Airbus to launch at 10am GMT today!

[Skye]

Why are they spending money on bigger, fuel-guzzling airplanes. Many airlines are having these problems. Due to the current flying situation, They have huge planes that are half-full but they still have to spend the same on fuel. They should take a leaf out of Jet Blue's book. They have smaller planes...that are filled up and eliminated on-board meals. And their making a mint. There flights are cheaper and their geting the passengers.

There are a few reasons. First, if they are both full of passengers, a larger plane becomes more fuel efficient per person. You only need one flight crew per plane, so having fewer larger planes means you have fewer crews; pilots aren't cheap to keep trained. Larger planes can travel further between refuelling, which makes the logistics of long distance travel managable. And larger planes mean that you don't have to use airport facilities as many times.

[andy]

I'm delighted that the test flight has gone well. I just hope that future flights will also run to plan, without any technical difficulties.

[YT2095]

it`s actualy a pretty sweet plane to look at also, the part I found amazing is that in shape it looks little different to any other passenger craft, but due to its size, at take off it hardly looks like it`s moving at all.

 

purely an optical illusion sure, but non the less fascinating to watch

[Mokele]

Larger planes can travel further between refuelling, which makes the logistics of long distance travel managable.

 

That itslef also improves fuel efficiency, at the company level. Ascent is the most fuel-consumptive time of flight. By comparision, steady, level flight is pretty low-cost. By making a single, large plane that can carry many passengers, you save fuel by a) having less planes on that route and b) going farther per flight (less plane changes) which decreases the relative proportion of the trip that's occupied by the expensive ascent (thereby increasing average fuel efficiency).

 

Mokele