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Why A380 aircraft have become so important to many airlines today

Since passenger demand is booming but airlines are unable to meet it owing to fleet shortages, Airbus A380 planes have gained more significance for some carriers.

Why A380 aircraft have become so important to many airlines today
Courtesy : Airbus

One of the largest aircraft in the world is the Airbus A380. It is increasingly important resources for the airlines as the demand from passengers grows globally.

Since two years ago, the entire planet has been under extreme lockdown. People have started travelling more frequently now that COVID is progressively declining, according to research. and the majority of travelers have to transit through the airport. However, even the airport is now unable to manage the number of passengers that a single plane can carry, which is between 180 and 350 seats. This makes it impossible to clear passengers at the airport.

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Heathrow Airport recently passed 6 million people in just 4 months; the airport claims it can accommodate 100,000 passengers per day; as a result, numerous flights were cancelled, along with over 10,300 flights operated by British Airways. However, it is highly challenging for airlines to manage these cancelled flights because the majority of passengers become irate and may submit complaints against airlines. In order to minimize the impact on passengers, Heathrow is requesting their airline partners to cease selling summer tickets as just roughly 1,500 of the 4,000 daily seats have currently been sold to travelers on average.

Since Emirates Airlines has more Airbus A380s that can hold more than 500 passengers and is prepared to run LHR airport to carry passengers, this airline has suddenly taken on a significant role in the discussion. According to Emirates Airlines, they rehired and trained 1,000 A380 pilots in the previous year in order to be ready to meet consumer and travel demand.

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Why A380 aircraft have become so important to many airlines today

Despite the handling capability of the Emirates airlines, Heathrow is still unable to accommodate such high numbers of passengers right now. Given the progress, the airline definitely needed wide-body aircraft like the 747 or the A380.

How the A380 can meet the demand at this time ?

As the airport is larger, each landing and parking space can accommodate more than 500 passengers at once, which is three times the capacity of an A320 or a Boeing 737-800. where the ATC would have difficulty controlling so many aircraft and landing because of some of the high traffic locations. The passengers are flawlessly picked up by an Airbus A380.

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The Emirates A380 presently needs 105 minutes to turn around. For a full-service carrier with belly cargo, the typical turnaround time for a container – based A320 is estimated at 45 minutes. https://jetlinemarvel.net/emirates-launches-us15-million-campaign-to-promote-dubai-hub-and-inspire-travel/The Boeing 777 aircraft needs roughly 90 minutes to get ready for takeoff at Emirates’ hub in Dubai.

Airbus has a 2 Class (long-haul) capacity of up to 615 seats and a range of 8,000 to 15,000 kilometers. It weights between 510 and 575 tonnes. It is capable of handling both long- and short-haul flights.

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Some airports can only accommodate Airbus A380 aircraft due to capacity limitations with their runways and taxiways, which also necessitated the use of some aero bridge services.

Airbus has ceased producing the A380 because there is less demand from airlines, even though there have never been any significant issues. After the Boeing 747 jumbo jet, this was the most anticipated aircraft ever produced for the aviation industry.

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This airplane is more fuel-efficient, using 13,78 kg of fuel per kilo meter to transport 550 passengers over a distance of 13,300 km. With 304 passengers on board, the Boeing 777-200 ER burns 7,51 kg of fuel for every kilometer for a distance of 10,251 kilometers. In contrast, an Airbus A320 travelling 1,220 km and carrying 154 passengers uses 2.79 Kg of fuel per km.

Therefore, even though it can carry loads three times as large as those of small planes and can meet high demand, the Airbus A380 is still profitable for airlines to operate.

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In addition to Emirates operating this aircraft, other airlines including Lufthansa, Qantas, Singapore Airlines, and British Airways have already retrieved A380 aircraft from the storage yard in order to meet growing demand throughout the globe.

There is still a glimmer of hope for this enormous aircraft. This aircraft still works miracles instead of being sent to the scrap heap.

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Please leave a comment with your thoughts.

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He is an aviation journalist and the founder of Jetline Marvel. Dawal gained a comprehensive understanding of the commercial aviation industry.  He has worked in a range of roles for more than 9 years in the aviation and aerospace industry. He has written more than 1700 articles in the aerospace industry. When he was 19 years old, he received a national award for his general innovations and holds the patent. He completed two postgraduate degrees simultaneously, one in Aerospace and the other in Management. Additionally, he authored nearly six textbooks on aviation and aerospace tailored for students in various educational institutions. jetlinem4(at)gmail.com

Aerospace

The LCA Tejas Aircraft Crash: Understanding the Reasons – Air Marshal GS Bedi’s Perspective

The LCA Tejas Aircraft Crash: Understanding the Reasons - Air Marshal GS Bedi's Perspective

Air Marshal GS Bedi, a renowned fighter jet pilot and experienced crew member, recently participated in a YouTube interview with Def Talks hosted by Aadi. During the interview, he provided insights into the recent Tejas aircraft crash in Rajasthan, which marks one of the first crashes involving an aircraft from the Tejas family since its production commenced 20 years ago.

