Qatar Airways first A380 nearing completion; First test A350 painted
May 14, 2013, 6:19 am
#1
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Qatar Airways first A380 nearing completion; First test A350 painted
Yup, it's not got engines yet, nor has it been painted, but in another month or two it should be finished: http://www.flickr.com/photos/aircraf...n/photostream/
Also, the first A350 has rolled out the paint booth. I think it looks great - what a sweep those wings have! We can only hope that Qatar goes with the standard 9-abreast seating for these aircraft!
http://www.airbus.com/presscentre/pr...-in-toulouse/#
EDIT: See post #23 for updates
Also, the first A350 has rolled out the paint booth. I think it looks great - what a sweep those wings have! We can only hope that Qatar goes with the standard 9-abreast seating for these aircraft!
http://www.airbus.com/presscentre/pr...-in-toulouse/#
EDIT: See post #23 for updates
Last edited by InternationalLiving; Sep 4, 2013 at 4:38 pm
May 14, 2013, 7:03 am
#2
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Nice post.
I LOLed when I saw that giant oryx head on the tail. Somehow it just looks really strange to have a oryx head on a barely finished plane.
edit: ok so why is the tail already painted/
I LOLed when I saw that giant oryx head on the tail. Somehow it just looks really strange to have a oryx head on a barely finished plane.
edit: ok so why is the tail already painted/
May 14, 2013, 7:10 am
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Thanks.
It's just because, for whatever reason, they paint the tail before it goes on the aircraft. Maybe easier that way, or perhaps, it just makes identification of the aircraft easier for test flights/sitting on the tarmac etc.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/aircraf...in/photostream
It's just because, for whatever reason, they paint the tail before it goes on the aircraft. Maybe easier that way, or perhaps, it just makes identification of the aircraft easier for test flights/sitting on the tarmac etc.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/aircraf...in/photostream
May 14, 2013, 12:55 pm
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Thanks.
It's just because, for whatever reason, they paint the tail before it goes on the aircraft. Maybe easier that way, or perhaps, it just makes identification of the aircraft easier for test flights/sitting on the tarmac etc.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/aircraf...in/photostream
It's just because, for whatever reason, they paint the tail before it goes on the aircraft. Maybe easier that way, or perhaps, it just makes identification of the aircraft easier for test flights/sitting on the tarmac etc.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/aircraf...in/photostream
May 14, 2013, 2:05 pm
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The way the tail attaches to the frame of the plane uses Wallace bolts and must be painted before attached to avoid the Hyper Fitz Effect which comes into play during metallurgy deterioration.
BTW I just totally made that up, but it sounded good huh? So those of you who were going to search for Wallace bolts sorry for taking up 1 minute of your life for my amusement. )
I have no idea why the tail is already painted.
BTW I just totally made that up, but it sounded good huh? So those of you who were going to search for Wallace bolts sorry for taking up 1 minute of your life for my amusement. )
I have no idea why the tail is already painted.
May 14, 2013, 3:57 pm
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The tail is manufactured and painted in Hamburg before flown to Toulouse for final assembly. Probably painted in Hamburg purely because of some practical reason...lower to the ground maybe...
May 14, 2013, 4:06 pm
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I believe that its pained before the rest of the aircraft because the rudder has to be balanced. I believe its easier to paint, attach, then balance the rudder. Appose to attaching the unpainted rudder, balancing that, painting the rudder and then balancing it again.
I do like this image of the same aircraft - http://www.flickr.com/photos/aircraf...n/photostream/
I do like this image of the same aircraft - http://www.flickr.com/photos/aircraf...n/photostream/
Last edited by FN-GM; May 14, 2013 at 4:38 pm Reason: typo
May 14, 2013, 6:15 pm
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May 15, 2013, 12:40 am
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Sweet. On which routes will the A380 be deployed? What is the delivery schedule, i.e. how many planes will be delivered when?
Last edited by San Gottardo; May 15, 2013 at 12:49 am
May 15, 2013, 1:04 am
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For more information, you can log to http://www.qatarairways.com/global/en/our-fleet.page
May 16, 2013, 9:35 am
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They ran out of grey paint and wanted to wait... (LOL i dunno). But a good question!
Given how every other A380 operator has a first class, im guessing these planes will have to as well? Or might they be the first A380 operator without a first class.
Off the top of my Head:
Singapore Airlines - First Class
Qantas - First Class
Emirates - First Class
Lufthansa - First Class
Air France - First Class
Korean Air - First Class
Malaysia Airlines - First Class
China Southern - First Class
British Airways - First Class
Qatar Airways - ???
Given how every other A380 operator has a first class, im guessing these planes will have to as well? Or might they be the first A380 operator without a first class.
Off the top of my Head:
Singapore Airlines - First Class
Qantas - First Class
Emirates - First Class
Lufthansa - First Class
Air France - First Class
Korean Air - First Class
Malaysia Airlines - First Class
China Southern - First Class
British Airways - First Class
Qatar Airways - ???