Welcoming the A380

2006 witnessed the launch of the A380 an exciting opportunity and a challenge for the airports worldwide that are preparing to welcome the largest commercial aircraft in production today.

Right from the earliest planning stages, airports and ACI provided input to Airbus concerning important considerations for the aircraft design and the related airport modifications. Airbus met with individual airports to discuss all the airside and landside parameters that would require adaptation runways, taxiways, airport stands, boarding bridges, terminals and ground handling equipment. ACI also worked regularly to representairport needs at ICAO as the new specifications for Code F were being developed.

The first group of target airports to welcome the A380 has invested heavily in time and resources and will spend an estimated US$2 billion to prepare for the aircraft’s introduction. It has been a truly satisfying experience to see this common effort translated into reality this year as we watched successfully completed test flights at airports around the globe.

A leading industry journal from the Airports Council International (ACI)

2006 has witnessed the launch of the A380 an exciting opportunity and a challenge for the airports worldwide that are preparing to welcome the largest commercial aircraft in production today.

Right from the earliest planning stages, airports and ACI provided input to Airbus concerning important considerations for the aircraft design and the related airport modifications. Airbus met with individual airports to discuss all the airside and landside parameters that would require adaptation runways, taxiways, airport stands, boarding bridges, terminals and ground handling equipment. ACI also worked regularly to represent airport needs at ICAO as the new specifications for Code F were being developed.

The first group of target airports to welcome the A380 has invested heavily in time and resources and will spend an estimated US$2 billion to prepare for the aircraft’s introduction. It has been a truly satisfying experience to see this common effort translated into reality this year as we watched successfully completed test flights at airports around the globe.

There are two important factors that will continue to drive this cooperation as the aircraft is introduced progressively at international hubs the need for capacity expansion and aviation’s commitment to environmental protection.

Worldwide traffic forecasts indicate that by 2020 airports will be serving more than twice as many passengers as they do today. Clearly airports do not always have space to expand. Large aircraft that can carry between 550 and 800 passengers will be part of the solution, enabling more efficient use of current airport infrastructure as we seek to match available capacity with fast-rising demand.

At the same time, the operating efficiencies achieved by this new generation aircraft are designed to meet our industry’s environmental protection goals fuel economy, reduced emissions and quieter operation to the benefit of those who live and work around the airport and the economic prosperity of the communities that are served.
ACI welcomes the A380 with all best wishes for a
continuing success story.

Contents
The book is divided into six chapters. The first will be written and illustrated by ACI and the publishers of Airport World magazine.

Chapter 1
Why the A380 was built and how it will reshape the travel industry.

Chapter 2
Airlines. Who will be flying it, to where and why.

Chapter 3
Airports. Which airports are preparing to receive the A380.

Chapter 4
Aerospace. The technologies and suppliers behind the A380.

Chapter 5
Facilitation. From boarding bridges to aircraft tugs, the equipment that makes handling the A380 possible.

Chapter 6
The A380 Interior. How the aircraft and the interior suppliers are set to deliver higher levels of comfort for business and economy passengers alike.