A380: the countdown is on - Orient Aviation

COMMENT
<strong>A380</strong>: <strong>the</strong> <strong>countdown</strong> <strong>is</strong> on
Welcome to Orient Aviation’s first <strong>A380</strong>
COUNTDOWN special report.
Between now and <strong>the</strong> launch into service
of <strong>the</strong> first ground-breaking Airbus <strong>A380</strong>
with Singapore Airlines (SIA) in <strong>the</strong> second
quarter of 2006, Orient Aviation will be publ<strong>is</strong>hing quarterly
updates on <strong>the</strong> development of <strong>the</strong> super jumbo, <strong>the</strong> airliner set to
redefine <strong>the</strong> long-haul travel experience.
Not only will we be covering milestones such as its roll-out, first
flight, certification, route proving and, of course, delivery, also we
will be highlighting <strong>the</strong> remarkable achievements of Airbus in its
relatively short 34-year h<strong>is</strong>tory,
We will spotlight <strong>the</strong> <strong>A380</strong> customers in <strong>the</strong> Asia-Pacific,
starting with launch customer SIA in th<strong>is</strong> <strong>is</strong>sue. As we say on page
eight of our inaugural pull-out <strong>the</strong> ‘A’ in <strong>A380</strong> <strong>is</strong> for Airbus, but it
<strong>is</strong> also for Asia. The <strong>A380</strong> <strong>is</strong> Asia’s plane. Without Asia <strong>the</strong> aircraft
would never have progressed beyond <strong>the</strong> drawing board.
In addition to SIA, customers in <strong>the</strong> region, to date, are Qantas
Airways, Malaysia Airlines, Korean Air and Thai Airways
International. A Mainland Chinese carrier <strong>is</strong> expected to join <strong>the</strong>
l<strong>is</strong>t in <strong>the</strong> not-too-d<strong>is</strong>tant future. O<strong>the</strong>r carriers from <strong>the</strong> region are
bound to follow.
Thirty nine of <strong>the</strong> 139 commitments to <strong>the</strong> <strong>A380</strong> to date are from
Asia-Pacific carriers. It <strong>is</strong> estimated that by 2010, of <strong>the</strong> 60 airports
playing host to <strong>the</strong> giant aircraft, 19 will be in <strong>the</strong> Asia-Pacific with
ano<strong>the</strong>r five on <strong>the</strong> Indian sub-continent.
CONTENTS
4 From dream to reality: a giant takes shape in
Toulouse
8 Asia’s <strong>A380</strong>. The A in <strong>A380</strong> <strong>is</strong> for Airbus, but it could
also stand for Asia
9 SIA’s secret. The airline <strong>is</strong> not giving anything away
about <strong>the</strong> special inflight experience it <strong>is</strong> preparing
for its passengers, but it does say it will put romance
back into travel
12 Executive interview with aviation’s super salesman,
John Leahy
15 Larger than life: a look at <strong>the</strong> <strong>A380</strong> assembly line
16 The extraordinary Airbus story
19 Singapore Changi International Airport making big
time preparations for <strong>the</strong> <strong>A380</strong>
20 Supplier Focus: <strong>the</strong> engine-makers
22 R<strong>is</strong>k-sharing on a global scale
It <strong>is</strong> expected more than half of all <strong>A380</strong>s flying in <strong>the</strong> next 20
years will be from <strong>the</strong> Asia-Pacific carriers.
Impressive stat<strong>is</strong>tics, indeed, which show <strong>the</strong> importance of
Asia for <strong>the</strong> future of <strong>the</strong> <strong>A380</strong>.
In all <strong>the</strong> <strong>A380</strong> COUNTDOWN special reports we will write
about <strong>the</strong> global chain of <strong>A380</strong> suppliers producing th<strong>is</strong> h<strong>is</strong>toric
new aircraft. In th<strong>is</strong> <strong>is</strong>sue we highlight <strong>the</strong> <strong>A380</strong> enginemakers,
Rolls-Royce and <strong>the</strong> GE/P&W Engine Alliance.
The seven <strong>A380</strong> COUNTDOWN pull-outs have <strong>the</strong> full support
of Airbus. In addition to <strong>the</strong> pull-out, which will be included in
our monthly magazine, <strong>A380</strong> COUNTDOWN will appear on
Orient Aviation’s web site and will be updated regularly. It will
be translated into Chinese and will be included on our Chinese
language web pages.
No o<strong>the</strong>r magazine has given <strong>the</strong> <strong>A380</strong> such comprehensive
coverage. Orient Aviation recogn<strong>is</strong>es <strong>the</strong> <strong>A380</strong>’s place in commercial
aviation h<strong>is</strong>tory and Asia’s role in making <strong>the</strong> <strong>A380</strong> dream become
a reality.
BARRY GRINDROD
Chief Executive
Orient Aviation
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DECEMBER 2004-FEBRUARY 2005 ORIENT AVIATION / <strong>A380</strong> Quarterly Update 3

MAIN STORY
In Toulouse, a giant <strong>is</strong> taking shape
<strong>A380</strong>:
from dream
to reality
Singapore Airlines preparing to be
launch carrier in Spring, 2006
4 ORIENT AVIATION / <strong>A380</strong> Quarterly Update DECEMBER 2004-FEBRUARY 2005
Airbus chief executive, Noel Forgeard:
With only six expressions of interest
he was given approval by <strong>the</strong> board in
December 2000 for an official <strong>A380</strong>
programme launch two months later
By Charles Anderson
in Toulouse
At first glance, Toulouse
and Singapore
are worlds apart. One, a narrow-streeted
medieval city
in <strong>the</strong> south of France, <strong>is</strong>
steeped in h<strong>is</strong>tory and Gallic culture. The
o<strong>the</strong>r, a concrete, high-r<strong>is</strong>e business centre,
has year-round high humidity, steaming
temperatures and <strong>the</strong> kind of Asian bustle
that comes from thinking primarily about
today.
At present, however, <strong>the</strong>y are firmly
linked by one of <strong>the</strong> most ambitious aviation
programmes ever undertaken – <strong>the</strong> making
in Toulouse of <strong>the</strong> giant Airbus <strong>A380</strong>, <strong>the</strong>
largest passenger aircraft to take to <strong>the</strong>
skies. And it will do that with Singapore
Airlines (SIA) as its launch customer.
In France, <strong>the</strong> sense of achievement <strong>is</strong>
palpable. Workers in Airbus’s <strong>A380</strong> final
assembly complex are putting <strong>the</strong> fin<strong>is</strong>hing
touches to <strong>the</strong> test airplanes that are paving
<strong>the</strong> way for <strong>the</strong> first test flight, probably
in early March. Then <strong>the</strong> <strong>A380</strong> will be
a reality instead of an act of faith by an
ambitious manufacturer.
There <strong>is</strong> tension, too, as <strong>the</strong> teams that
designed, constructed and sold <strong>the</strong> 550seater
keep <strong>the</strong>ir fingers crossed that all will
go as planned: that <strong>the</strong>re will be <strong>the</strong> market
to justify <strong>the</strong> US$10.7 billion spent by

Airbus and its r<strong>is</strong>k-sharing partners; that
carrying 135 more long-haul passengers than
<strong>the</strong> current king of <strong>the</strong> skies, <strong>the</strong> Boeing 747,
<strong>is</strong> a viable proposition; that Airbus’s great
American rival has made a m<strong>is</strong>take in saying
<strong>the</strong> future belongs to its medium-sized,
hi-tech 7E7 carrying 250 passengers pointto-point
ra<strong>the</strong>r than hub-to-hub; and that a
B747 Advanced airliner, yet to be final<strong>is</strong>ed,
will not take over from <strong>the</strong> B747-400 as a
good fit for <strong>the</strong> jumbo market.
The <strong>A380</strong> has been called Asia’s
airplane. With justification. SIA takes
delivery of <strong>the</strong> first of its 10 in <strong>the</strong> second
quarter of 2006, followed quickly by Qantas
Airways, which has 12 on order. Korean
Air, Malaysia Airlines and Thai Airways
International make up <strong>the</strong> region’s current
customers with a Chinese carrier expected
to join <strong>the</strong>m soon.
Thirty-nine of Airbus’s 139 orders and
commitments come from <strong>the</strong> Asia-Pacific
‘ Weight <strong>is</strong> no longer <strong>the</strong> prime
concern as <strong>the</strong> <strong>A380</strong> has
reached a level cons<strong>is</strong>tent with
performance guarantees’
Charles Champion
Executive vice-president of
<strong>the</strong> <strong>A380</strong> programme
<strong>A380</strong> ORDERS & COMMITMENTS
Air France: 10; Emirates Airline: 41, plus 2 <strong>A380</strong>F;
Ethiad Airlines: 4; FedEx: 10 <strong>A380</strong>F; ILFC: 5 plus 5 <strong>A380</strong>F;
Korean Air: 5; Lufthansa German Airlines: 15;
Malaysia Airlines: 6; Qatar Airways: 2;
Qantas Airways: 12; Singapore Airlines: 10;
Thai Airways International: 6; Virgin Atlantic Airways: 6
<strong>A380</strong> COUNTDOWN
January 2005
• Public unveiling
First quarter, 2005
• First flight (with Rolls-Royce engines)
June 2005
• First public demonstration flight at
Par<strong>is</strong> Air Show
Followed by
• First flight (Engine Alliance engines)
• First flight to Hamburg
• The start of cabin furn<strong>is</strong>hing
• First Singapore Airlines (SIA) aircraft in
paint shop
and 49 from <strong>the</strong> Middle East. Many of <strong>the</strong>
remaining airlines on <strong>the</strong> customer l<strong>is</strong>t plan
to use <strong>the</strong>ir new aircraft on routes in and out
of <strong>the</strong> region.
The <strong>A380</strong> may be built in France, through
a company made up of European partners,
but without <strong>the</strong> Asia-Pacific’s huge demand
for long-haul, big-city destinations, it
would not be a viable proposition.
Asian airlines have been to <strong>the</strong> fore
during 170 focus meetings over eight years
that have spelt out what potential customers
want. The resulting aircraft, <strong>the</strong> first full
double-decker to go on <strong>the</strong> market, has
wider seats than its rival and room for
lounge areas, bars, duty-free boutiques; any
innovation, in fact, that breaks <strong>the</strong> tedium
of a long flight, provided its owners do not
want to use those areas for extra seating.
Space apart, it <strong>is</strong> <strong>the</strong> economics of <strong>the</strong>
<strong>A380</strong> that Airbus <strong>is</strong> keen to plug: 15%
lower direct operating costs per seat than
on <strong>the</strong> B747 – a claim that Boeing strongly
d<strong>is</strong>putes – with a plane that has 35% more
capacity and an advantage on range, even
over <strong>the</strong> B747-400ER.
It boasts a number of technical advances,
many linked to keeping no<strong>is</strong>e levels down
and em<strong>is</strong>sions and fuel burn low. New
systems, lightweight materials, advanced
Qantas Airways:
Will be <strong>the</strong> second
airline to put <strong>the</strong>
<strong>A380</strong> into service
First quarter, 2006
• Type certification
• Start of delivery phase for first SIA
aircraft
Second quarter, 2006
• Entry into service
wing and undercarriage design and
technology and fuel efficient engines, from
ei<strong>the</strong>r Rolls-Royce or <strong>the</strong> Pratt & Whitney-
General Electric “Engine Alliance”, were
central to its development.
All along, <strong>the</strong> <strong>A380</strong> has had to watch its
weight, but Airbus now says th<strong>is</strong> <strong>is</strong> no longer
a prime concern. Airport worries have been
met head on and are largely solved.
A freight version, <strong>the</strong> <strong>A380</strong>F with a
5,600 nautical mile range, <strong>is</strong> due to go into
service in mid-2008. Seventeen of <strong>the</strong>m are
currently on order.
As far as John Leahy, <strong>the</strong> man tasked
with selling <strong>the</strong> <strong>A380</strong>, <strong>is</strong> concerned, its final
development could not have happened until
Airbus had matured as a company and, after
30 years, was finally on an even footing
with Boeing.
“It wasn’t until Airbus had built up <strong>the</strong>
market position and a full line of interrelated
products with <strong>the</strong> fly-by-wire
technology – and developed a strong market
base – that we had <strong>the</strong> wherewithal and <strong>the</strong>
market acceptance to actually challenge <strong>the</strong>
king of <strong>the</strong> hill; <strong>the</strong> 747,” said <strong>the</strong> Airbus
executive vice-president customer affairs
and chief commercial officer.
“We thought we would end up sharing
<strong>the</strong> market with Boeing. I like to believe that
DECEMBER 2004-FEBRUARY 2005 ORIENT AVIATION / <strong>A380</strong> Quarterly Update 5