Numerous questions have emerged regarding the circumstances surrounding the Tejas aircraft crash and the potential causes of failure. Air Marshal Bedi adeptly addressed these concerns by outlining possible scenarios that could have led to the crash. His expertise shed light on the complexities involved in such incidents and provided valuable perspective on the aviation community’s understanding of the event.

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At the outset, Tejas lacked a simulator and a trainer aircraft for initial training. However, pilots were provided with simulation trials before flying the Tejas aircraft. Initial reviews indicated stability during flight, with the aircraft maintaining a straight glide. However, there was an incident where the aircraft experienced an engine malfunction, prompting the pilot to eject safely.

Pilot Safe Ejections

The decision to eject was made as a precautionary measure, considering the aircraft’s low altitude and steep descent angle. With the aircraft’s altitude dropping rapidly, attempting to balance and land it was deemed too risky. Ejecting ensured the pilot’s safety, as deploying a parachute at such low altitudes could have been disastrous.

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He chose to eject to ensure a safer distance from the ground. The aircraft is at an angle of less than 3 degrees during the approach. At a height of 100 meters, the aircraft is nearly 20 times its length away from the ground. This means the touchdown point will be approximately 4 kilometers ahead.

However, as the altitude decreases, the approach becomes too short due to the rapid descent rate. Consequently, the pilot opts to eject rather than attempt to stabilize the aircraft for a ground landing. If he had not ejected, there’s a high probability that his parachute would have deployed at that low altitude.

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LCA Tejas engine Issue

Investigations revealed the engine malfunction was likely due to lubrication issues or other technical faults. Such split-second decisions underscore the potentially catastrophic outcomes that can result from technical failures.

The pilot involved was highly experienced and well-trained for airshow displays, suggesting timely decision-making. Nevertheless, accidents can stem from technical glitches, human errors, or unforeseen circumstances like bird strikes.

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Air Marshal Bedi emphasized the importance of pilots being trained for emergency situations, including ejecting from the aircraft when control is lost. Despite advancements in technology, technical issues remain unpredictable, necessitating ongoing learning and improvements in aircraft systems.

Today, the Tejas mk1A aircraft completed its inaugural flight at the Bangalore station, marking the dawn of a new, advanced version of the Tejas aircraft. This iteration boasts enhanced avionics and improved aircraft structure.

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Aerospace

China is secretly testing its next-generation medium combat helicopter Z21

China is secretly testing its next-generation medium combat helicopter Z21

China consistently keeps aviation enthusiasts surprised with its advancements in fighter jets and other aircraft. Leading the pack in Asia, China continuously pushes boundaries in developing domestically-built aircraft.

Recently, images circulating on the internet reveal China’s latest creation, the Z-21 helicopter. Resembling its predecessor, the Z-10, this helicopter boasts enhanced fighter capabilities. The emergence of these images sparks questions regarding the fate of plans to acquire Russian-made Ka-52K attack helicopters, particularly the naval version.

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Observing the helicopter in flight, it shares design elements with the Harbin Z-10, notably in the front fuselage and cockpit canopy. The wing stubs for weapon mounts exhibit similar shapes, though with less pronounced angular features. With a tandem seating arrangement, the Z-21 also draws comparisons to the Mil Mi-28, featuring an elongated body with five rotor blades and weapon bays on its sides.

The unveiling of the Z-21 has triggered speculation about its potential role in future military operations. Analysts suggest that beyond its firepower, its introduction could signal significant technological advancements. There’s particular interest in whether China will incorporate a ‘manned-unmanned teaming’ system akin to later Apache models, enabling the Z-21 to control armed drones for reconnaissance and attacks, reducing risks to the helicopter itself.

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The emergence of the Z-21 underscores China’s increasing military prowess and its commitment to developing cutting-edge weaponry. Its deployment and capabilities will be closely monitored, especially concerning regional security dynamics.

