jamesnixon.com
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THE AIRBUS A380 IS (NOT) A DUD ...
That sneaky press release is doing the rounds again
The USA PR machine is spinning again (they put this story out every six months); and gullible journos who only "rip and read" press releases are falling-in as Farnborough Air Show continues.
"THE AIRBUS A380 IS A DUD".
Oh really?
Emirates have 81 and there are another 61 to come. Airbus have sold 319 and delivered 193. That'll keep Europeans busy for a few more months at least.
The A380 comes into its own when (a) experienced Pilots are hard to find (1968), and (b) oil is $130 a barrel (2008).
With 10,000 U.S. Pilots retiring due to age and new starts dwindling it will survive. My record is 618 passengers. Not bad productivity for two pilots. Oil WILL get back to the June 2008 figure of US$136.31 ...
With a cabin altitude of 6,800 feet at FL390, passengers love it. Just ask 'em.
As seen with the Saab 340, aircraft hulls are like computer printers: loss leaders so you can sell 'em spare parts. (They are starting the Saab 340 production line again just to sell a few more hulls to parts-addicted airlines).
So don't worry about the A380, "The lady doth protest too much, methinks"(Hamlet). The elephant in the room is the Boeing 747-800. How many of the pax version have been sold?
Only 51.
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