MAIN STORY
our airplane would have got <strong>the</strong> lion’s
share. We were stunned to d<strong>is</strong>cover that
we are getting <strong>the</strong> entire market.”
Airbus, in fact, started thinking of
building its own giant passenger aircraft
in <strong>the</strong> late 1980s and formed <strong>the</strong> A3XX
Integrated Team in 1993. By <strong>the</strong>n it was
also working with Boeing on a joint study
into a Very Large Commercial Transport
(VLCT) with German aviation engineer,
Jurgen Thomas, as European project
director.
It’s an unthinkable combination
today, but 10 years ago both companies
were keen to pool <strong>the</strong>ir ideas on <strong>the</strong>
development of a plane larger than <strong>the</strong>
B747 – an idea Boeing says it has now
d<strong>is</strong>m<strong>is</strong>sed as unwarranted. Inevitably,
<strong>the</strong>re were problems.
“We had to exclude many areas
in which we were not allowed to
exchange information. It was very difficult,”
said Thomas.
“It was very dangerous, especially dealing
with <strong>the</strong> [United] States with its trade
perm<strong>is</strong>sions and accusations of price fixing.”
Thomas went on to run Airbus’s large
aircraft div<strong>is</strong>ion and to develop what
became <strong>the</strong> <strong>A380</strong>. Jarry joined him as head
of market development.
“Today I am convinced that 550 seats
<strong>is</strong> <strong>the</strong> biggest aircraft you should do in a
conventional configuration,” said Thomas.
“Something bigger doesn’t make sense
from <strong>the</strong> laws of pure physics. I’m not
concerned that we will be leapfrogged some
day by a bigger aircraft, at least not in such
a configuration.
“The aircraft had been designed to be
stretched by ano<strong>the</strong>r 100 seats. All <strong>the</strong>
precautions have been taken. The engine
contracts provide for thrust growth. The
undercarriage can be extended by ano<strong>the</strong>r
two wheels. We chose a very big wing. The
fuel capacity <strong>is</strong> available.”
Some 40% of <strong>the</strong> <strong>A380</strong> <strong>is</strong> manufactured
from <strong>the</strong> latest generation of carbon
composites and advanced metallic materials
which are lighter and more reliable than
<strong>the</strong>ir predecessors.
GLARE, a laminate alternating layers
of aluminium and glass-fibre reinforced
adhesive, has been used on <strong>the</strong> upper
fuselage shell. Airbus says it <strong>is</strong> superior
in terms of fatigue, corrosion and fire
res<strong>is</strong>tance.
The <strong>A380</strong>’s hydraulic systems use 5,000
pounds per square inch (psi) pressure,
instead of <strong>the</strong> usual 3,000 psi, allowing
In May 2000 Emirates Airline was <strong>the</strong> first carrier to commit to what was <strong>the</strong>n <strong>the</strong>
A3XX. Pictured at <strong>the</strong> announcement <strong>is</strong> Emirates chairman, Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed
Al-Maktoum and Airbus chief executive, Noel Forgeard.
power to be transmitted through smaller
piping and components, thus saving weight.
O<strong>the</strong>r major innovations include superior
separation of flight controls systems, redesigned
air generation methods and, on
<strong>the</strong> processes side, laser beam welding to
attach <strong>the</strong> stringers to <strong>the</strong> lower fuselage
skin instead of using rivets.
“These things did not come overnight,”
said Thomas. “It was over years. Each had
a different process of validation. First, was
it technically reliable? Then, what was <strong>the</strong>
cost situation, what was airline acceptance,
what was <strong>the</strong> reparability?”
‘ Today, I am convinced that 550
seats <strong>is</strong> <strong>the</strong> biggest aircraft
you should do in a conventional
configuration’
Jurgen Thomas
Former A3XX project director and now
special adv<strong>is</strong>or to chief executive Forgeard
6 ORIENT AVIATION / <strong>A380</strong> Quarterly Update DECEMBER 2004-FEBRUARY 2005
There were more basic questions to be
answered. “Is such an aircraft feasible, or
<strong>is</strong> <strong>the</strong>re a showstopper? Are <strong>the</strong> airports
a showstopper, or <strong>the</strong> certification? Is
such an aircraft controllable? Its inertia <strong>is</strong>
tremendous.”
Philippe Jarry, <strong>the</strong>n head of marketing
for Airbus, was busy assessing <strong>the</strong> market
and also assembling a group of airlines who
could spell out what <strong>the</strong>y wanted. “I said,
I think we have to recruit <strong>the</strong> elite club of
<strong>the</strong> 747 operators. We need to work with
<strong>the</strong>se guys. They know <strong>the</strong> 747. They love
<strong>the</strong> 747. There are plenty of good reasons
to love <strong>the</strong> 747, but maybe <strong>the</strong>re are plenty
of good reasons for <strong>the</strong>m to be tired of <strong>the</strong>
747,” he said.
Jarry spread h<strong>is</strong> net wide, taking in
airlines from Asia, America, Europe, <strong>the</strong>
Middle East and <strong>the</strong> Pacific, finding h<strong>is</strong>
invitations accepted by many of h<strong>is</strong> targets.
Many meetings followed, as did a variety of
preferences from h<strong>is</strong> potential customers.
“Two wanted a combi. O<strong>the</strong>r airlines
didn’t want to hear about a combi. Some
wanted a freighter variant. Some wanted
a passenger variant with extreme range.
Everyone wanted to have h<strong>is</strong> own variant
first,” he said.
Finally, <strong>the</strong> airlines appeared to be
ready. With only six letters of interest in h<strong>is</strong>
pocket, chief executive Noel Forgeard went
to <strong>the</strong> Airbus board and was given approval
in December 2000 for an official <strong>A380</strong>
programme launch two months later.
With that dec<strong>is</strong>ion came <strong>the</strong> rapid expansion
of production facilities in Toulouse and
<strong>the</strong> piecing toge<strong>the</strong>r of <strong>the</strong> sub-assembly

