Production of the Airbus A380 at the Toulouse plant ended in the autumn, the last being completed Superjumbo arrived on Thursday morning to his customer, the Arab airline Emirates. The company held its own in early 2019 announced to its promise, by the end of 2021, the last of the largest passenger aircraft ever to be commissioned was completed.
Emirates, which owns roughly half of its total A380 fleet with 120 aircraft, will have 60 of them in service by the end of the year and plans to use the 560-tonne double-decker passenger carrier in the coming years. Emirates was Airbus’ largest customer, and the manufacturer tried in vain to make the aircraft type desirable to other airlines, and they had no plans to transport large crowds between the major airports that served as hubs. On the one hand, airlines have opted for the cheaper A350 and Boeing 777 and 787 Dreamliners, which are lighter, more flexible aircraft with better fuel consumption, and on the other hand, air transport is not organized around major hubs, contrary to Airbus plans, but less congested. routes were a success.
It would not have been economical to maintain the production of the four-engine giant, as its operation did not prove to be. The reason for this is a To the BBC According to economist Peter Morris, the technology used in the A380 could not be changed from the 1980s, when the aircraft was first flown in 2005, although aeronautics have developed a lot in terms of carbon composites and highly efficient engines. such as the 787.
Designed by Airbus with 1,200 A380s, 251 aircraft were built
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over the past sixteen years, struggling to reach a break-even point, not to mention a return on the $ 25 billion invested. By comparison, it was first put into service in 1970 Boeing 747-es more than one thousand five hundred members of the family have been made, and more than four hundred Jumbo flies to this day.
The coronavirus pandemic has put an end to the history of the A380, with several airlines such as Lufthansa, Air France and Korean Air have also announced the withdrawal of the giant. Emirates plans to keep the A380 an important model for the next two decades and will modernize their fleet in addition to operation. In addition to Emirates, huge passenger carriers are sure to fly in the colors of British Airways and Qantas for a few more years.
What about the machines forced to the ground?
So far, seven from the A380 surethat they were taken to the plane graveyard. Because the ability to pass on to the second-hand market is not a viable alternative to these huge, expensive, and complex machines, they are dismantled, partially recycling the materials.
Emirates has been withdrawn from the market for the first time To the A380 began recycling in November this year with Falcon Aircraft Recycling. Most of the components from the thirteen-year-old aircraft will be recycled, but it is interesting that the process will not be limited to those components from which the airline can benefit. A total of 190 tons of material is recycled Airport article and items that cannot be reused in other machines will also be made into memorabilia that flight enthusiasts can purchase. Of the proceeds, Emirates will help disadvantaged children through its foundations.
(Cover image: An Airbus A380 on June 19, 2017. Photo: Frederic Stevens / Getty Images)
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