'Super jumbo' touches down at Begumpet
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/10/17/stories/2008101758550200.htm
<HYDERABAD: The "gentle green giant" has finally made its landing in the
fast growing city of Hyderabad.
The much talked about A-380, the largest passenger aircraft manufactured by
Airbus has lived up to the expectations.
Spanning 80 m from left to right, 73m from head to tail, the sheer size of
the aircraft bemused the audience when it landed at the Begumpet airport
here on Thursday.
And the airport authorities welcomed the "super jumbo" with water cannons
gushing from two sides, while everyone clapped and cheered. But for a couple
of Boeing 777 aircraft, every other aircraft was dwarfed in its presence.
The four-class accommodation will enable it to carry a little over 500
passengers, but is has a capacity for 850 passengers in a single class
module. Appearing on the horizon at 12.06 noon, the magnificent aircraft
took about 15 minutes to land at the airport at 12.21 noon and people
watched with awe its descent on to the runway. Belying apprehensions about
the runway length required to accommodate it, the A-380 took a little over
500 metres to come to a halt before being taxied to tarmac.
"This demonstrates the versatility of the environment friendly aircraft,"
said Union Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel who wanted the Air India as
well as other private airlines to look at acquiring environment friendly and
fuel efficient aircraft like the A-380.
Airbus chief operating officer, customers, John Leahy said the aircraft was
designed for countries like India where it could carry more people with less
injection and low fuel consumption. The aircraft was quieter in that its
noise levels were less than half of the older 747 models.>
It is not the length of the runway which is critical for the super-jumbo but
its thickness (and, of course, the width). Looks like the Begumpet (old
civil enclave) runway held up well in the landing. The lesson is clear: Dont
give up Dabolim civil enclave without a tough (intellectual) fight. Trash
those new fangled journo reports about old civil enclaves being dumps.
