Anyone that pretends the A380 isn't in a bad situation is burying their head in the sand IMO.
The article certainly is biased against the A380 and Saj is pretty pro-Boeing but the list of troubles for the 380 is long.
Most carriers having ordered the 380 have deferred it. I think the count is something like 13 out of 17.
The plane has garnered only 202 sales in 10 years, including the biggest sales boom in commercial avaition.
It has cost almost twice as much to develop as originally estimated, with figures ranging in the US$25-30m.
Production is still a joke. They won't manage 20 planes this year and the article mentions KE's 1st plane due this year has already been deferred until 2011. It's just too labor intensive. MH just had their 1st 380 deferred for 6 months, due to production issues. Why have these taken so long to sort out.
It does nothing other WB twins can't do, except carry more people. When the 747 era started, it had a huge capacity and range advantage over the 707/DC-8/VC-10.
It's been so long in development, that technology has passed it by. The 787/350 are far more advanced in materials, efficiency, engines......... It probably already needs more advanced and efficient engines and it certainly can't match the composite fuselage of the 787, nor the flying experience, with the 787 supposedly offering cabin pressurisation to 6000', higher humidity levels and a true anti turbulence dampening system, as well as those huge windows.
What's worst for the 380 IMO, is it's lack of flexibility. What happens in a world downturn? What routes do you switch your A380s to?
This all of course relates to the business case for the 380. Without exception, all that I know that have flown on the 380 have been exceptional in their praise for it. Maybe that can be it's saving grace, but I doubt it.
|