process at sites across Europe. Equipment
vendors were chosen in an exerc<strong>is</strong>e that
began in March 2001 and largely ended in
mid-2002.
There was a change of personnel, too.
Jurgen Thomas moved towards retirement,
staying with Airbus as special adv<strong>is</strong>or to
CEO Forgeard. Charles Champion, a French
aerodynamics engineer with wide experience
in production and commercial activities
with Airbus, became executive vicepresident
for <strong>the</strong> <strong>A380</strong> programme and was
given <strong>the</strong> mammoth task of overseeing <strong>the</strong>
switch from project organ<strong>is</strong>ation to manufacturing
entity.
“We have challenges everywhere,
although depending on <strong>the</strong> phase of <strong>the</strong> programme,
<strong>the</strong> challenges are different,” he
said. “At <strong>the</strong> end of <strong>the</strong> day, <strong>the</strong>y all converge
around <strong>the</strong> performance of <strong>the</strong> aircraft, <strong>the</strong>
schedule and delivering what <strong>the</strong> customers
expect.”
First, Airbus needed a business case,
said Champion. “Then afterwards, when it
<strong>is</strong> about delivering, it <strong>is</strong> about people – to
have around me a management team to conduct
<strong>the</strong> project, with people working on <strong>the</strong>
various sites to deliver <strong>the</strong> job, working with
<strong>the</strong> suppliers, <strong>the</strong> engine manufacturers and
vendors across <strong>the</strong> world.”
Airbus put toge<strong>the</strong>r what Champion calls
“tiger teams” in various areas of <strong>the</strong> business
across Europe, challenging <strong>the</strong> French,
Span<strong>is</strong>h, Brit<strong>is</strong>h and Germans to come up
with <strong>the</strong> best solutions, sometimes allowing
one group to challenge ano<strong>the</strong>r.
Expansion at Toulouse came at a staggering
rate. Where initially <strong>the</strong>re were 200
engineers working on <strong>the</strong> <strong>A380</strong> project, last
year <strong>the</strong>re were 6,000. The manufacturing
process has seen tens of thousands more
workers added to <strong>the</strong> total worldwide. The
final assembly line came into operation last
April.
“Then, once you establ<strong>is</strong>h <strong>the</strong> teams, you
start <strong>the</strong> first estimations of where we are in
terms of performance,” said Champion. An
early priority was weight. “When we had <strong>the</strong>
first rough estimations of <strong>the</strong> weight of <strong>the</strong>
aircraft, in March 2001, it was clear that we
had a significant challenge.”
Added to that, <strong>the</strong> configuration of <strong>the</strong>
aircraft had to be changed at <strong>the</strong> airlines’
request to ensure it would be less no<strong>is</strong>y than
<strong>the</strong> B747 and, in particular, would meet <strong>the</strong>
tough no<strong>is</strong>e specifications for takeoff at
London Heathrow [Airport].
Champion sees such developments as
part and parcel of h<strong>is</strong> job. “If you don’t fix
‘ Two wanted an [<strong>A380</strong>] combi.
O<strong>the</strong>r airlines didn’t want
to hear about a combi. Some
wanted a freighter variant.
Some wanted a passenger
variant with extreme range.
Everyone wanted to have h<strong>is</strong>
own variant first’
Philippe Jarry
Former head of <strong>A380</strong> market development
<strong>the</strong> performance early in <strong>the</strong> programme,
you end up running after <strong>the</strong> performance
all your life,” he said.
Weight, <strong>the</strong> Airbus man said, <strong>is</strong> no longer
<strong>the</strong> prime concern. It has reached a level
cons<strong>is</strong>tent with performance guarantees.
Now it <strong>is</strong> all about scheduling, especially
with <strong>the</strong> first flight test due soon.
“Structural assembly went much better
than we expected. There were fewer
concessions than on <strong>the</strong> 340-600 at th<strong>is</strong>
stage. For <strong>the</strong> first time, with Airbus as an
integrated company, we are sharing <strong>the</strong>
same model plus all <strong>the</strong> tools from one
central digital mock-up for <strong>the</strong> aircraft. But
its not just <strong>the</strong> tools, it <strong>is</strong> also our knowhow,”
said Champion.
The challenges now are in <strong>the</strong> systems,
many using new technologies that need
careful checking, through soph<strong>is</strong>ticated
structural, ground and system tests in
Toulouse, Dresden and Bremen in Germany
and Filton in <strong>the</strong> UK. Inevitably, <strong>the</strong>re have
been glitches. No new airplane <strong>is</strong> free of
those.
“Th<strong>is</strong> <strong>is</strong> where <strong>the</strong> big struggle has
been,” said Champion. “People have been
working day and night. Time <strong>is</strong> short and
we want to fly a good quality aircraft. You
can’t take an aircraft to <strong>the</strong> flight test stage
that <strong>is</strong> not sufficiently mature.”
Overall, he has no doubts about <strong>the</strong>
success of <strong>the</strong> plane that will soon go into
full production.
“It’s a big bet. It’s a big aircraft and it
needs lots of resources,” said Champion.
“But when you see <strong>the</strong> response from <strong>the</strong>
market, everybody believes <strong>the</strong> need <strong>is</strong> <strong>the</strong>re
and <strong>the</strong> time has come.”
GEARING UP FOR TEST FLIGHTS
The four development aircraft are now at <strong>the</strong>ir final assembly stations in
Toulouse.
MSN001, which completed <strong>the</strong> assembly process in May, will undertake
<strong>the</strong> first test flight. Toge<strong>the</strong>r with MSN004, fin<strong>is</strong>hed in late August, it will be used for
airframe and systems development and certification. These two planes are fitted with
extensive flight test instrumentation.
MSN002, completed in early July, has a full cabin and will perform <strong>the</strong> early longrange
flight programme with staff acting as passengers.
MSN007, completed in November, will also have a full cabin. It will undertake <strong>the</strong>
traditional “route proving” campaign.
DECEMBER 2004-FEBRUARY 2005 ORIENT AVIATION / <strong>A380</strong> Quarterly Update 7

MAIN STORY
By Charles Anderson
Richard Carcaillet gives a lot
of presentations. It <strong>is</strong> part of
h<strong>is</strong> job as director of product
marketing for Airbus’s new
giant jumbo. He has all <strong>the</strong>
facts and figures about its performance and
production at h<strong>is</strong> fingertips.
One section of h<strong>is</strong> smart slides deals
with airport demand. Although Carcaillet
does not highlight it as such, <strong>the</strong>y spell out
why A <strong>is</strong> not only for <strong>the</strong> <strong>A380</strong>, but for Asia
as well.
On h<strong>is</strong> world map of likely early routes,
<strong>the</strong>re are plenty of bold strokes going across
<strong>the</strong> Atlantic. But far more lead from Europe
and North America into <strong>the</strong> Asia-Pacific.
And, of <strong>the</strong> 60 airports which Airbus says
will see <strong>the</strong> <strong>A380</strong> land before 2010, 19 are
in <strong>the</strong> region and a fur<strong>the</strong>r five on <strong>the</strong> Indian
subcontinent.
Of <strong>the</strong> 37 airports that currently handle
87% of all Boeing 747 movements, 17 are in
<strong>the</strong> Asia-Pacific.
The reasons are obvious: <strong>the</strong> region sits
at ei<strong>the</strong>r <strong>the</strong> beginning or at <strong>the</strong> end of a
majority of <strong>the</strong> world’s longest airplane
routes.
Its fast expanding cities act as magnets
for business and le<strong>is</strong>ure travellers. They
also contain growing populations that are
increasingly on <strong>the</strong> move as <strong>the</strong>ir wealth
increases.
Add to th<strong>is</strong> constraints on slots at
specific times when planes crossing time
zones are likely to take off and land –
ei<strong>the</strong>r in <strong>the</strong> Asia-Pacific or at European
and North American destinations – and
you have <strong>the</strong> equation that Airbus argues
makes <strong>the</strong> <strong>A380</strong> a winner.
“Fragmentation and consolidation are
not conflicting trends,” said Carcaillet,
entering into <strong>the</strong> well-worn argument
about where airline traffic <strong>is</strong> headed. “They
are co-ex<strong>is</strong>ting – hub and spoke and also
routes between two big points.
“On <strong>the</strong> big point-to-point routes, like
Tokyo to London or Singapore to Frankfurt,
you need more productivity at <strong>the</strong> airport
because your infrastructure <strong>is</strong> not going to
extend indefinitely to accommodate more
and more frequencies. These major routes
require larger aircraft.”
He picked Singapore to Los Angeles
or <strong>the</strong> record-breaking Singapore to New
York as examples of young markets which
can also benefit from a bigger aircraft that
flies fur<strong>the</strong>r.
sia’s
<strong>A380</strong>
“They [Singapore Airlines] are flying
<strong>the</strong>se with an Airbus 340-500. Th<strong>is</strong> <strong>is</strong> very
much an example of fragmentation. The
<strong>A380</strong> logic <strong>is</strong> <strong>the</strong>re and very clear.”
Carcaillet <strong>is</strong> keen to highlight <strong>the</strong> extra
900 nautical miles that <strong>the</strong> <strong>A380</strong> can fly
over <strong>the</strong> B747, with what Airbus claims are
better economics.
“With more range, we can eliminate
some of <strong>the</strong> constraints that people have
h<strong>is</strong>torically had with <strong>the</strong> B747-400; for
‘ Singapore – Los Angeles and
Singapore – New York are
examples of young markets
which can benefit from a bigger
aircraft that flies fur<strong>the</strong>r’
Richard Carcaillet
<strong>A380</strong> director of product marketing
example, Singapore to London, Los Angeles
to Sydney. Th<strong>is</strong> plane has outgrown <strong>the</strong>se
constraints.”
Philippe Jarry, who was tasked with
assessing <strong>the</strong> market for <strong>the</strong> <strong>A380</strong> in its
A3XX days, points to airlines operating
in markets that have developed beyond
current aircraft capacities and those which
have used up all <strong>the</strong>ir frequencies and are
hampered by time zones.
8 ORIENT AVIATION / <strong>A380</strong> Quarterly Update DECEMBER 2004-FEBRUARY 2005
He gives Qantas’s three daily B747
flights to London as an example. “We
looked at <strong>the</strong> bookings. It <strong>is</strong> very clear
that one flight number was <strong>the</strong> first that
passengers take. Th<strong>is</strong> <strong>is</strong> <strong>the</strong> best time for
departure and arrival,” he said.
“Then, when it <strong>is</strong> full, <strong>the</strong>y switch to <strong>the</strong>
second. Then <strong>the</strong>y shift to <strong>the</strong> third. We are
not improving <strong>the</strong> service to <strong>the</strong> passenger
by putting on a third, a fourth and a fifth.
We would be better off having two bigger
airplanes at <strong>the</strong> best time of <strong>the</strong> day.
“The more we believe <strong>the</strong>re will be
curfews, <strong>the</strong> more <strong>the</strong>y will restrict <strong>the</strong> time
for arrival and departure. You cannot send
squadrons of mid-sized airplanes. It would
be ridiculous and it’s not economical. Th<strong>is</strong>
<strong>is</strong> not <strong>the</strong> face of commercial aviation. It
does not respond to <strong>the</strong> requirements of th<strong>is</strong>
big and expanding market.
“You are not really increasing customer
sat<strong>is</strong>faction by putting so many airplanes
in <strong>the</strong> sky or at <strong>the</strong> airport, creating
congestion, delaying <strong>the</strong>ir flights.
“There <strong>is</strong> one thing that <strong>is</strong> not going
to change, and that’s time zones. Even if
passengers were prepared to fly at 2am or
arrive at 3am, it <strong>is</strong> not author<strong>is</strong>able. You
arrive at 2am and <strong>the</strong>re <strong>is</strong> nothing. No tax<strong>is</strong>,
no service, no food,” he said.
Then <strong>the</strong>re are <strong>the</strong> economics. With
three-quarters of <strong>the</strong> cities above 15
million projected to be in Asia in 20 years’
time, Jarry argued <strong>the</strong> case for <strong>the</strong> <strong>A380</strong>’s
importance to <strong>the</strong> region <strong>is</strong> simple.
“People say it must be very complex.
No it <strong>is</strong> not. When you aggregate more
people toge<strong>the</strong>r, you don’t have to be a
rocket scient<strong>is</strong>t to understand that fuel
consumption per nautical mile will be
lower. ”
Jarry adds crew costs to h<strong>is</strong> case. “If
instead of three B747s, you can have two
crews flying two <strong>A380</strong>s, you don’t need to
be an expert from Harvard to say <strong>the</strong>se are
less costly. And now that you have reserve
crews, it’s massive.”

