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'Stretched' version of A380 slated to hit the sky in 2012(Bangkok Post (Thailand) (KRT) Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) Mar. 1--SINGAPORE -- The world's biggest aircraft, the A380 superjumbo, could grow even larger as the European plane maker Airbus considers building a stretched version that could carry up to 1,000 passengers and fly further. The A380-900 is an enlarged version of the A380-800 model, which is now on test flights and due to enter commercial service around November this year for Singapore Airlines. The A380-900 model could take to the skies in 2012. "The development of the [stretched A380] aircraft will depend on market demand. There are already some customers asking for that type of aircraft," said Charles Champion, Airbus's chief operating officer. "We could see this development coming in 2014-15, but it could be earlier, in 2011 or 2012," noted Mr Champion, also the head of the A380 programme. The French executive did not name the potential buyers of the A380-900. However, aviation analysts said the stretched version could be used for long-haul discount operations. Or it could be used for conventional airlines for heavy-traffic, intercontinental routes such as London-Sydney. The stretched version of the flying mammoth would raise seating capacity 15 percent and add 500 more nautical miles (NM) to the range an A380-800 can fly, he told the Bangkok Post. An A380-800 double-decker, four-engine jet can carry up to 800 passengers and cover a distance of 8,000 NM or 14,800 km. However, all of the airlines that have bought the existing version of superjumbo have opted for fewer seats -- in the range of 500. The standard layout recommended by Airbus for the A380-800 comprises of 22 first class seats and 334 economy seats on the main deck, and 96 business class and 103 economy seats on the upper deck. The A380-900 version would share the same engines, wings, tails and landing gear as the A380-800, but its fuselage would be stretched by 6.9 metres from 73 metres. "It will be possible, by using the reinforced wings Airbus is developing for the A380F [the freighter version of the A380] and plugging them into the passenger aircraft [the A380-900]," he explained. The A380F can carry a payload of 150 tonnes over 5,600 NM or 10,400 km. The first A380F will enter Federal Express's fleet around the second half of 2008 or early 2009. Despite being longer, the stretched superjumbo will still fit the so-called 80x80 metre box, the dimension hub airport operators have advised for an aircraft. More than 60 airports around the world will be ready for A380 operations by 2010 and major hubs such as Frankfurt, Paris CDG, London Heathrow, San Francisco, Singapore and Melbourne as well as Bangkok's new Suvarnabhumi airport are gearing up for the A380's entry into operations. A380 is designed for large airports, but most need adapting to accommodate it and its 550 to 800 passengers. Airports will not need to build extra long runways for the A380, since its take-off and landing distance is shorter than its rival Boeing 747. It is not known how much developing A380-900s would cost, although Mr Champion said it would be within the US$10.7 billion investment range, earmarked by Airbus for the entire A380 programme. The A380-900 is one of the variants of A380 family which could also include a short range variant of the baseline version. To date, Airbus has received 159 orders for A380s, 27 of which are for freighter versions from 16 buyers, including Emirates (43 units) and Thai Airways International (six). John Leahy, Airbus's chief operating officer, said Airbus is in discussions with several airlines, which he declined to name, about buying A380s. "We will have at least a couple more customers this year, but I don't want to predict the number [of aircraft sold]," he said. "At about $300 million apiece, they don't buy 20 or 30 [A380s] at a time." |