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badidea · Apr 19, 2005, 07:34 AM

Originally Posted by driven

Or ... was that a runway test at speed?

Yes, full speed, fake takeoffs...several times...until one fake takeoff isn't that fake anymore!

TETENAL · Apr 19, 2005, 08:55 AM

The flight is now delayed to the week after April 25th.

I don't understand why it is so difficult to get it into the air.

badidea · Apr 19, 2005, 09:09 AM

Originally Posted by TETENAL

I don't understand why it is so difficult to get it into the air.

It's not - it's my fault! I don't work fast enough - I spend too much time on a weird internet forum...

before MSN0001 is allowed to takeoff, MSN0002 has to pass several tests - I think they're probably not ready yet

chabig · Apr 19, 2005, 09:45 AM

Originally Posted by driven

What is a "rotation test"?

Do they simply tilt the aircraft back? Or ... was that a runway test at speed?

In my experience as a test pilot, I have never heard of a "rotation test". I think it was made up to accompany the photo. The reason I think it's made up is that it would be nearly impossible to accelerate the airplane to rotation speed and then rotate without lifting into the air!

Taxi tests are routinely done on airplanes, but a rotation test would (if it could be done) would be extremely risky. You'd have to accelerate to near flying speed, rotate, be sure not to accelerate further, roll down the runway using precious distance, and then somehow manage to stop the airplane in the remaining runway. The long runway at Toulouse is 11,500 feet, which is pretty long, but performing such a test would still involve huge risk.

Chris

FulcrumPilot · Apr 19, 2005, 01:12 PM

With wings like that it will take off like a bird taking off from a cliff. So i don't know what the big deal is with a380's first take off. Let her go already!!

willed · Apr 19, 2005, 02:48 PM

Originally Posted by FulcrumPilot

With wings like that it will take off like a bird taking off from a cliff. So i don't know what the big deal is with a380's first take off. Let her go already!!

yeah, it's probably a really easy thing to do and they're delaying it just to piss you off!

Weyland-Yutani · Apr 19, 2005, 03:35 PM

Cool stuff badidea!

Good luck

badidea · Apr 19, 2005, 05:19 PM

Originally Posted by Weyland-Yutani

Cool stuff badidea!

Good luck

If you mean the flight lottery to TLS - I did not win

We will get a bigscreen live-show on *snip*...errr, next week though!

badidea · Apr 20, 2005, 10:15 AM

Top secret video of the very first flight!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WATCH (sorry, wmv)

von Wrangell · Apr 20, 2005, 10:35 AM

you bastard

Weyland-Yutani · Apr 21, 2005, 08:44 AM

Originally Posted by badidea

Top secret video of the very first flight!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WATCH (sorry, wmv)

Until next week then!

Hawkeye_a · Apr 24, 2005, 08:56 AM

Just beautiful.. absolutely stunning. Im really looking forward to flying in one of these marvels. Thanks for the pictures and video guys.

Weyland-Yutani · Apr 25, 2005, 09:11 AM

It has been confirmed!!

A380 first flight will be this wednesday, weather allowing. Judging by the forecast, weather will allow

Oooooh I'm all excited now.

<insert jumping smiley)

TETENAL · Apr 26, 2005, 09:46 AM

http://www.spiegel.de/wirtschaft/0,1518,353484,00.html

According to the SPIEGEL article above the first test flight will be tomorrow wednesday. Most tests will take place above the Atlantic because Airbus is afraid of crashes.

badidea · Apr 26, 2005, 11:18 AM

Originally Posted by TETENAL

... because Airbus is afraid of crashes.

No we are not afraid - it's a test-flight and that's why safety comes first!

FulcrumPilot · Apr 26, 2005, 12:43 PM

About time already!

Weyland-Yutani · Apr 26, 2005, 01:38 PM

The weather forecast are perfect in Toulouse area tomorrow morning, April 27th.
French News channel LCI has just confirmed they will start a special coverage of the event at 9:00AM LT.

The take-off is scheduled at 10:30AM (Local Time) = 08:30 GMT.
All the Air space around Toulouse will be closed about 30 minutes before the A380's take off, and again around 30 minutes before its landing back at Blagnac Airport.

Judge_Fire · Apr 26, 2005, 03:23 PM

Cool,

it'll be interesting to see how much of the runway it uses to take off.