CUSTOMER PROFILE
By Tom Ballantyne
Just weeks after Singapore
Airlines (SIA) formally
signed a contract for 10 Airbus
<strong>A380</strong>s in July 2001, <strong>the</strong> carrier
booked more than 60 bedrooms
and conference space at three leading
hotels around <strong>the</strong> world. Reserved over
weekends during August and September
that year at London’s Royal Garden, New
York’s Hilton and Singapore’s Goodwood
Park hotels, SIA was accommodating, wining
and dining a specially selected group of
its frequent flyers.
Th<strong>is</strong> was no free weekend reward
for good customers. Representing both
business and le<strong>is</strong>ure travellers, SIA
intended to subject <strong>the</strong> groups – 20 at each
hotel – to some serious quizzing.
The aim? To find out in minute detail
specifically what <strong>the</strong>y would like to see in
terms of inflight cabin design and service
aboard <strong>the</strong> airline’s trend-setting Airbus
<strong>A380</strong>s when <strong>the</strong>y begin entering service
in April, 2006.
It was far from being a straightforward
“talk fest”. Divided into smaller groups,
participants were also asked to build fullscale
mock-ups of <strong>the</strong>ir ideal aircraft cabins
from cloth, cardboard and aluminium foil.
Scribbling on easels to design layouts,
taping toge<strong>the</strong>r panels and decorating with
coloured paper and marker pens, <strong>the</strong>y also
Singapore Airlines will be <strong>the</strong> launch customer
when it takes delivery of <strong>the</strong> first of its 10 <strong>A380</strong>s
When it comes to inflight service <strong>A380</strong> launch customer Singapore Airlines enjoys <strong>the</strong>
reputation of being <strong>the</strong> best of <strong>the</strong> best. But on <strong>the</strong> <strong>A380</strong> <strong>the</strong> carrier prom<strong>is</strong>es it will be
even better. How much better? Ssshhhhh that’s ...
SIA’s SECRET
But here <strong>is</strong> a clue. The airline says it <strong>is</strong> “putting <strong>the</strong> romance back into <strong>the</strong> travel experience”
used hotel furniture, china and glassware
to show SIA what <strong>the</strong>y wanted. One group
called its creation Tranquillity Class.
Ano<strong>the</strong>r dubbed it Freedom Class.
These weekend sessions, <strong>the</strong> first
time SIA had taken such an approach in
preparation for <strong>the</strong> introduction of a new
aircraft type into its fleet, marked <strong>the</strong>
beginning of <strong>the</strong> long and complex process
to design cabins within <strong>the</strong> <strong>A380</strong> that will
not only give customers what <strong>the</strong>y want,
but set new standards of inflight comfort
and service for an airline that already has
an unsurpassed reputation for inflight
service.
How many of <strong>the</strong> ideas that emerged
from <strong>the</strong>se early sessions in Singapore,
DECEMBER 2004-FEBRUARY 2005 ORIENT AVIATION / <strong>A380</strong> Quarterly Update 9

CUSTOMER PROFILE
An Airbus design of an <strong>A380</strong> first class cabin in its Toulouse mock-up centre
London and New York will become
reality in <strong>the</strong> 21st Century’s first new big
commercial jet remains a tightly guarded
secret.
With more than a year still to go before
SIA rolls out <strong>the</strong> aircraft for its h<strong>is</strong>toric
initial commercial flight, <strong>the</strong> airline <strong>is</strong>
making sure it does not tip off competitors
with details of its <strong>A380</strong> product plans.
Indeed, dec<strong>is</strong>ions are yet to be made on
many of <strong>the</strong> products that will be installed
in <strong>the</strong> aircraft.
One thing <strong>is</strong> certain: it will be different.
“Being <strong>the</strong> world’s first full doubledecker
aircraft, <strong>the</strong> <strong>A380</strong> provides ample
opportunity for product innovation,” SIA’s
senior manager public affairs and chief
spokesman, Stephen Forshaw, told Orient
Aviation. “And as launch customer of <strong>the</strong>
<strong>A380</strong>, SIA’s aircraft will set new standards
for premium air travel and put <strong>the</strong> romance
back into <strong>the</strong> travel experience.
“Although <strong>the</strong> <strong>A380</strong> <strong>is</strong> capable of
seating 555 passengers in a three-class
configuration, SIA’s product will have
less than 500 seats, providing more space
and comfort for our passengers. The First
and Raffles Class products on th<strong>is</strong> aircraft
in particular will be different from SIA’s
current offering in <strong>the</strong>se classes.”
He said <strong>the</strong> airline has consciously
engaged customers at all stages of designing
<strong>the</strong> <strong>A380</strong>. When <strong>the</strong> frequent flyer groups
were “hot-housed” for two days back
in 2001 with SIA staff from various
departments, <strong>the</strong>y were asked to imagine
air travel in five to 10 years time and to tell
<strong>the</strong> airline what changes <strong>the</strong>y would like to
see, he explained.
“The input from <strong>the</strong> customers and staff
was <strong>the</strong>n used to map out <strong>the</strong> overarching
philosophy behind our cabin interior
design, cabin amenities and ground and
inflight service procedures. Th<strong>is</strong> was <strong>the</strong>n
presented to a group of designers, from
fashion houses to luxury car designers and
aircraft cabin special<strong>is</strong>ts, to translate into an
actual cabin design.”
Forshaw said th<strong>is</strong> process of intense
customer consultation <strong>is</strong> continuing.
Attention to detail <strong>is</strong> not only being given to
<strong>the</strong> aircraft’s premier cabins.”
“In April, transit passengers were invited
to preview four economy class seats short-
‘ No bowling alleys ... But we
never forget <strong>the</strong> romance of
air travel’
Chew Choon Seng
Chief Executive, Singapore Airlines
10 ORIENT AVIATION / <strong>A380</strong> Quarterly Update DECEMBER 2004-FEBRUARY 2005
l<strong>is</strong>ted for <strong>the</strong> <strong>A380</strong>. These seats were fitted
on to a Boeing B747 aircraft parked at one of
<strong>the</strong> gates in Singapore Changi International
Airport. Each volunteer took 45 minutes
to test <strong>the</strong> seat and to answer a series of
questions on <strong>the</strong> seat types, including level
of comfort, design, fit and aes<strong>the</strong>tics.
“At <strong>the</strong> same time, customer focus group
sessions were conducted to get more indepth
feedback. In October, passengers
were invited again, th<strong>is</strong> time to test cushion
and mattress prototypes and to evaluate
<strong>the</strong>m based on <strong>the</strong> firmness and comfort of
<strong>the</strong> cushion or mattress. They were asked
to rank <strong>the</strong> cushions or mattresses in order
of preference and give each a score (out of
100). All th<strong>is</strong> information will be used in
determining <strong>the</strong> final selection.”
Few were surpr<strong>is</strong>ed when SIA became
<strong>the</strong> <strong>A380</strong> launch customer. It <strong>is</strong> well known
for being first in <strong>the</strong> market with new
aircraft and new products. But <strong>the</strong> dec<strong>is</strong>ion
to lead <strong>the</strong> way with <strong>the</strong> <strong>A380</strong> was not only
made because of its potential for reshaping
inflight service.
“The large capacity and long flying
range of <strong>the</strong> <strong>A380</strong> make it an ideal aircraft
on routes where airport gate and slot
congestion make it difficult for SIA to add
more services using smaller aircraft,” said
Forshaw.
“It <strong>is</strong> also important for us to remain
pioneers in adopting new aircraft
technology and to contribute to re-defining
<strong>the</strong> concept of aviation travel. We believe we
can operate th<strong>is</strong> aircraft profitably and with
good load factors to major cities in Europe,
<strong>the</strong> U.S. and <strong>the</strong> Asia-Pacific region.
“The prom<strong>is</strong>ed superior operating
economics of <strong>the</strong> aircraft mean lower costs
per seat, which <strong>is</strong> part of our strategy to keep
travel affordable. At <strong>the</strong> same time, <strong>the</strong> large
interior of <strong>the</strong> <strong>A380</strong> presents many exciting
possibilities for us to improve on what we
already offer our passengers.”
In <strong>the</strong> beginning, <strong>the</strong> aircraft will be used
on <strong>the</strong> ‘Kangaroo Route’, <strong>the</strong> traditional
airway linking Australia with Europe and,
more specifically, Sydney with London by
way of Singapore, said Forshaw.
“Beyond that, it will be used where we
see <strong>the</strong> need for increased capacity in slotconstrained
airports.”
While SIA <strong>is</strong> not yet detailing network
plans beyond th<strong>is</strong>, most analysts expect
New York, Los Angeles, Tokyo and Hong
Kong will be early targets. As it prepares
to write <strong>A380</strong> services into its network and
schedules, SIA <strong>is</strong> in regular contact with

