Virgins 1st A380

Here is the list of the 23 first 380,as you can see Virgin are number 10 Emirates have 10 more planes until they get there first out of 59, number 6 has just rolled out of the factory (see link)it will be great seeing the Virgin flag on one of these machines.

http://www.planepictures.net/netshow.php?id=402879

1 380-841 Airbus Industrie F-WWOW
2 380-841 Airbus Industrie F-WXXL On order
3 380-841 Singapore Airlines 9V- On order
4 380-841 Airbus Industrie F-WWDD On order
5 380-841 Singapore Airlines 9V- On order
6 380-841 Singapore Airlines 9V- On order
7 380-841 Singapore Airlines 9V- On order
8 380-841 Singapore Airlines 9V- On order
10 380-841 Virgin Atlantic G- On order :D:):D
13 380-861 Emirates A6- On order
14 380-800 Qantas VH- On order
15 380-841 Qantas VH- On order
17 380-861 Air France F- On order
18 380-861 Malaysian Air 9M- On order
22 380-800 Malaysian Air 9M- On order
23 380-861 Air France F- On order

regards

Dave

Would be great to see a time-lapse video of the 380 being constructed. I have a video somewhere from Boeing, showing a whole 777 being built from scratch, over about 7 minutes! [8D]

cheers for da info...
i personally don't think that the A380 looks like a sleek aircraft however will be a great machine. it looks short and wide, in comparison does anyone know how long it is compared to other boeing and airbus aircraft.

cheers

http://www.planepictures.net/netshow.php?id=400716

I look at a picture like this, and I just feel so impressed with how clever humans can be.. to build something like this. Jeez....

any questions you have fire away my husband builds the wings at airbus broughton!!!

Personally, I think the A380 is a great example of human innovation and technological advancement. Also, the height of the fuselage hides its length which is actually just 2m short of a -600 at 73m.

Cheers,
VS045

Fabulous picture and fabulous engineering by Airbus ... I should think when the 380 joins Virgin's fleet it will provide an amazing experience (given Virgin's flare for innovation and fun).

So, guesses for which route it will fly first? Given the length of flight how about SYD?

[Scrooge]

It will be a high load route,probably JFK or maybe even LAX,if they did away with 24 it should get the loads to justify it.

Originally posted by jetwet1
It will be a high load route,probably JFK or maybe even LAX,if they did away with 24 it should get the loads to justify it.

I wonder if they would deliberately widely advertise the route/flight it is serving, in order to get extra pax who want to fly on the aircraft?!

Soory guys,
but Concorde was beautiful, TSR2 was beautiful, 747 is elegant, the old VC10 was stunning, but the A380 is just a Super Guppy with seats, pug ugly, as are the rest of the Airbus models, no soul to them [:(]

It would be interesting to know which route VS intends to use its one A380. With SQ's 5 it could do the LHR to SYD route consistently with A380 where there is heavy traffic. It could also use it for LHR-HKG-SFO is another busy route.

With one A380, it could do a LHR-JFK route but with the other daily flights it has, I would wonder if this traffic would justify this route. LHR - JFK is more a high frequently route at various times during the day. Dubai might be another workable route and Emirates would have installed gates for the A380 but is new to VS and I am not sure if VS has established the route yet.

LHR - SFO is the route that sells out fastest and where VS has only one daily slot but one plane could not cope with a daily flight.

Unless, they put the A380 on the LHR-JFK, I suspect that we are going to get loads of queries if a given route on a given day will be a A380 on a given day or if it is another plane type.

Many of VS's airports have been surveyed as being A380 capable by the time VS gets them, so none or really out of the question.

Originally posted by VS-EWR
Many of VS's airports have been surveyed as being A380 capable by the time VS gets them, so none or really out of the question.

Orlando International Airport say they're ready now according to their Web Site

Originally posted by KenJohn
Unless, they put the A380 on the LHR-JFK, I suspect that we are going to get loads of queries if a given route on a given day will be a A380 on a given day or if it is another plane type.

Or how about putting it on to JFK and driving down prices?

[Scrooge]

What I think you will see is VS slot the first one into a high density route until they have a enough to run a dedicated route,so you may well see the A380 replacing a 744 on a JFK route.This will help VS in a couple of ways.Of course it's good to have the extra seats and it will allow crews to do some on the job trainging.

Originally posted by AlanA
Soory guys,
but Concorde was beautiful, TSR2 was beautiful, 747 is elegant, the old VC10 was stunning, but the A380 is just a Super Guppy with seats, pug ugly, as are the rest of the Airbus models, no soul to them [:(]

But since when did public appreciation of something correlate with integral beauty or genuine appeal? The 380 has had more media attention than previous new aircraft releases, and the non-aircraft-buff will have heard or seen the new 'double-decker' plane. If the airlines tap into this, and deliberately advertise it as a new and unique experience, the public will love it...

Originally posted by wafren


Here is the list of the 23 first 380,as you can see Virgin are number 10 Emirates have 10 more planes until they get there first out of 59, number 6 has just rolled out of the factory (see link)it will be great seeing the Virgin flag on one of these machines.

http://www.planepictures.net/netshow.php?id=402879

1 380-841 Airbus Industrie F-WWOW
2 380-841 Airbus Industrie F-WXXL On order
3 380-841 Singapore Airlines 9V- On order
4 380-841 Airbus Industrie F-WWDD On order
5 380-841 Singapore Airlines 9V- On order
6 380-841 Singapore Airlines 9V- On order
7 380-841 Singapore Airlines 9V- On order
8 380-841 Singapore Airlines 9V- On order
10 380-841 Virgin Atlantic G- On order :D:):D
13 380-861 Emirates A6- On order
14 380-800 Qantas VH- On order
15 380-841 Qantas VH- On order
17 380-861 Air France F- On order
18 380-861 Malaysian Air 9M- On order
22 380-800 Malaysian Air 9M- On order
23 380-861 Air France F- On order

regards

Dave

Just to update the list,
No 3 Reg F-WWSA
No 6 Reg F-WWSC
No 9 Reg F-WWSF has now rolled out and going to Etihad after Airbus test bed.

Phil

Maybe if VS put the 380 on VS018 it will stop getting overbooked...

I thought that VA had stated that the 380 will be based at LHR[?] with all the airbuses. So that rules out the MCO route doesn't it?

If someone from Virgin is reading this, could those of us who have to travel in Y please request a more generous seating layout.

A bit more room per seat so that someone like me who is over 6ft can also sit comfortably. Maybe even a wider aisle so that you can go to the loo whilst the drinks/food trolleys are out.

Originally posted by sstolp
A bit more room per seat so that someone like me who is over 6ft can also sit comfortably. Maybe even a wider aisle so that you can go to the loo whilst the drinks/food trolleys are out.

And then the duvet fell off[:p][|)]

Originally posted by sailor99
And then the duvet fell off[:p][|)]

:D

For some interesting pictures of the A380 during tail scrape tests at Airbus see the following link...


Click here


Edited to shorten link -- ChuckC

I notice that the second A380 flew into Frankfurt last week before heading for the Far East and Australia, primarily for compatability testing of airport facilities

The reason given for flying to Frankfurt was that it was further advanced than Heathrow. The next question, of course, is when will the A380 put in an appearance alongside VS planes at LHR. Might be a reason for an impromptu social [:?]

Phil (Buffy)

Phil

Have been wondering that myself too ... could be fun!

Living under the flight path to LHR in south west London I'm waiting for the first flight over me, and wondering what the feeling will be like to see the big beast!