enthalpy

Sunday, October 01, 2006


More trouble for the A380. It's all good if you build the biggest airplane in the world, but what if the airports you want to fly it won't build a runway big enough for it?
But a review of capital expenditure ordered by BAA's new Spanish owners, combined with lobbying from low-cost operators easyJet and Ryanair, make it all but certain that final plans will not include the extra £65m needed to accommodate the A380.

Not only will neither of Stansted's runways be wide enough for the A380 but, at a mere 3,048m each, they may not be long enough for all take-off conditions. Heathrow, which has been upgraded to take the new Airbus giant, has a 3,900m runway, while Gatwick's is 3,300m.
3,900m is almost 2.5 miles, kids. I still can't imagine getting on this monstrosity with 550 of my closest friends, and if they can't get the air freight business from FedEx and UPS, they're truly sunk.Thanks long-time reader!



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