Qantas superjumbo cleared for take-off

[oz_mark]

From News: http://www.news.com.au/travel/story/0,26058,23095403-5014090,00.html


AIRBUS provided a sneak peak of Qantas' first Airbus A380, complete with the airline's new logo.

The enormous double-decker jet underwent its first engine run at Airbus's Toulouse base in France last week.

Qantas confirmed the jet pictured was indeed the first of 20 Qantas A380 jets, which remains on schedule for a belated August delivery.

An Airbus spokesman said the aircraft manufacturer currently had four Qantas 380s on the tarmac at Toulouse, in various states of construction.
Upon receiving the keys to the first A380, Qantas will immediately put it to work on the Melbourne-Los Angeles run.

 

[moa999]

Great journalism.
Pity the jet pictured definitely still has the old logo.

 

[oz_mark]

Great journalism.
Pity the jet pictured definitely still has the old logo.

Yes still the roo that looks amputated.

 

[serfty]

I see the photo is from airliners.net - I wonder how contemporary it is?

 

[moa999]

Quite recent if one looks at these pics - 22-Jan-08
Interesting the comment re 'aborted take-off test'

Photos: Airbus A380-841 Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net
Photos: Airbus A380-841 Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net

 

[simongr]

I am a little suspect of the pic given that the new tail logo was announced many months ago - so why would the aircraft be sporting the old logo when the rest of the AC is not liveried?

 

[serfty]

Fair enough; I wonder when they are going to fix that tail with the new logo?

 

[Wunala Dreaming]

I am a little suspect of the pic given that the new tail logo was announced many months ago - so why would the aircraft be sporting the old logo when the rest of the AC is not liveried?

Because the aircraft's tail was painted before the new livery was announced/revealed. I am under the impression that the A380 tail is always attached painted, well before the rest of the aircraft is painted. Someone may be able to elaborate, but I imagine it helps with indentification.

The aircraft will indeed have the tail painted before delivery...

Cheers

 

[moa999]

Pic does neatly show the 'no paint' area though - one of the reasons why Qantas changed the logo - although there is also an extra patch of white on that aircraft pictured

 

[mainly tailfirst]

Because the aircraft's tail was painted before the new livery was announced/revealed. I am under the impression that the A380 tail is always attached painted, well before the rest of the aircraft is painted. Someone may be able to elaborate, but I imagine it helps with indentification.

The aircraft will indeed have the tail painted before delivery...

Cheers

Based on what I have read, the tail is painted first because:
1. It's a great marketing tool to allow airlines to see 'their' aircraft on the line.
2. The rudder has to be balanced during construction and it's best to pre-paint it to make the job less likely to be redone later. I've seen 767 line photos with only the rudder painted, the rest of the tail bare 'metal'.

mt

 

[simongr]

Because the aircraft's tail was painted before the new livery was announced/revealed. I am under the impression that the A380 tail is always attached painted, well before the rest of the aircraft is painted. Someone may be able to elaborate, but I imagine it helps with indentification.

The aircraft will indeed have the tail painted before delivery...

Cheers

Thanks for the explanation

 

[JohnK]

So who wants to be on the inaugural QF A380 flight?

 

[Kendall Roy]

So who wants to be on the inaugural QF A380 flight?

ME

Anyone want to take bets on whether there will be award seats available?

 

[simongr]

I would love to be on the inaugural flight - just dont think I will be able to convince mrssimong that it is a worthwhile use of funds...

 

[JohnK]

Anyone want to take bets on whether there will be award seats available?

I would be surprised if award seats for any A380 flights will require the same FF points as normal award seats let alone the inaugural.

I would love to be on the inaugural flight - just dont think I will be able to convince mrssimong that it is a worthwhile use of funds...

I don't think WHY will be that expensive.

 

[simongr]

Not sure I agree necessarily re the cost of awards on the A380 - you pay the same points SYD-NRT if you are in a Skybed or in a 763...

Yes John I think the was very correctly placed

 

[NM]

Not sure I agree necessarily re the cost of awards on the A380 - you pay the same points SYD-NRT if you are in a Skybed or in a 763...

but which flight has the award availability? 9 times out of 10 it will be the 763 service with the award seats.

 

[JohnK]

Not sure I agree necessarily re the cost of awards on the A380 - you pay the same points SYD-NRT if you are in a Skybed or in a 763...

I think you will find that QF will go down the same path as the SQ model with 77Ws and A380 awards. I can't be certain but QF will not be charging the same number of points for J on a 763 and the all new J on the A380.

Do you think you will be able to get an F suite on the A380 for the same number of FF points as the current number of FF points required for F awards?

 

[simongr]

I am unsure on the F suites. They are a significant upgrade to the current product but not as significant an upgrade as the R suites on SQ - which are not bookable as awards I believe.

I expect it is more likely to be a restriction of availability than a difference in points. I could well be wrong - just my thinking. The A380 improvements are great but the new J is not markedly better than the existing J. Yes it is horizontal beds rather than sloping with some extra pitch - but not a quantum leap - as between dreamtime and SKBI.

 

[NM]

I expect it is more likely to be a restriction of availability than a difference in points. I could well be wrong - just my thinking. The A380 improvements are great but the new J is not markedly better than the existing J. Yes it is horizontal beds rather than sloping with some extra pitch - but not a quantum leap - as between dreamtime and SKBI.

And the award cost remained the same for Dreamtime vs Skybed J products. I see no reason to set different award requirement levels for different types of seats within the same booking class.