Video of Air france A380 clipping Comair

[RootDKJ]

The upper gangway is to cut turnaround time, shaves 22 minutes. Not as big a deal on long haul flights, but you get a couple A380s a day and that's an extra gate opening for a single aisle.


It's because it is square. Has to fit in a 80mx80m box for ground operations, the length of the A380-800 is 74m - about the same as a 747. If they ever build a -900, it will be 79m, same as the wingspan. Fuselage height/length on the 380 is about 8.7, on the A320 it's 10.2. Notable visual difference.

Not that big a fan of it myself. Other than the size, there's nothing really special about it. Just a typical new aircraft. No real gamechanging design aspects. I do find the wings on the ground to be very aesthetic, though.

It kinda looks like an egg with wings.

 

[dmc]

Timelapse out window flight from SFO to CDG(Paris)

 

[SkiDork]

The view of the nose looks very much like a Super Guppy

 

[bigbog]

Actually AF did not have the right of way, the small jet was stopped waiting to be marshalled into the gate. When I'm taxiing and I see a plane stopped and waiting for a gate I will stop unless I'm sure that my wingtip will clear the other aircraft. Also it looks like AF was taxiing too fast that close to the terminal. You taxi at a speed that you will be able to stop if anything obstructs your taxi.

You're talking theoretically correctness ERJ. Operating by 100% theoretical correctness without yielding or talking(which is what happened...it sounds like by tower-speak) is what ends up in very-near misses. Think the tower was really asleep..imho. Whenever taxing out...and being the lesser sized, eyeing the situation(if possible) should be routine...but with the visual...seems like it was clearly a case of the tower not even watching the scene till something happened = scary. Can see your viewpoint, having flown decades ago! = less traffic...I NEVER had that as a job = much too young= not in the commercial airport scene!!! ...but with visibility like that...protocol played 100% often doesn't cut it..(im_$.01), in flying..as in driving.
Just don't see how the crew could see their outer wing clearances, especially with what footage showed visual as being....fwiw. With amount of traffic....that has to be help from the tower...just in verifying type of plane approaching. If they couldn't have seen the possibility of that in advance....

 

[Nick]

I bet. I've never had the privilege of going upstairs on a 74. Probably never even ride in a 380

I did once as a kid on the way to Germany. we weren't staying up there... but when I was like 7 or 8 they used to let kids into the cockpits to meet the pilots etc., so I walked through the section. Pretty awesome.

I used to love going to the cockpit and meeting the pilot as a kid. Never happening again .

 

[SkiDork]

I did once as a kid on the way to Germany. we weren't staying up there... but when I was like 7 or 8 they used to let kids into the cockpits to meet the pilots etc., so I walked through the section. Pretty awesome.

I used to love going to the cockpit and meeting the pilot as a kid. Never happening again .

yeah those were the days. Passengers were allowed to just walk up into the cockpit (in flight) and mingle with the flight crew. Amazing stuff.

 

[mondeo]

yeah those were the days. Passengers were allowed to just walk up into the cockpit (in flight) and mingle with the flight crew. Amazing stuff.

Do you ever just hang around at the gymnasium?

 

[SkiDork]

Do you ever just hang around at the gymnasium?

not sure I get the connection... I'm slow sometimes....

 

[mondeo]

not sure I get the connection... I'm slow sometimes....

 

[SkiDork]

DUH!!!!

Good one!

 

[ERJ-145CA]

Do you like gladiator movies?

 

[hammer]

How does the wingspan of an A380 compare with other aircraft like the B747?

My take on this whole incident is that

• it's ultimately the A380 pilot's fault
• the ground controller at JFK has to share in the blame
• there will be some change in procedures to help prevent this from happening again

 

[SkiDork]

A380 is 37 feet wider

 

[SkiDork]

Here's an interesting question: Who will be the 1st US carrier to purchase the A380?

 

[2knees]

Do you like gladiator movies?

Billy, have you ever been to a turkish bath?

Do you like it when your dog rubs up against your leg?


on a somewhat related note, the head of the FAA operations has stepped down due to all the issues lately.

 

[mondeo]

How does the wingspan of an A380 compare with other aircraft like the B747?

My take on this whole incident is that

• it's ultimately the A380 pilot's fault
• the ground controller at JFK has to share in the blame
• there will be some change in procedures to help prevent this from happening again

80m vs 64m for 747. 64m is the same as the 777, about the same as A340. And it would be a longer wingspan if it weren't for ground maneuvering. The aspect ratio of the wing (equal to span squared over area) is a key aerodynamic feature, and is only 7.5 on the A380, the same as the 747-400. Other modern airliners are up significantly from this, the A350 at 9.5 and the 787 at a whopping 11. Any lower than 7.5 and the plane starts to be a pig aerodynamically.

 

[hammer]

A380 is 37 feet wider

I wonder if there are any special ground procedures in place for the aircraft. I do know that a new weight category was created for it...

 

[mondeo]

Here's an interesting question: Who will be the 1st US carrier to purchase the A380?

FedEx was. But then they cancelled it.

USAir may be, but it'll be a while. Everyone else is a Boeing-only customer under a 15 year old gentleman's agreement.

 

[SkiDork]

FedEx was. But then they cancelled it.

USAir may be, but it'll be a while. Everyone else is a Boeing-only customer under a 15 year old gentleman's agreement.

when does that expire? You know American/Delta etc. are itching to add that to their inventory

 

[mondeo]

when does that expire? You know American/Delta etc. are itching to add that to their inventory

Nah, the 747-8I is almost as good and their pressing need is single aisle renewal. Delta's still operating a significant number of DC-9s and MD-80s, American has a ton of MD-80. Those things are pigs, and the bulk of their flights.

Forgot United is an Airbus customer, but they've been less active in terms of fleet renewal. Plus they have a pretty good number of fairly large aircaft, and will have to deal with merging with Continental for a couple more years before making any waves. With the US carriers it's more about range and frequency than bulk. San Francisco to Sydney or Beijing, and multiple daily flights to London and Paris from NYC and LAX. That sort of thing. Lufthansa, on the other hand, has 6 A380s in service and 20 747-8Is on order.