airport authorities worldwide on <strong>the</strong> extent
of <strong>the</strong>ir readiness for <strong>the</strong> aircraft.
“We are confident <strong>the</strong> necessary
infrastructure will be in place at <strong>the</strong>se
airports when we start flying <strong>the</strong> <strong>A380</strong> in
2006. Some aspects that airports would
have to consider in <strong>the</strong>ir preparations are
direct upper deck boarding access, larger
gate holding rooms and extended baggage
belts,” added Forshaw.
So what will passengers find when <strong>the</strong>y
board SIA’s <strong>A380</strong>s?
What <strong>the</strong>y will probably not find are
<strong>the</strong> imaginative concepts often pushed
by Airbus itself as it promoted <strong>the</strong> plane
during <strong>the</strong> early years of <strong>the</strong> project. These
included such things as boardrooms for
business meetings, cinemas, restaurants
and duty free shopping malls.
During <strong>the</strong> 2001 hotel sessions, SIA’s
frequent flyers also had some ingenious
ideas. Asked to come up with innovative
ways to use a forward cargo hold as
passenger space, participants bounced
around everything from a d<strong>is</strong>co, yoga
classroom and view-lounge to a gym, hot
tub or showering area. Treadmills or o<strong>the</strong>r
exerc<strong>is</strong>e equipment were ano<strong>the</strong>r popular
request.
The ability to have a lay-flat bed on a
daylong flight overrode just about every
o<strong>the</strong>r passenger concern.
The end result <strong>is</strong> likely to be something
less than <strong>the</strong> passengers w<strong>is</strong>h l<strong>is</strong>t, but a lot
more than travellers have today.
In an interview with Orient Aviation
earlier th<strong>is</strong> year, SIA chief executive,
Chew Choon Seng, said <strong>the</strong> idea of shops
and saunas was very imaginative and very
attractive, but few people took <strong>the</strong>m very
seriously, not least because it would likely
be impossible to have <strong>the</strong>m approved for
safety reasons.
“I can assure you that very few of us
who are having to fight for our commercial
viability can afford to put bowling alleys on
<strong>the</strong> <strong>A380</strong>, even if it was feasible from <strong>the</strong>
point of view of <strong>the</strong> engineering challenges
and from <strong>the</strong> safety angle. It <strong>is</strong> very nice
to have all <strong>the</strong>se features, but <strong>the</strong>se things
don’t generate revenue.
“The plane <strong>is</strong> certainly not cheap. It
will take more people to man it and it will
be more costly to service. It can only make
sense if we can fill <strong>the</strong> plane with people
who pay <strong>the</strong> fare for <strong>the</strong> travel.”
Chew said SIA, as always, would take
a pragmatic approach. “But we never
forget <strong>the</strong> romance of air travel. It <strong>is</strong> a very
romantic experience.”
It <strong>is</strong> certain that while passengers in
all classes will get more space and new
surroundings, <strong>the</strong>y will also receive a vastly
upgraded inflight entertainment experience
aboard SIA’s <strong>A380</strong>s.
For example, <strong>the</strong> carrier late last year
signed a Letter of Intent agreement with
Connexion by Boeing as its provider of
choice for high-speed Internet-based
communications on board. It calls for <strong>the</strong>
Connexion by Boeing mobile information
service to be installed on 40 of <strong>the</strong>
airlines long-haul jets with an und<strong>is</strong>closed
number of options for additional service
installations. That will include <strong>the</strong> <strong>A380</strong>,
according to sources.
A hotel shopping mall? No, an Airbus design of a duty free shop on board an <strong>A380</strong>
Airbus, SIA
grew up in
<strong>the</strong> same era
It <strong>is</strong> more than fitting that Singapore
Airlines (SIA) will be <strong>the</strong> first
airline to paint its livery on <strong>the</strong>
world’s biggest passenger jet, <strong>the</strong> Airbus
<strong>A380</strong>. European planemaker Airbus and
SIA cut <strong>the</strong>ir teeth in <strong>the</strong> airline industry
at <strong>the</strong> same time – in <strong>the</strong> 1970s.
Airbus Industrie, as it was <strong>the</strong>n,
was establ<strong>is</strong>hed in 1970. In 1972, SIA
emerged as a single entity from Malaysia-
Singapore Airlines (MSA) as <strong>the</strong> carrier’s
joint shareholders, <strong>the</strong> governments of
Malaysia and Singapore, both launched
<strong>the</strong>ir own carriers.
MSA ceased operations in that year
as Malaysia Airline System (now called
Malaysia Airlines) and SIA went <strong>the</strong>ir
own ways.
At its launch, <strong>the</strong> new national flag
carrier of Singapore had a modest fleet
compr<strong>is</strong>ing 10 aircraft, a staff of 6,000
and a route network spanning 22 cities
in 18 countries. It immediately began to
expand and modern<strong>is</strong>e its fleet, along <strong>the</strong>
way setting standards of service that few
o<strong>the</strong>rs have been able to match.
Far-sighted planning, investment
and product innovation propelled its
growing reputation and profitability and
<strong>the</strong> little airline from Asia’s small <strong>is</strong>land
state became big.
Now operating passenger services
to 59 cities in 32 countries, it has a fleet
of 89 passenger jets with 16 more on
order and ano<strong>the</strong>r 45 under option. The
average age of <strong>the</strong> fleet <strong>is</strong> just five years
and one month.
SIA currently operates 28 Boeing
B747-400s, nine B777-300s, 31 B777-
200s, 15 B777-200ER (Extended Range),
and six Airbus A340-500s. As well as <strong>the</strong>
10 Airbus <strong>A380</strong>s it has on firm order, SIA
has ano<strong>the</strong>r 15 on option.
In addition, SIA Cargo operates
a fleet of fourteen Boeing B747-400
freighters, known as Mega Arks, on a
global network that extends to 69 cities in
36 countries. Ano<strong>the</strong>r two aircraft of th<strong>is</strong>
type are due for delivery in 2005-06.
DECEMBER 2004-FEBRUARY 2005 ORIENT AVIATION / <strong>A380</strong> Quarterly Update 11

EXECUTIVE PROFILE
JOHN LEAHY, Airbus executive vice-president customer affairs
and chief commercial officer: <strong>the</strong> man charged with selling <strong>the</strong> <strong>A380</strong>.
He’s driven, hard-nosed and
certainly not <strong>the</strong> ‘Quiet American’.
But <strong>the</strong> man who spends much
of h<strong>is</strong> time in <strong>the</strong> air has proved
himself to be one of <strong>the</strong> world’s
foremost sales people.
CHARLES ANDERSON spoke to
him about h<strong>is</strong> career.
John Leahy <strong>is</strong> not quite an American
in Par<strong>is</strong>, unless he <strong>is</strong> transiting
through Charles de Gaulle
Airport on one of h<strong>is</strong> many sales
trips. Ra<strong>the</strong>r, he’s an American
in Toulouse. But <strong>the</strong> irony of h<strong>is</strong>
position in France <strong>is</strong> <strong>the</strong>re, just <strong>the</strong> same.
Leahy has a curriculum vitae that
sounds typical of many an American
business executive: born and brought up in
New York state, a BA from Fordham, MBA
from Syracuse, seven years selling Piper
aircraft. Check on h<strong>is</strong> references – if he still
needs any – and you will hear that he <strong>is</strong> an
unabashed workaholic, hard-nosed, keenly
focused and intellectually gifted.
A qualified multi-engine pilot and
former flying instructor with more than
3,700 hours flying time under h<strong>is</strong> belt, he
has three children currently studying at
U.S. universities.
Just <strong>the</strong> man, perhaps, to be heading
<strong>the</strong> marketing push for Boeing. On an off
day, <strong>the</strong>y may even think that in Seattle
or Chicago. But, ironically, as <strong>the</strong> two
giant aircraft makers tussle for market
dominance, Leahy <strong>is</strong> using h<strong>is</strong> American
drive to propel European Airbus forward.
Clearly, he <strong>is</strong> enjoying every moment of
it. And so he should, for Leahy as much as
anybody, <strong>is</strong> responsible for Airbus’s current
success.
A lengthy conversation with <strong>the</strong> man
tagged “aviation’s super salesman” <strong>is</strong>
peppered with compar<strong>is</strong>ons with Boeing:
its products, its organ<strong>is</strong>ation, its attitudes.
That <strong>is</strong> unavoidable. And Leahy <strong>is</strong> no Quiet
American, ei<strong>the</strong>r.
SUPER
SALESMAN
‘ The guy who tends to
wait and see in a very
competitive industry
<strong>is</strong> <strong>the</strong> one who tends
to be left behind’
John Leahy
Airbus executive vice-
president customer affairs
and chief commercial officer
For <strong>the</strong> 20 years since he first joined <strong>the</strong>
European company as a member of its U.S.
sales organ<strong>is</strong>ation, he has been pitting h<strong>is</strong>
wits against Airbus’s great rival: once as <strong>the</strong>
underdog, now on an equal footing.
With <strong>the</strong> <strong>A380</strong>, however, <strong>the</strong>re <strong>is</strong> a
difference. Until its arrival, Airbus’s current
executive vice-president customer affairs
and chief commercial officer compared
aircraft with similar capabilities to potential
customers. He now has, in reality, <strong>the</strong> only
product of its type on h<strong>is</strong> books. Boeing’s
12 ORIENT AVIATION / <strong>A380</strong> Quarterly Update DECEMBER 2004-FEBRUARY 2005
famous B747-400 carries fewer people and
has less range. A B747 Advanced <strong>is</strong> on <strong>the</strong>
drawing board and <strong>is</strong> being d<strong>is</strong>cussed with
airlines, but it <strong>is</strong> not firmed up yet.
The argument instead <strong>is</strong> over whe<strong>the</strong>r
Airbus <strong>is</strong> right in saying <strong>the</strong> market wants
a 550-seat jumbo, about whe<strong>the</strong>r it makes
economic sense to put that many bums on
that many seats.
With 139 orders and commitments,
Leahy’s team appear to have done <strong>the</strong>ir job
so far, and that has much to do with <strong>the</strong>ir

