The Airbus A380 is the world’s only twin-deck, four-aisle airliner. Designed in close collaboration with major airlines, airports and airworthiness authorities, the A380 is the most advanced, spacious and efficient airliner ever conceived. When it enters service in 2007, the A380 will set a completely new standard in air travel. Per passenger, the A380 has a fuel efficiency of 2.9 litres per 100 kilometres. seat-mile costs are 20 percent lower than any comparable aircraft and its range is also 15 percent greater.

The A380 production started in January 2002, with the first metal cut at the Airbus site in Nantes, France. By mid 2002, the definition phase of the first A380 aircraft was essentially completed and sub-assembly of the aircraft parts began in 2003. The first A380 sections for the static test aircraft arrived at the new Jean-Luc Lagardère industrial site in Toulouse, France, in May 2004 and assembly of the first flying A380 began at the end of May 2004. 

First flight:

The first flying aircraft MSN01 F-WWOW will remain the property of Airbus. At the first flight on April 27, 2005  the A380 took off at a weight of 421.000 kg, the highest ever of any civil airliner to date. During the flight, which took the aircraft around South West France, the six crew members explored the aircraft’s flight envelope as expected. They tested the A380’s handling using both direct and normal flight control laws with the landing gear up and down, and with all flaps’ and slats’ settings during the part of the flight at cruise altitude. They made an initial evaluation of the comfort levels in both the main and upper decks, confirming that the cabin was very quiet and the ride smooth.

This maiden voyage, during which all primary flight test objectives were met, marks the beginning of a rigorous test flight campaign involving five A380s, including one for the certification of the Engine Alliance GP7200 engine on the A380, and some 2.500 flight hours. It will culminate in the aircraft’s certification followed by its entry into airline service October 2007 with first operator Singapore Airlines. The scope and rigour of the A380 ground and flight test program should also prepare for a smooth entry into service, planned for 2007.

Future models will include the shortened, 480 seat A380-700, and the stretched, 656 seat, A380-900. (The -700, -800, and -900 designations were chosen to reflect that the A380 will enter service as a "fully developed aircraft" and that the basic models will not be soon replaced by more improved variants).
 

The A380 assembly building (Toulouse) is one of the largest in the world, measuring 500 m by 250 m, with a height of 46 m. It is the largest of several buildings on the site which, together, incorporate more than 32.000 tons of steel – the equivalent of four Eiffel towers or the Millau viaduct - plus 250.000 cubic meters of concrete.

Fuselage:

The A380 has a twin deck configuration with new lighter and even more resistant material is also being used for the first time on a civil airliner after intensive trials. The upper fuselage shell of the A380 is fashioned from GLARE, a laminate alternating layers of aluminum and glass-fiber reinforced adhesive. In addition to being some ten per cent less dense than aluminum - for a weight-saving of around 800 kg - GLARE has proven superior in terms of fatigue as well as fire and damage resistance.

Engines:

The Rolls-Royce Trent 900 is being certificated at 80,000lb thrust, a rating considerably higher than the requirement at entry into service, allowing substantial margin for potential growth. Last year the engine achieved 88,000lb thrust in the early stages of testing.

The Trent 900 will enter service in October 15, 2007 with Singapore Airlines and has also been selected by Qantas, Virgin Atlantic and Lufthansa, giving it a 48 per cent share of firm and option orders.

Developed under the Engine Alliance joint venture of Pratt & Whitney and General Electric, the GP7200 benefits from technology mastered by America’s two largest jet powerplant manufacturers. Pratt & Whitney is responsible for the GP7200’s low-pressure system, including its large main fan with highly swept titanium blades – a key element in the engine’s low noise output. General Electric developed the core section for the GP7200, which incorporates the company’s experience in lowering jet engine emissions and boosting operational efficiency. Airbus customers selecting the GP2700 for their A380s are Air France, Emirates, FedEx and International Lease Finance Corporation.

As the choice of launch customer Singapore Airlines (SIA), the Trent 900 is the leading engine for the A380 development program.

Being greener, cleaner, quieter and smarter, the A380 is already setting new standards for transport and the environment. The aircraft is the most fuel efficient aircraft flying today. The combination of extra passenger capacity without increasing the number of flights, excellent environmental performance and lower operating costs is an ideal solution for the airports and the airlines that serve them.

For passengers, the A380 offers wider, more comfortable seats in all classes and the quietest cabins in the sky. Its unique double-deck wide body architecture also gives airlines flexibility to economically offer improved comfort standards without reducing fleet capacity. To current standards for larger premium class products, the A380 can typically carry 525 passengers in three classes in unprecedented comfort on flights of over 8000 nm (15 000km).