the 2 hours to get on or off the damn things.

[valve bouncer]

Smaller planes are better. You don't have to wait the 2 hours to get on or off the damn things.
ANA have 747's configured for over 500 here and they turn them around in 45 minutes and given that the 380 will deplane/board from both decks I think they'll be alright.
Besides this is Singapore Airlines not some crappy American carrier full of grumpy hosties who put their make-up on with a trowel. Half the time I don't wanna get off the bastard when I get to Changi.:busted:

[MMike]

Everyone but north americans seem to be able to doll up their a/p's really nicely......

[DaveW]

Yeah but the Singapore airlines hostesses are a cut above the rest! :D
Always love flying with them.

[valve bouncer]

Yeah but the Singapore airlines hostesses are a cut above the rest! :D
Always love flying with them.
Singapore isn't a bad place, but it's pricey. I'd transit elsewhere but Singapore Airlines are just that bloody good. A friend just moved there this year so it's an easy choice, don't have to pay for a hotel.

When I'm there in December my mate is gonna take me to this place he calls "The Four Floors of Whores".....can't wait.:busted: Yeah, yeah, I know.:picsstfu:

[DaveW]

Yeah, yeah, I know.:picsstfu:

And that was the last we ever heard of VB..........

[MMike]

First revenue flight happened.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21465575/

Big big stuff......

[valve bouncer]

First revenue flight happened.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21465575/

Big big stuff......
Have you seen the suites Singapore put in. That's how to fly. Sounds like they're getting pretty good fuel burn per passenger/100km or however they work it out. Gonna be a winner I think, much better than those Boeing Pintos you made.

[urbaindk]

2 Questions for Mike.

1. If they can make a giant airplane fly, why can't they get decent sounding audio for the in-flight entertainment system? If they can't straighten out that little electrical detail, what gives you confidence that the important stuff is working right?

2. Why the hell can't they make a plane with passenger exits at the front and rear of the plane so that folks in the back of the plane don't have to wait 30 freaking minutes to disembark while grandma struggles to get her bags from the overhead compartment?

[dante]

Have you seen the suites Singapore put in. That's how to fly. Sounds like they're getting pretty good fuel burn per passenger/100km or however they work it out. Gonna be a winner I think, much better than those Boeing Pintos you made.

my view of Boeing vs Airbus is compromised by the fact that the US carriers fly ANCIENT 747s with no in-seat entertainment (both United and NWA), while the Airbuse 340s I've flown (Cathay) are all new, pretty, and have uncut first-rate movies in every seat. would love to compare new Boeings to new Airbuses, but United/NWA are too cheap to update their planes (or they don't face enough competition, so the Asia routes are the last to be updated, unlike their Europe routes). :banghead:


(the fact that Cathay gave away as much free booze as you could drink didn't hurt matters, nor did the fact that their flight attendants were far more attractive than their American counterparts... :cupidarrow:)

[MMike]

2 Questions for Mike.

1. If they can make a giant airplane fly, why can't they get decent sounding audio for the in-flight entertainment system? If they can't straighten out that little electrical detail, what gives you confidence that the important stuff is working right?

2. Why the hell can't they make a plane with passenger exits at the front and rear of the plane so that folks in the back of the plane don't have to wait 30 freaking minutes to disembark while grandma struggles to get her bags from the overhead compartment?



Ummmm...."weight saving"

[MMike]

Everyone's gonna forget about the A380 in about 6 months when the 787 gets off the ground (for real).

EADS has lost so much moeny of the A380 fiasco, the break-even point is at ship #420. They've sold 165 so far. And they've been taking orders for a few years now.

787 has sold over 700 ships and they haven't flown it yet.

Then of course the A350 will come along (to compete with the 787) and likely up the ante again.

This business is such a fun show to watch......

On a side note: The only North American project I worked on was for United 757's. The were upgrading them for some shuttle flights. I forget the name of the service. But they were going to hand out portabel DVD players to everyone to plug into the armrest. First class seats were going to have back cyclers too. Certainly not Asian-calibre...but it was better than usual for a shuttle flight.

and now that I've typed this, I forgot I also did some work on the Delta "Song" 757 shuttle too....(different company)

SLAYER2003 really should chime in on this one....

[DaveW]

Things are looking a bit rosier for Airbus today.

Emirates $35bn order boosts Airbus in sales dogfight with Boeing (http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/engineering/article2852772.ece)