Will this be a gracious fly-around, or will there already be stress tests?

J

Weyland-Yutani · Apr 26, 2005, 03:57 PM

Originally Posted by Judge_Fire

Cool,

it'll be interesting to see how much of the runway it uses to take off.

Will this be a gracious fly-around, or will there already be stress tests?

J

According to Aribus, they will basically get the A380 off the ground and measure some basic performance data, try a few approaches and land. Nothing fancy. The flight will take somewhere between 1.5 hours to 4 hours.

Troll · Apr 27, 2005, 04:47 AM

IT FLIES!!!

badidea · 05:39 AM

Troll · Apr 27, 2005, 05:26 AM

What did Douglas Adams say about flying? It's the art of throwing yourself at the ground and missing.

Well, they seemed to have missed, but the hard part is hitting the ground when you don't want to miss. The hard part is landing it ... which will apparently happen in 1.5 to 4 hours time!

Diggory Laycock · Apr 27, 2005, 05:29 AM

Great thread- only got into it recently.

Short video here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4488361.stm

analogika · Apr 27, 2005, 05:37 AM

video is slashdotted.

Figures.

Oh, and, um - wow.

Judge_Fire · Apr 27, 2005, 06:09 AM

I've always enjoyed the smoothness of the ride in 747s (and heard a number of pilots seem to like it, too.)

It'll be interesting to hear the initial reactions from the pilots - is big better?

J

Weyland-Yutani · Apr 27, 2005, 06:43 AM

WWOW!!

She flies magnificently! The takeoff was done in 31 secs and the rotation fast and climb fast

GONGRATULATIONS AIRBUS!!!

Here are some high-res photos of the rotation an take-off:

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/825948/L/

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/825947/L/

Weyland-Yutani · Apr 27, 2005, 06:50 AM

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/825949/L/

Troll · Apr 27, 2005, 07:51 AM

Landing is scheduled for around 14h30 CET and will be screened on most major news channels.

dcmacdaddy · Apr 27, 2005, 08:23 AM

She just landed!!!

Been watching a live feed from the BBC.

driven · Apr 27, 2005, 08:26 AM

Remember:
A good landing is any landing that you can walk away from.

A *great* landing is any landing that you can use the airplane again. <GRIN>

badidea · Apr 27, 2005, 08:27 AM

...perfect landing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

veryniceguy2002 · Apr 27, 2005, 08:36 AM

Originally Posted by badidea

...perfect landing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Good stuff!

I guess you can sleep well tonight!

I hope you don't have to involve in the 800+ people emergency evaluation demostration to the EASA... that can be a very terrifying experience! ! !

BTW, did the reverse-thrust actually being used during the landing? I watched on the CNN live feed, and I didn't notice any everse-thrust from the engine (but that the camera angle was bad in that regard)

badidea · Apr 27, 2005, 08:43 AM

Originally Posted by veryniceguy2002

BTW, did the reverse-thrust actually being used during the landing? I watched on the CNN live feed, and I didn't notice any everse-thrust from the engine (but that the camera angle was bad in that regard)

I have no idea - I also only watched a live feed (AIRBUS live feed - maybe the same as yours)!

TETENAL · Apr 27, 2005, 09:18 AM

SPIEGEL Fotostrecke

FulcrumPilot · Apr 27, 2005, 12:00 PM

What? no loops or even rolls?? how disappointing!

Severed Hand of Skywalker · Apr 27, 2005, 12:12 PM

Are there any pics of the cockpit?

driven · Apr 27, 2005, 12:16 PM

Originally Posted by Severed Hand of Skywalker

Are there any pics of the cockpit?

Earlier in the thread there were. Page back a bit ...
(They have a strange "video game" joystick to control that big beast with ... and the captain has to be left handed.) <GRIN>

Severed Hand of Skywalker · Apr 27, 2005, 12:36 PM

Originally Posted by driven

Earlier in the thread there were. Page back a bit ...
(They have a strange "video game" joystick to control that big beast with ... and the captain has to be left handed.) <GRIN>

That is what I was afraid of, I have heard many captains complain about that design years ago.

Personally I prefer the joystick when it is in the middle (so you can use either hand) for SMALL planes over the yolk.

