Ebook: Airbus A380: superjumbo of the 21st century

Poised for takeoff on that hot morning in April 2005, the Airbus A380 had the purposeful, powerful presence of a giant predatory bird. With its enormous gulled wings, imperiously tall tail, and broad, domed forepeak, it looked ready to take on the world. And along the way, it has had plenty of supporters—and critics. No civil airliner since the supersonic Concorde has aroused such emotion, such fascination, and such cause celebre.
To a confident Airbus and the thousands of awestruck workers who cheered it into that cloudless sky over Toulouse, it means so much more. The European company has been transformed under the broad wings of this incredible project into a single corporate entity—from a loose consortium into a new, more dynamic force to challenge its worthy adversary Boeing in every market sector.

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The first commercial flight of the Airbus A380 fast approaches—and rarely has a debut been so hotly debated and keenly anticipated. Tensions run high as airlines push for add-ons, manufacturers fret over weight and performance standards, and designers make the mundane but critical decisions over such details as seats and food-service carts that may well determine the success of this $13 billion project. This book provides a complete picture of the Airbus A380, as well as a revealing behind-the-scenes look at the development of the biggest commercial aircraft ever built. With 200 color photos, Airbus A380: Superjumbo of the 21st Century takes readers through the drama of the A380 project, introducing all the key players and unraveling the controversies surrounding its development, from battles over construction materials and on-board technologies to alleged mudslinging by Boeing and other competitors.