The helicopter presents a significant challenge to American-built Apache and other medium helicopters, boasting superior capacity for flying at higher altitudes and more powerful speed and combat capabilities, thus enhancing its effectiveness on the battlefield. On the other hand, amidst ongoing Indian border tensions, this aircraft is poised to play a crucial role in surveillance along the sensitive China border and beyond.

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Qantas Airbus A330 Makes Safe Landing After Engine Blowout

Woman spends tortuous three months trying to resolve huge Qantas errors

A Qantas Airbus A330 Aircraft, flight number QF781, has landed safely without incident in
Perth after the passengers on the Perth-bound flight reported hearing a ‘loud bang’ from one
side of the twin-engined plane engine. The Airbus A330 aircraft made a priority landing at
Perth Airport around 9:37pm local time on 25 March, arriving approximately 52 minutes
behind schedule.


Upon landing, emergency services met with the aircraft on the tarmac. However, the aircraft
taxied to the gate without assistance, with the passengers disembarking normally.
The ‘loud bang’ heard by passengers happened due to a mid-air engine blowout, therefore
resulting in the pilots having to manually shut off the affected engine, together with
requesting a priority landing into Perth Airport. Qantas also added in a statement that the
Airbus A330 aircraft was designed to operate with one engine too.

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Qantas QF781 is a daily scheduled flight from Melbourne to Perth, utilising the Airbus A330
on the route. The Aircraft in question is VH-EBA, an approximately 21 years aircraft,
equipped with 2 GE CF6 engines according to airfleets.net. The Airbus A330 have been a
frequent regional workhorse in Qantas’ fleet, connecting major australian cities with major
destinations within Asia. the Airbus A330 is also used on high-density domestic routes,
similar to QF781, from Melbourne to Perth.

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Engine Issues – Should you be concerned?


While engine issues are highly uncommon due to the stringent checks and quality control on
each component within the engine, there might still be exceptional occasions where such
incidents happen. However, while recognising the risks of dual engines, Aircraft
Manufacturers and Organisations have actually came up with standards so as to ensure that
an aircraft can also land on a single engine, similar to what we saw on QF781.


One of the most well known standard is Extended-range Twin-engine Operations
Performance Standards (ETOPS) which is an acronym for twin-engine operation in an
airspace further than one hour from a diversion airport at a designated one engine
inoperable speed. This ensures that twin-engined aircraft could safely operate routes over
water or remote land without an alternative airport near the flight path, which once required
aircraft with 3 or 4 engines to fly on that route.

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In this case, the Airbus A330 has been certified to fly ‘Beyond ETOPS 180’, and have
received ETOPS 240 certification, which is a certification to enable the twin-engined aircraft
to fly for up to a maximum of 240 minutes with 1 engine inoperative in a cruise condition.
Currently, most twin-engined widebody aircraft in operation would generally have an ETOPS
certification of at least ETOPS 180, with the new Airbus A321LR also having ETOPS 180
certification, therefore enabling the narrowbody to fly long haul flights.

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Aerospace

Boeing CEO Resigns Amid 737 MAX Crisis, Ignites Management Overhaul

Boeing CEO Resigns Amid 737 MAX Crisis, Ignites Management Overhaul

Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun has announced his resignation amidst the ongoing 737 MAX crisis, signaling a significant top management shakeup at the aerospace giant.

While Calhoun will continue leading the company until the end of 2024, his decision comes amid mounting pressure following a series of setbacks, including the recent incident involving an Alaska Airlines flight. This departure coincides with the retirement of Boeing Commercial President and CEO Stan Deal, who is succeeded by Stephanie Pope, the current Chief Operating Officer.

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The announcement, made by Larry Kellner, boeing products chairman, outlines a broader restructuring within the company’s leadership. Steve Mollenkopf, a Boeing director since 2020 and former CEO of Qualcomm, will take over as chairman and lead the board in selecting a new CEO. This strategic move comes at a critical juncture as boeing airplanes
faces intense regulatory scrutiny and production constraints due to safety and quality issues.

The market’s initial response to the news was positive, with Boeing’s shares rising by 2 percent before regular trading. However, the boeing aircraft company stock had experienced a significant decline earlier in the year, reflecting investor concerns about boeing distribution aviall the ongoing challenges and uncertainties surrounding the 737 MAX program.

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Calhoun stressed the company’s commitment to transparency, safety, and quality in a letter to employees.“We must continue to respond to this accident with humility and complete transparency. We also must inculcate a total commitment to safety and quality at every level of our company,” he said.

“The eyes of the world are on us, and I know we will come through this moment a better company, building on all the learnings we accumulated as we worked together to rebuild Boeing over the last number of years.”

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