Weyland-Yutani · Apr 27, 2005, 02:29 PM

Originally Posted by Severed Hand of Skywalker

That is what I was afraid of, I have heard many captains complain about that design years ago.

Personally I prefer the joystick when it is in the middle (so you can use either hand) for SMALL planes over the yolk.

Very many pilots prefer the sidestick because it gives them more room in the cockpit. Even when you use a yoke to control a plane you rarely use both hands anyway and because of the positioning of the throttle (in the middle of the cockpit) you certainly can't use either hand on the yoke when flying.

Pilots need about ten minutes to get used to using the sidestick and can easily go back to the yoke if they are flying other planes.

The sidestick is in fact found on such brilliant planes as the F-16, planes that require full control of maneuverability and flexibility in the cockpit. For more than 20 years the sidestick has been used with great success in all Airbus models except the A300 which has a yoke.

Switching from yoke to sidestick is about as difficult as switching from a one button mouse to a 2 button mouse and just as useful

driven · Apr 27, 2005, 02:49 PM

Do you keep your hand on the throttle ALL the time? I kind of look at it as driving a stick-shift. Move hand, shift, put hand back on wheel (yoke) (optional: hang left arm out of window). <GRIN>

Weyland-Yutani · Apr 27, 2005, 02:54 PM

Originally Posted by driven

Do you keep your hand on the throttle ALL the time? I kind of look at it as driving a stick-shift. Move hand, shift, put hand back on wheel (yoke) (optional: hang left arm out of window). <GRIN>

No but you rarely use the controls of modern jets unless you are landing and then you want to keep one hand on the throttle - unless you're using auto throttle or simply auto-landing and sit back with a cup o'coffee

driven · Apr 27, 2005, 02:55 PM

I've been in the cockpit for autoland .... quite cool.

Severed Hand of Skywalker · Apr 27, 2005, 04:13 PM

Originally Posted by driven

Do you keep your hand on the throttle ALL the time? I kind of look at it as driving a stick-shift. Move hand, shift, put hand back on wheel (yoke) (optional: hang left arm out of window). <GRIN>

No not at all. Even on small 2 person planes.

Weyland-Yutani · Apr 27, 2005, 05:15 PM

Originally Posted by Severed Hand of Skywalker

No not at all. Even on small 2 person planes.

Just like when driving a car people rarely always keep both hands on the wheel. Regardless, flying big jets for hours and hours is a lot different from flying a small airplane.

Safe flying Skywalker!

FulcrumPilot · Apr 27, 2005, 05:30 PM

Originally Posted by Severed Hand of Skywalker

Personally I prefer the joystick when it is in the middle (so you can use either hand) for SMALL planes over the yolk.

If you havent used sidestick you don't know what you can do with all that room between your legs!! errr... nevermind.

iLikebeer · Apr 27, 2005, 06:14 PM

Originally Posted by FulcrumPilot

If you havent used sidestick you don't know what you can do with all that room between your legs!! errr... nevermind.

Yeah, maybe these people would still be alive if they had a sidestick: http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?e...12X18632&key=1

I can't wait to see an A380 takeoff in real life, that thing is massive. Huge jets like that look like they're just floating away because of the scale.

FulcrumPilot · Apr 27, 2005, 07:15 PM

Originally Posted by iLikebeer

Yeah, maybe these people would still be alive if they had a sidestick: http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?e...12X18632&key=1

Diggory Laycock · Apr 27, 2005, 08:36 PM

[edit]. nevermind

TETENAL · Aug 19, 2005, 08:23 AM

In new tests (pulling the A380 at 70° angle) a tyre burst and the runway covering was damaged.

(source spiegel.de)

ghporter · Aug 19, 2005, 09:37 AM

They only show pictures of luxury interiors of the new plane. I'll bet the coach sections are going to be at least as cramped as the coach section of a 737. At over 6'2", this matters more to me than how wonderfully luxurious the interior could be.

One thing to keep in mind in testing, they try to do their worst to the aircraft. In testing the 747, they actually rotated the aircraft at speed and kept it on the ground with the tail dragging the ground just to see if it would cause damage that affected airworthiness. Nope. Towing an aircraft at a weird angle is just part of the testing process-the manual will give a recommended angle and an angle not to exceed-and that will be much less than 70º!