EU-DIGEST

A380: Taking the Largest Passenger Jet for a Test Drive - by Barbara Peterson

ABOARD LUFTHANSA FLIGHT 8942, March 21 — It took a mere 16 seconds for the largest airplane in the world to lift off runway 4L at JFK International Airport. The short takeoff, which we could watch on our individual TV screens thanks to cameras positioned on the plane's exterior, confirmed that the world’s largest jetliner could use less runway than many smaller jets. It also was testimony to the force of the aircraft’s four Rolls Royce engines—which each provide about 70,000 lbs. of thrust.

“Wow—that was fast,” I heard someone mutter from a couple of rows back. And that is another feature that Airbus loves to talk about: Tthe fact you can eavesdrop on conversations is possible because the plane cabin noise level is lower than on the competition. Airbus has claimed that the cabin noise is 50-percent less than what you would experience on a 747. The plane is pressurized at about 5000 ft., around 3000 ft. lower than most commercial airliners. In theory, the lower cabin altitude will help to moderate almost every ill-effect of long-haul flying, from dehydration to jet lag.

Labels: Airbus380, Aircraft Industry, Comfort, Europe, Technology, Tourism