Airbus A380s in the US on test flights

TOULOUSE – Two Airbus A380 superjumbos were making first-time test flights to the United States yesterday, landing in Los Angeles and New York.

A first A380, the world’s largest commercial airliner, took off before dawn from Toulouse-Blagnac airport in southern France bound for Los Angeles on the US west coast. Once there, it will undergo tests of its airport maneuverability and terminal parking capability.The flight is being conducted in conjunction with Qantas Airways of Australia, which has ordered 12 A380s and has plans in principle to buy eight more.A second A380 is to leave Frankfurt, Germany later in the morning for John F.Kennedy Airport in New York, carrying 500 passengers invited by Airbus.At the controls will be Airbus test pilots as well as pilots from the German carrier Lufthansa, which has ordered 15 A380s.From New York, the plane would fly to Chicago, returning to New York today and Frankfurt tommorow.It will then take off for Hong Kong on March 24, stopping in Washington DC on March 25 and Munich, Germany on March 28 on its way back to Airbus headquarters in Toulouse.The first A380 for commercial use is scheduled to be delivered to Singapore Airlines in October.Delivery had been planned for the spring of 2006 but was delayed because of production problems, notably with the aircraft’s electrical cabling.Singapore Airlines has ordered 19 A380s and has an option to acquire six additional planes.The A380, which can carry between 555 and 845 passengers depending on seat configuration, has made test flights to 40 airports around the world.Nampa-AFPOnce there, it will undergo tests of its airport maneuverability and terminal parking capability.The flight is being conducted in conjunction with Qantas Airways of Australia, which has ordered 12 A380s and has plans in principle to buy eight more.A second A380 is to leave Frankfurt, Germany later in the morning for John F.Kennedy Airport in New York, carrying 500 passengers invited by Airbus.At the controls will be Airbus test pilots as well as pilots from the German carrier Lufthansa, which has ordered 15 A380s.From New York, the plane would fly to Chicago, returning to New York today and Frankfurt tommorow.It will then take off for Hong Kong on March 24, stopping in Washington DC on March 25 and Munich, Germany on March 28 on its way back to Airbus headquarters in Toulouse.The first A380 for commercial use is scheduled to be delivered to Singapore Airlines in October.Delivery had been planned for the spring of 2006 but was delayed because of production problems, notably with the aircraft’s electrical cabling.Singapore Airlines has ordered 19 A380s and has an option to acquire six additional planes.The A380, which can carry between 555 and 845 passengers depending on seat configuration, has made test flights to 40 airports around the world.Nampa-AFP