leader’s absolute conviction that Airbus <strong>is</strong>
right. He’s a man you want on your side in
a fight. You certainly don’t want him on <strong>the</strong>
o<strong>the</strong>r team.
Leahy put h<strong>is</strong> case for <strong>the</strong> <strong>A380</strong>’s
acceptance while fixing <strong>the</strong> l<strong>is</strong>tener in <strong>the</strong>
eye and keeping that gaze throughout.
First, he offered a little h<strong>is</strong>tory to drive
home h<strong>is</strong> main argument.
“Every 30 years, <strong>the</strong>re <strong>is</strong> a sea change in
th<strong>is</strong> industry: propellers to p<strong>is</strong>tons, p<strong>is</strong>tons
to turboprops, turboprops to jets, jets to
jumbo jets and jumbo jets to super jumbos.
Passengers have been in <strong>the</strong> forefront of that
demand,” he said.
“What’s very interesting to note <strong>is</strong> that
back about 30 years ago when <strong>the</strong> B747
entered service, you can go to <strong>the</strong> key
airports around <strong>the</strong>
world and look at <strong>the</strong>
competition of <strong>the</strong> five or
so mega carriers flying in
and out of an airport.
“At every one of <strong>the</strong>m,
and we’ve got <strong>the</strong> charts,
you had everybody
flying <strong>the</strong> B707 or DC8.
These were four-engine
intercontinental jets that,
in some cases like <strong>the</strong>
DC8, had only just been
recently introduced.
Some airlines had placed
<strong>the</strong>ir orders and hadn’t
even accepted delivery.
“And <strong>the</strong>n here comes
a new way of flying
called <strong>the</strong> 747. After
one airline in every one
of <strong>the</strong>se key airports
introduced <strong>the</strong> 747,
every o<strong>the</strong>r major airline switched ei<strong>the</strong>r
three months, six months, nine months later
and some as long as 15 months later. But
within two-and-a-half years, every major
competitor operating out of that airport had
switched from <strong>the</strong> older generation aircraft
to <strong>the</strong> new generation aircraft.
“Why would that happen? Two reasons ...
<strong>the</strong> passengers preferred it, but you also had
an economic advantage to <strong>the</strong> airline as well.
You had that unique combination of being in a
very competitive industry with a product that
has a clear passenger preference and also has
<strong>the</strong> unique status of having lower seat mile
costs at <strong>the</strong> same time, which makes it an
overwhelming case for <strong>the</strong> product.”
Leahy sees <strong>the</strong> same happening with <strong>the</strong>
<strong>A380</strong>. “The knowledgeable passenger will
ask for <strong>the</strong> airplane and <strong>the</strong> airlines will be
able to offer a 15% to 20% lower seat mile
cost. The combination of better economics
combined with passenger preference will
make it a hands-down winner,” he said.
Later, <strong>the</strong> Airbus marketing man can’t
res<strong>is</strong>t giving a nudge to carriers in Japan
and Hong Kong who have yet to sign up for
h<strong>is</strong> airplane.
“Inevitably, <strong>the</strong>y [<strong>the</strong> Japanese] will
have to have it. It’s unfortunate that <strong>the</strong>y
don’t understand as much about Airbus as
perhaps <strong>the</strong>y should,” he said.
“You can have a [Boeing] 7E7 and still
end up with an <strong>A380</strong>. I think it’s going to
be very awkward for <strong>the</strong>m when a lot of <strong>the</strong>
world’s major airlines are flying into Narita
with <strong>A380</strong>s, up to 10 flights a day by 2008.
Leahy on <strong>the</strong> buzz
and ‘<strong>the</strong> heroes’
Does John Leahy still get <strong>the</strong> buzz from a sale today?
“Oh, yes. It <strong>is</strong> still thrilling, still exciting. You get airline
executives, <strong>the</strong> leaders in <strong>the</strong> industry. You watch
<strong>the</strong>m study a product, start negotiating <strong>the</strong> terms. Wondering, ‘should I
do it, should I not?’
“And watch <strong>the</strong>m go from <strong>the</strong> doubting Thomases to <strong>the</strong> unsure, to
<strong>the</strong> ‘wow, th<strong>is</strong> <strong>is</strong> exactly what I want to do.’ Shake <strong>the</strong> hand, you’ve got <strong>the</strong>
deal and you see how excited <strong>the</strong>y are.
“But I’m just building and selling <strong>the</strong>se planes. These are <strong>the</strong> guys who
are actually going to be using <strong>the</strong>m for <strong>the</strong> next 25 to 30 years, changing
<strong>the</strong> way we are all going to fly. They are <strong>the</strong> heroes of th<strong>is</strong> industry.
“They have a hell of a lot tougher job than we do. There’s only
Airbus and Boeing to beat up on each o<strong>the</strong>r. They’ve got 200 airlines
to fight it out with. They are <strong>the</strong>re, on <strong>the</strong> really competitive side of th<strong>is</strong>
business.”
“Given <strong>the</strong> chance, you would fly on
it, I would fly on it. I’m sure <strong>the</strong> Japanese
travelling public going to Europe, going to
America, will want to do that.
“A little known fact <strong>is</strong> some operators
have fifth freedom and beyond rights out
of Japan. Korean Air [an <strong>A380</strong> customer]
for example flies out of Los Angeles to
Tokyo and has <strong>the</strong> ability to sell tickets in
Los Angeles to Tokyo. If you want to go
to <strong>the</strong> U.S. from Japan, Korean Air will be
able to sell you a ticket. You don’t have to
go to Seoul.
“Singapore [Airlines] has rights to go into
Hong Kong and pick up traffic to <strong>the</strong> U.S.,
whereas Cathay Pacific will look over <strong>the</strong>ir
shoulder and see what <strong>the</strong>y are doing.
“You’ll d<strong>is</strong>cover with a lot of <strong>the</strong>se
airlines that say ‘well, it’s been a difficult life
and why don’t we just sit back and wait and
see?’ ... <strong>the</strong> guy who tends to wait and see in
a very competitive industry <strong>is</strong> <strong>the</strong> one who
tends to be left behind.”
John Leahy, at 54 still trim and fit, hardly
fits into that category. Known for h<strong>is</strong> long
working days and no-nonsense manner, he
<strong>is</strong> said to drive h<strong>is</strong> staff as hard as he drives
himself.
On <strong>the</strong> week he met Orient Aviation, h<strong>is</strong>
itinerary read: Toulouse, London, Toulouse,
<strong>the</strong> United States and <strong>the</strong> start of a trip to
Asia.
Last year he spent 220 days out of
France, a fact he knows for tax reasons.
Leahy will, basically, fly anywhere, any
time, for a worthwhile sale. “You’ve got to do
<strong>the</strong> planning, <strong>the</strong> strateg<strong>is</strong>ing
and <strong>the</strong> rest, but
<strong>the</strong> one thing that’s still
important <strong>is</strong> when an airline
<strong>is</strong> coming down to <strong>the</strong>
wire, trying to make up
<strong>the</strong>ir mind. Should <strong>the</strong>y
go with <strong>the</strong> <strong>A380</strong>; should
<strong>the</strong>y go with a Boeing
alternative?” he said.
“It wavers back and
forth at <strong>the</strong> end. Most
of <strong>the</strong>se deals are a lot
closer than most people
think. It could go one
way, it could go <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r
way. What you need to
do <strong>is</strong> to be <strong>the</strong>re. Most of
<strong>the</strong> time it makes a difference.”
But not all <strong>the</strong> time.
“In fact once th<strong>is</strong> summer,
I was a little bit d<strong>is</strong>appointed
to d<strong>is</strong>cover having flown halfway
around <strong>the</strong> world to see if I couldn’t help
close <strong>the</strong> deal, that when I arrived <strong>the</strong> CEO
of <strong>the</strong> airline said `well John, you got here
about one day too late. I just decided last
night to go with your competitor. I already
told him that, and <strong>the</strong> deal <strong>is</strong> done.’
“That <strong>is</strong> probably about <strong>the</strong> biggest waste
of your time that you can imagine. That
almost never happens. Most of <strong>the</strong> time you
can make a difference if you are <strong>the</strong>re.”
Leahy, you feel, has wasted little of h<strong>is</strong>
own time in an Airbus career that started
in 1985 in <strong>the</strong> U.S. after he worked in
marketing for Piper. He became head of
sales at Airbus’s U.S. operation three years
later and president of Airbus North America
in 1992. At first, he found h<strong>is</strong> salesmen were
DECEMBER 2004-FEBRUARY 2005 ORIENT AVIATION / <strong>A380</strong> Quarterly Update 13

