The A380 is a dog with fleas. The A380 is so bad even the execs at EADS are flogging their shares left right and centre before Airbus goes tits up and the company is worth zero. If you ever watch the way the A380 is put together you would understand why this whole project has doom written all over it. The “boffins” at Airbus decided to build the A380 in France. What they forgot that all the bits that make up the plane are not in France. To add to the shambles the factory is cleverly located next to a tiny, historical French village. This means once a week the wings have to be shipped from England to France and then driven at very low speeds, along miles of motorways until it gets to said village. They are then driven through the tiny streets with only centimetres of clearance as they pass 500 year old buildings. Its forward planning like this that breeds confidence at 36,000ft.
The whole project has been rushed because it is massively behind schedule and when the big white elephant does hit the mountain face they’ll be able to trace it back to technicians cutting corners and making mistakes. Even if it was delivered on time the whole thing looks doomed. The first landing at Heathrow was appalling. The plane was all over the place as it touched down. And this is when the pilot knows the world’s eyes are on him – what about when the plane is flying in less visible situations? How long will take to check in and seat 566436 passengers? Who wants to have a shower on a plane? And a Bar? More things to go wrong. Its not just me, Singapore Airlines have ordered Boeings as they have clearly run out of patience. Other airlines are cancelling too. There something not right about this plane and until it’s been in service for ten years I won’t get on one. But I doubt it will be ready in ten years time anyway.