Guest Author - Yvonne Russell

Background
I was in Germany and France when the A30 Airbus was being built under tight security. Different parts were built in different factories and then assembled.
6000 engineers and technicians were involved from concept to reality.

Preparations
Just as there are train spotters, there are plane enthusiasts who detail how and where you can get a glimpse of the mighty A380. Residents of some small French villages didn't need to go to these lengths. The A380 was transported through the narrow streets to the airfield before its test flights. The tests have been rigorous. Apart from mechanical and technical aspects, and staff training, and pilot simulations, one highlight has been the test flight of 4 A30's flying in formation.

Singapore Airlines - First with the A380
Singapore Airlines will be the first to take delivery of the aircraft with the first scheduled to arrive in late 2007, and the rest in early 2008. There have been delays due largely to production issues. Singapore Airlines is anxious and waiting. There is a certain kudos, not to mention publicity, in being first off the ground with the A380. This is aviation history.

Interesting Comparisons
How far we have come in aviation since the Wright Brothers first flew at Wrigley Field, was not lost on N.Wood from Australia who passed on this statistic to Singapore Airlines. At 562 tonnes, the A380 weighs the same as 1651 Kittyhawks, as flown by the Wright Brothers.

Singapore Airlines has gathered some other interesting comparisons. Readers can add their own at the Singapore Airlines site. Here are a few which give you an idea of the relative size and space of the mightty A30 airbus.

- The height of the A380 is 24.1 meters - the same as 5 giraffes

- The length of the A380 is 72.6 meters - 2.5 times the length of the longest dinosaur Diplodocus

- The length is 2 times the length of a blue whale, our largest animal

- The wingspan is 79.8 meters. Each wing has an area of 845 meters squared. This area is large enough for 2800 people to stand underneath

- The take off thrust power is equivalent to the power generated by approx 2500 family cars

Space Aboard the A380
There are two passenger decks and a cargo bay. As a pasenger, one of the burning questions will be "What about space, especially leg room?" Maybe when you are squished up in your seats, it will be comforting to know that you can fit 4.5 million tennis balls into the A380 or 35 million table tennis balls. The area inside the A380 is large enough to fit 10 squash courts

It will be interesting to see if apart from the conceptual world of A380 comparisons, whether the reality will yield the perception of space. Will there be the perception of room for tennis or table tennis - or will it be just plain squash?