EXECUTIVE PROFILE
literally shut out of <strong>the</strong> action, with h<strong>is</strong> team
refused access to dec<strong>is</strong>ion-makers who
had trouble taking <strong>the</strong> fledgling Airbus
company seriously.
“In one case, <strong>the</strong>y had sent <strong>the</strong> trainee,
who knew nothing about [<strong>the</strong> airline] at
all. Our guy was giving a presentation
to a trainee. And that was it. They sent
back <strong>the</strong>se glowing reports, saying <strong>the</strong>
presentation was well received. I can
remember saying when I got a team built
up over <strong>the</strong>re, if anybody ever tells me <strong>the</strong>
presentation was well received again, he’s
out of a job.”
How did he change that and built
acceptance for Airbus in Boeing’s back
yard? “Actually, it was getting in <strong>the</strong>re and
seeing <strong>the</strong> people, one on one. You had to
have a little bit of an understanding of <strong>the</strong>
market. What we tried to do <strong>the</strong>n was to get
some American salesmen,” said Leahy.
“I was a pilot and <strong>the</strong>y thought that
was big. But we were looking for people
with MBAs, preferably with a finance
background and some people who knew
<strong>the</strong> transport industry. One of <strong>the</strong> things we
started to do was to real<strong>is</strong>e when we were
being bullshitted by an airline and when
<strong>the</strong>y really wanted to see us.
“The key was to be able to show <strong>the</strong>
product. If you could understand US Air, if
When John Leahy’s men go on <strong>the</strong>ir calls, <strong>the</strong>y
don’t only have <strong>the</strong> details of a passenger giant
in <strong>the</strong>ir briefcases; <strong>the</strong>re are <strong>the</strong> specifications
for a jumbo freighter in <strong>the</strong>re as well, writes
Charles Anderson.
The <strong>A380</strong>F <strong>is</strong> due in service some two years after <strong>the</strong> passenger
variant. Its design has been frozen, main component assembly starts
at <strong>the</strong> end of 2005 with final assembly following in <strong>the</strong> third quarter
of 2006. As a derivative, its flight test phase <strong>is</strong> comparatively short.
So it should be ready for take-off in mid 2007, with entry into
service a year later.
Airbus <strong>is</strong> claiming that at 150 tonnes it offers 29% more payload
and 50% more volume than its Boeing 747 equivalent, with direct
operating costs totalling 20% less per tonne. Seventy-one large
cargo pallets or containers will fit into its three decks.
Richard Carcaillet, director of product marketing for <strong>the</strong> <strong>A380</strong>
programme, sees <strong>the</strong> freighter’s high volume capacity as important
to <strong>the</strong> Asia-Pacific, especially with <strong>the</strong> growth of manufacturing
and assembly in China.
“More and more air cargo <strong>is</strong> not that urgent. Ra<strong>the</strong>r it <strong>is</strong> made up
of high value goods,” he said. Then <strong>the</strong>re are electronic components,
d<strong>is</strong>k drives and consumer goods which need careful handling.
John Leahy in front of <strong>the</strong> <strong>A380</strong> mock-up in Toulouse
you could understand American and Northwest,
figure out who <strong>the</strong> key players were and
get <strong>the</strong>m to spend a little bit of time l<strong>is</strong>tening
to you, <strong>the</strong>n <strong>the</strong> product sold itself.”
In 1994, having seen annual sales to
North American carriers r<strong>is</strong>e from 40 to
329, he moved to Toulouse to h<strong>is</strong> present
position and set h<strong>is</strong> team <strong>the</strong> ambitious
commercial goal of 50% of <strong>the</strong> global
market, a figure that Airbus says it has now
achieved in orders and deliveries.
14 ORIENT AVIATION / <strong>A380</strong> Quarterly Update DECEMBER 2004-FEBRUARY 2005
He recalls spelling th<strong>is</strong> out for <strong>the</strong> board
of <strong>the</strong> <strong>the</strong>n Airbus Industrie consortium.
“It was our Brit<strong>is</strong>h partner at <strong>the</strong> time who
looked at me and said, ‘John, that’s very
interesting. It’s just us, <strong>the</strong> board, here.
What’s <strong>the</strong> real goal?’
“I looked at him and said ‘50% of <strong>the</strong>
market’. He looked at me and like, thought,
‘hmm, <strong>is</strong> he having us on or does he really
believe it?’ But we got <strong>the</strong>re.”
<strong>A380</strong>F ready for take-off in 2007
China makes many of <strong>the</strong>se.
“Having said that, <strong>the</strong> <strong>A380</strong> freighter <strong>is</strong> a heavy freight machine
as well. But <strong>the</strong> volume gain <strong>is</strong> particularly significant for <strong>the</strong> major
trade routes to and from Asia. The economics are unprecedented.”
Its range – 5,600 nautical miles – also means fuel stops in out-of<strong>the</strong>-way
spots where freighters traditionally land, such as Fairbanks
in Alaska and Tashkent in Uzbek<strong>is</strong>tan, can be cut out. “They are
interesting places,” said Carcaillet. “But in <strong>the</strong> end you have to use
more time flying your cargo. You also have higher costs and, at fleet
level, you need more aircraft for a given service unit.”
Seventeen freighters are currently on order, with five going to lessor
ILFC, two to Emirates Airline and 10 to Federal Express (FedEx).
That last sale will have given A3XX veteran Philippe Jarry
much pleasure. As <strong>the</strong> man tasked with assessing <strong>the</strong> market for
what was to become <strong>the</strong> <strong>A380</strong>, he was sent to Memph<strong>is</strong>, Tennessee,
to talk to FedEx founder Fred Smith.
Jarry was reluctant. At that stage he could only v<strong>is</strong>ual<strong>is</strong>e <strong>the</strong>
<strong>A380</strong> as a passenger aircraft. Smith saw it differently. He showed
<strong>the</strong> Frenchman a Dassault Falcon sitting outside h<strong>is</strong> office.
“We started with th<strong>is</strong>. It has one deck,” he told Jarry. “Today
we operate MD-11s, 80-tonne payload, two decks. You tell me 150
tonnes, three decks? We will learn how to load it.”

<strong>A380</strong> ASSEMBLY
By Charles Anderson
It <strong>is</strong> <strong>the</strong> sheer size of <strong>the</strong>m that makes
you gasp – three of <strong>the</strong> largest
passenger aircraft ever made sitting
side by side in enormous stations at
<strong>the</strong> open plan final assembly hall in
Toulouse.
Walk above <strong>the</strong>se first <strong>A380</strong>s along
one of <strong>the</strong> corridors that skirt <strong>the</strong> giant,
purpose-built Jean Luc Lagardère complex
and <strong>the</strong>ir 80-metre wingspan, 73-metre
length and 24-metre height give you a first
idea of what will be lining up at <strong>the</strong> world’s
major airports in <strong>the</strong> coming years.
Step on to <strong>the</strong> shop floor and stand next
to <strong>the</strong> lightly painted “green” aircraft and
<strong>the</strong>y are downright intimidating. The wings
appear to arch forever. The fuselage dwarfs
<strong>the</strong> workers surrounding it. The tail plane
reaches up towards <strong>the</strong> sky.
But <strong>the</strong>n ever y thing about th<strong>is</strong>
assembly process <strong>is</strong> larger than life: from
<strong>the</strong> component manufacturing and sub-
assembly programmes in sites across Europe,
through to <strong>the</strong> giant transportation exerc<strong>is</strong>e
that brings <strong>the</strong> various pieces toge<strong>the</strong>r and on
to <strong>the</strong> complex work that will finally see <strong>the</strong>m
roll out of <strong>the</strong> factory and fly to Hamburg for
final fitting and painting.
At Toulouse, on <strong>the</strong> 50-hectare
production site, <strong>the</strong> three fuselage sections,
wings, tail plane, empennage, landing gear
and engine pylons are turned into a single
airplane after arrival by road convoy at
a holding area on <strong>the</strong> north side of <strong>the</strong> plant.
The wings, in particular, need special
attention. Only two-thirds of <strong>the</strong> fin<strong>is</strong>hed
product can be completed at <strong>the</strong> plant in
Broughton, North Wales, where <strong>the</strong>y are
first assembled. They are simply too big to
transport as a complete item. The remaining
one-third of <strong>the</strong> work, mainly adding
movable parts, <strong>is</strong> undertaken in Toulouse.
Next <strong>the</strong> wing <strong>is</strong> fixed to <strong>the</strong> central
fuselage section, before <strong>the</strong> rest of <strong>the</strong> plane
takes shape. Then it <strong>is</strong> pushed back to one
of three interchangeable stations where
various systems, including <strong>the</strong> flight controls
and electrical and hydraulic power units, are
installed. Some systems testing takes place in
th<strong>is</strong> station. Fur<strong>the</strong>r tests will continue outside.
The whole final assembly, fin<strong>is</strong>hing and
testing process takes one month, with each
plane spending a week in <strong>the</strong> first assembly
station before moving on, allowing Airbus
to hit its target production rate of four
<strong>A380</strong>s a month, or to handle fewer planes
if necessary.
LARGER
than life
The company has broken with its
normal practice by having final assembly
of <strong>the</strong> <strong>A380</strong> in one place, even though
its components are being manufactured
elsewhere and interior furn<strong>is</strong>hing will be
completed in Hamburg. Its single-a<strong>is</strong>le or
long-range planes are assembled on two or
three different sites.
Jean-Claude Schoepf, vice-president,
final assembly and delivery for <strong>the</strong> <strong>A380</strong>,
l<strong>is</strong>ts safety, inventory and <strong>the</strong> space
requirements as <strong>the</strong> main reasons. Again,
Assembly process: “it’s working well”
it <strong>is</strong> <strong>the</strong> size of <strong>the</strong> plane, and of <strong>the</strong> project
itself, that led to <strong>the</strong> dec<strong>is</strong>ion.
On safety: <strong>the</strong> wing and central
fuselage section alone weigh 100 tonnes and
would need transferring by crane after being
joined toge<strong>the</strong>r under <strong>the</strong> traditional Airbus
assembly system. “We prefer to remove th<strong>is</strong>
and avoid <strong>the</strong> r<strong>is</strong>k of an accident,” he said.
On space: each aircraft position takes
up one hectare, made up of <strong>the</strong> 80 metre by
80 metre size of <strong>the</strong> plane and <strong>the</strong> margins
surrounding it that are necessary for log<strong>is</strong>tic
flows. With four stations needed, a single
site where land <strong>is</strong> available made more
sense to <strong>the</strong> Airbus planners.
On log<strong>is</strong>tics: to optim<strong>is</strong>e fixed costs
<strong>the</strong> U-shaped final assembly line building
has <strong>the</strong> same amount of empty space lying
parallel to <strong>the</strong> present stations allowing
three more of <strong>the</strong> same to be built if Airbus
really hits <strong>the</strong> jackpot with <strong>the</strong> <strong>A380</strong>.
The Jean Luc Lagardère building, named
after <strong>the</strong> former EADS joint president and
French industrial<strong>is</strong>t who died in 2003,
represents a 360 million euro (US$432
million) investment on Airbus’s behalf.
Work began on it in 2001 and at present it
has 500 to 600 staff and 34,000 sq metres
of office space.
Many workers have been transferred
from o<strong>the</strong>r Airbus programmes under a
system that only allows a certain percentage
to move, so ex<strong>is</strong>ting projects won’t suffer.
The workforce <strong>is</strong> expected to total 1,500
to 2,000 by 2008 with future recruitment
being expanded outside <strong>the</strong> company.
A static test building and general
purpose hangar make up <strong>the</strong> <strong>A380</strong> facilities
on th<strong>is</strong> Toulouse site. Nearby, at Toulouse
St Martin, a 19,000 square metre building
houses cockpit simulators and <strong>the</strong> “iron
bird” test rig being used for systems
integration simulation and verification.
All across Europe, production of <strong>A380</strong>
sections <strong>is</strong> now underway as Airbus gears
up for entry into service.
In Hamburg, forward and aft fuselage
sections are assembled, toge<strong>the</strong>r with <strong>the</strong>ir
essential flight systems. O<strong>the</strong>r facilities at
<strong>the</strong> Major Component Assembly hall which
opened <strong>the</strong>re in May 2003 are an interior
fin<strong>is</strong>hing centre, a delivery facility, paint
shops and a pre-flight hangar.
In Broughton, wing assembly <strong>is</strong>
carried out in an 83,000 sq. metre “West
Factory”. Stringers for bottom wing skin
panels are also produced <strong>the</strong>re.
In Getafe and Puerto Real, <strong>the</strong>
horizontal tail plane and <strong>the</strong> <strong>A380</strong>’s belly
faring are put toge<strong>the</strong>r.
In Nantes, <strong>the</strong> centre wing box <strong>is</strong>
manufactured and assembled.
In Saint Nazaire, an extended
fuselage assembly.
Then begins <strong>the</strong> journey to Toulouse for
final assembly.
“If you go anywhere in our plants today,
you will see <strong>the</strong> factories are full of sections
for <strong>the</strong> next 30 aircraft,” said Charles
Champion, executive vice-president for <strong>the</strong>
<strong>A380</strong> programme. “It’s all working well.”
DECEMBER 2004-FEBRUARY 2005 ORIENT AVIATION / <strong>A380</strong> Quarterly Update 15

