Aviation

All Airbus 380s will be retired by Korean Air within a Five years span. Says CEO Walter-Cho in an Interview.

When coming to the Airbus A380 We can talk all day about whether it’s beautiful or an ungainly giant, but one fact is indisputable: It’s the largest passenger aircraft ever made. If you’ve ever flown on one, you’ll know that it offers an incredibly smooth ride and lots of room; and if you’ve ever seen one take off, you’ll know that it’s an exceptionally quiet airplane. But the end is near for the plane. It is also sometimes known as the flying whale.

As the whole COVID-19 situation continues to hurt international air travel, airlines are looking into the future of their wide-body aircraft.

Courtesy: http://airliners.net

On August 19, 2021, In an interview with Flight Global Korean Air CEO Walter Cho said that it’s planning to exit all the 4 engine aircraft starting from the airbus a380s within Five years i.e. till 2026.

Apart from this, it seems the aircraft is safeguarded for now for five years. On referring to data from Planespotter.net, Korean Air, the flag carrier of South Korea, currently owns 10 Airbus A380s, averaging around 9.2 years. Currently only one out of ten super jumbo is in use.

The Interview with the CEO of Korean Air also confirms the planned merger of Korean Air and Asiana airlines which would create the world’s second-largest Airbus A380 fleet.

In total, only 15 airlines worldwide have operated Airbus A380 aircraft. Korean Air happens to be the sixth airline to operate Super Jumbo and may kick it out eighth.

Aviation

Airbus Plans Cockpit Toilet to Make Single-Pilot Operations a Reality

In a bold move aimed at cutting costs, Airbus is exploring the possibility of installing a potty-style toilet right behind the Captain’s seat on its A350 long-haul aircraft. According to the reports from paddleyourownkanoo.com

This proposal is part of the ongoing effort to implement Extended Minimum Crew Operations (eMCO), a concept that could revolutionize the aviation industry by reducing the number of pilots required on ultra-long-haul flights.

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Currently, on long flights, two pilots stay in the cockpit while the others rest in a separate compartment. However, under eMCO, one pilot could be alone in the cockpit for up to three hours while the other sleeps. The goal is to reduce crew costs and improve airline efficiency, as fewer pilots would be needed for these flights.

But this proposal has raised concerns from pilot unions, who worry about safety and the challenges of single-pilot operations. To address the issue of bathroom breaks, Airbus suggests installing a radio-equipped toilet in the cockpit, allowing the pilot to use it without leaving their seat.

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If the pilot needs to use the toilet, the second pilot would have to be woken up, terminating the eMCO process temporarily.

If successful, Airbus plans to begin testing this system on its A350 aircraft as soon as 2027, with single-pilot operations possibly being introduced on freighter Airbus A320s within the next five years.