A380 lands at Heathrow!

[datainmotion]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12851908/?GT1=8199


LONDON - The world’s biggest passenger airliner landed at Europe’s busiest airport Thursday to test whether London’s Heathrow was ready for the Airbus A380.
Two British flags hung from the plane’s cockpit windows as the superjumbo jet taxied toward a specially designed pier at the airport in west London. A phalanx of media, corporate guests, and curious plane-spotters gathered at Heathrow for the aircraft’s arrival.
“This is a great day for London, a great day for Britain, a great day for British manufacturing and a great day for European cooperation,” Treasury chief Gordon Brown said after the jet touched down.

 

[AZScanner]

DAMN! What a monster!

Can't wait to see on in person. Think I'll plan a trip to do some watching out at LAX when it enters service.

-AZ

 

[K2KOH]

God almighty!! That thing is a beast!

 

[markinillinois]

If the A-380 were landing at a U.S. airport instead of a European airport, the police would have a field day harassing every aviation enthusiast that chose to be within breathing distance of the airport to witness the aircraft's arrival.

In Europe, airplane watching and spotting is a sport, but if you stare at one in the United States, you're considered a terrorist due to Homeland Security paranoa. Over there, it's common for spotters to bring ladders to look over an airport fence, but if you even thought about doing that here, it would bring out the SWAT team.

I wish law enforcement in the U.S. was as interested about drug sales on our street corners, drunks on the highways and our wide open borders as they are about folks like me who happens to just like airplanes.

Europeans, enjoy your airplane hobby while you still can!

Mark Holmes
Marion, IL
markinillinois@webtv.net

 

[jmp883]

Datainmotion wrote:

and a great day for European cooperation,”

Uh-huh......anyone who has even casually studied the European aviation scene knows that Airbus grew out of the consortium that was formed to create the Concorde. You would also know that factions of both the British and French governments did everything they could to try and stop that union, and project, from ever happening. Well the Concorde was built and the companies became Airbus Industries, a successful multi-national aviation corporation.

Remind me to take the credit for things other people did years ago.

Now....on a more positive note, that A-380 is one heck of an airplane. I only hope the market can support that size of aircraft. If it fails, it's going to take more than just Airbus with it.

 

[DaveNF2G]

CNN reported that Singapore's national airline will be the first to operate scheduled A380 flights and that they won't begin until the end of the year.

Now where's that Boeing 787 Dreamliner?

 

[datainmotion]

787 - baaahhh! It will only carry 223 passengers.

Boeing is going to try to compete with the 747-8.

 

[Troop]

true seeing how it was drunk drivers and drug dealers that shut america down on one september day

If the A-380 were landing at a U.S. airport instead of a European airport, the police would have a field day harassing every aviation enthusiast that chose to be within breathing distance of the airport to witness the aircraft's arrival.

In Europe, airplane watching and spotting is a sport, but if you stare at one in the United States, you're considered a terrorist due to Homeland Security paranoa. Over there, it's common for spotters to bring ladders to look over an airport fence, but if you even thought about doing that here, it would bring out the SWAT team.

I wish law enforcement in the U.S. was as interested about drug sales on our street corners, drunks on the highways and our wide open borders as they are about folks like me who happens to just like airplanes.

Europeans, enjoy your airplane hobby while you still can!

Mark Holmes
Marion, IL
markinillinois@webtv.net

 

[morfis]

If the A-380 were landing at a U.S. airport instead of a European airport, the police would have a field day harassing every aviation enthusiast that chose to be within breathing distance of the airport to witness the aircraft's arrival.

In Europe, airplane watching and spotting is a sport, but if you stare at one in the United States, you're considered a terrorist due to Homeland Security paranoa. Over there, it's common for spotters to bring ladders to look over an airport fence, but if you even thought about doing that here, it would bring out the SWAT team.

I wish law enforcement in the U.S. was as interested about drug sales on our street corners, drunks on the highways and our wide open borders as they are about folks like me who happens to just like airplanes.

Europeans, enjoy your airplane hobby while you still can!

Mark Holmes
Marion, IL
markinillinois@webtv.net

Sweeping generalisation there. Many countries in Europe frown upon aircraft spotters. Some airports in the UK frown on it, others (eg. Manchester) positively encourage spotters and the police recognise that these spotters are likely to notice odd behavior around the airfield so develop a good relationship with them.

 

[morfis]

Datainmotion wrote:



Uh-huh......anyone who has even casually studied the European aviation scene knows that Airbus grew out of the consortium that was formed to create the Concorde. You would also know that factions of both the British and French governments did everything they could to try and stop that union, and project, from ever happening. Well the Concorde was built and the companies became Airbus Industries, a successful multi-national aviation corporation.

Remind me to take the credit for things other people did years ago.

Now....on a more positive note, that A-380 is one heck of an airplane. I only hope the market can support that size of aircraft. If it fails, it's going to take more than just Airbus with it.

How the company came about isn't really the point. What they are highlighting is the way major parts of construction/production are spread now. Difficult to see how that will continue as it can't be economic transporting the sections around. Politically it was useful but now that is perhaps not so important.

 

[morfis]

CNN reported that Singapore's national airline will be the first to operate scheduled A380 flights and that they won't begin until the end of the year.

Now where's that Boeing 787 Dreamliner?

787 isn't designed to compete with the A380. Boeing have adopted an approach that getting larger numbers of people to the smaller regional airports is a more profitable market than the A380 travelling between the major airports.

 

[Napalm]

Spotters - well in general we're tolerated at UK airports, but take a ladder to look OVER a fence and the security are going to take an interest in you.

Don't try it an Lakenheath or Mildenhall either (or Fairford). Manchester has a great spotting park and it's true that we will spot anything suspicious, since we're nosey bar-stewards!

 

[morfis]

Spotters - well in general we're tolerated at UK airports, but take a ladder to look OVER a fence and the security are going to take an interest in you.

Don't try it an Lakenheath or Mildenhall either (or Fairford). Manchester has a great spotting park and it's true that we will spot anything suspicious, since we're nosey bar-stewards!

Both Lakenheath and Mildenhall are reasonably "spotter friendly". John's Field gives excellent photography for The Hall and if The Heath is using 06 they fly straight overhead.
Parking on the roadsides in front of crash gates etc doesn't go down well (with good reason) but there are plenty of places off the road that are suitable.
Fairford also has ample good positions for spotting and I've always found the local police and the base personnel helpful as long as you aren't making the job difficult - again no surprise.

Small ladders well back from the fences have never got me into any mither.

Boscombe Down tends to be one of the least friendly "military" bases. There are several fully civil airfields that are just as unfriendly but in the UK I'v found it to be a small minority who object to well behaved enthusiasts

 

[b52hbuff]

Does anyone know if there is an A380 'tour schedule'? I am curious if it is coming out to the San Francisco or Los Angeles area.