<strong>A380</strong> ASSEMBLY
H<strong>is</strong>tory in <strong>the</strong> making: <strong>the</strong> first
flight of Airbus’s very first plane,
<strong>the</strong> A300B1 in October 1972.
By Charles Anderson
Much has happened in
<strong>the</strong> world of aviation
since <strong>the</strong> first prototype
Airbus plane went on
show at <strong>the</strong> Par<strong>is</strong> Air
Show in 1969. But <strong>the</strong> pundits would be
hard pressed to name a more impressive
achievement than <strong>the</strong> development since
<strong>the</strong>n of a complete aircraft family
from scratch, one which now
competes on a global scale with
<strong>the</strong> mighty Boeing company.
No one, of course, said it would
be easy.
Yet flick through <strong>the</strong> press
The amazing
Airbus story
The European manufacturer delivered its first airplane in 1974;
just 30 years later it has delivered more than 3,700 of its aircraft to
197 customers worldwide and has a backlog of almost 1,400 planes
cuttings and <strong>the</strong> official h<strong>is</strong>tories, <strong>the</strong>n talk
to some of <strong>the</strong> Airbus pioneers and you can’t
help but be impressed by <strong>the</strong> sense of v<strong>is</strong>ion
that drove a sometimes troubled partnership
into a unified company, launched 12 aircraft
types to meet varying airline needs, had
<strong>the</strong> sheer guts to go forward with <strong>the</strong> <strong>A380</strong>
project and, on <strong>the</strong> way, booked more than
5,000 aircraft orders.
Philippe Jarry, former sales director and
‘Over 30 years <strong>the</strong> Airbus fleet
has clocked up some 72 million
flight hours and an Airbus takes
off or lands somewhere in <strong>the</strong>
world every four seconds’
16 ORIENT AVIATION / <strong>A380</strong> Quarterly Update DECEMBER 2004-FEBRUARY 2005
a key figure in <strong>the</strong> A3XX programme that
led to <strong>the</strong> <strong>A380</strong>, has helped Airbus grow
over <strong>the</strong> last quarter century.
“What <strong>the</strong> company has done through
<strong>the</strong> years was, as soon as we had enough
strength, enough technical know-how,
enough financial capability, enough
engineering capability and enough market
knowledge and understanding, was to
<strong>the</strong>n launch th<strong>is</strong> product or that product,”
he said.
“The Airbus story has also
been built around <strong>the</strong> development
of airplane families.
“And what <strong>is</strong> really amazing <strong>is</strong>
if you read aviation magazines as
old as <strong>the</strong> 1974 <strong>is</strong>sues you will find

<strong>the</strong> <strong>the</strong>n Airbus management, with less than
10 airplanes in service worldwide, saying
‘we are going to offer to <strong>the</strong> world a line of
products which will be developed in time,
which we will support and sell’.”
The Airbus concept started with a
series of studies from <strong>the</strong> mid to late 1960s
by European manufacturers worried by
<strong>the</strong> arrival of new families of American
widebodies.
Individual French, German and Brit<strong>is</strong>h
companies were concerned <strong>the</strong>ir products
could not compete with what Boeing,
McDonnell Douglas and Lockheed were
likely to offer.
Already, cooperation between France
and Britain had produced <strong>the</strong> famous
Concorde jet, but th<strong>is</strong> time an everyday
workhorse, <strong>the</strong> first widebody twin, was
being env<strong>is</strong>aged.
The 250-seat A300B, which was
launched at Le Bourget and first took to <strong>the</strong>
skies in 1972, was built with government
support by France’s Sud Aviation, later
to become part of Aerospatiale, and <strong>the</strong>
Deutsche Airbus GmbH grouping of four
German aviation manufacturers. Hawker
Siddeley, an original partner, was now
associated on a private bas<strong>is</strong> after <strong>the</strong>
Brit<strong>is</strong>h Government developed cold feet
over a lack of orders.
A commitment in 1970 by Air France to
take six A300Bs was quickly followed by
<strong>the</strong> formation of Airbus Industrie, a joint
venture between France and Germany, with
small offices on <strong>the</strong> Avenue de Versailles
in Par<strong>is</strong>.
Most employees were seconded from
partner companies. The move to Toulouse
came in 1974, into a building that could hold
only 350 people.
Spain’s CASA (Construcciones Aeronauticas
SA) also took a small shareholding.
The Ne<strong>the</strong>rlands’ Fokker-VFW and later
Belgium’s Belairbus joined <strong>the</strong> production
partners.
Brit<strong>is</strong>h Aerospace, <strong>the</strong> successor to
Hawker Siddeley, was officially back in <strong>the</strong>
consortium in 1979.
Eventually, <strong>the</strong> A300B2, a 250-seater
stretch, was delivered to Air France in 1974.
Four years later <strong>the</strong> 218-passenger A310
was launched and Airbus’s best-selling
single-a<strong>is</strong>le A320 was put on <strong>the</strong> drawing
board.
In between, despite a trickle of orders
started by Lufthansa German Airlines and
Korean Air, Airbus had suffered from a lack
of credibility as a single-product company.
‘ [In <strong>the</strong> early 80s] we only had
one airplane type – <strong>the</strong> A300.
We were developing <strong>the</strong> A310.
We were excluded by most
airline companies. We had no
big plane, no small plane, no
long-range, no freighter. Just a
medium plane”
Philippe Jarry
Former <strong>A380</strong> sales director and a key
figure in <strong>the</strong> A3XX programme, now special
adv<strong>is</strong>or to chief executive Noel Forgeard
During one 16-month period, <strong>the</strong>re were no
new sales and just one option conversion.
The future looked bleak. “Don’t m<strong>is</strong>s <strong>the</strong>
last train out of Toulouse” was a common
saying.
Then, in 1977, Eastern Airlines, at that
time one of <strong>the</strong> U.S. majors, agreed to lease
four longer-range A300B4s. Thai Airways
International became a customer and <strong>the</strong>
impasse was broken.
The A320 saw <strong>the</strong> light of day in 1984,
as <strong>the</strong> first commercial aircraft with “flyby-wire”
controls and side sticks, setting
<strong>the</strong> standard for future Airbus cockpits and
allowing <strong>the</strong> company to build planes with
<strong>the</strong> same flight handling character<strong>is</strong>tics.
By 1987, Airbus was looking hard at <strong>the</strong>
medium and long-range market through
studies that produced <strong>the</strong> four-engined
A340, which entered service in 1993 as
<strong>the</strong> first new long-haul aircraft to start
commercial operations for more than 20
years.
A year later, <strong>the</strong> twin-engine A330-200
took to <strong>the</strong> skies. The A340-500 and A340-
600 followed, as did <strong>the</strong> single a<strong>is</strong>le 107seat
A318 which joined <strong>the</strong> 124-seat A319,
first introduced in 1993.
That left one gap in <strong>the</strong> range – a jumbo.
“Above <strong>the</strong> 340 was <strong>the</strong> 747, <strong>the</strong> queen of
<strong>the</strong> sky. Why don’t we have <strong>the</strong> king of <strong>the</strong>
sky? Why not something bigger and better
than <strong>the</strong> 747. Th<strong>is</strong> <strong>is</strong> how <strong>the</strong> story started,”
said Jarry.
Jurgen Thomas, who headed <strong>the</strong> A3XX
exploratory programme, believes giving <strong>the</strong>
go-ahead for <strong>the</strong> giant passenger plane was
essential if Airbus was to cement its place as
a leading manufacturer. But if <strong>the</strong> business
had not continued to grow it would not have
been possible, he said.
The German aviation engineer, who <strong>is</strong>
now special adv<strong>is</strong>or to Airbus’s CEO, Noel
Forgeard, also helped lead a Airbus-Boeing
programme that looked into <strong>the</strong> possibility
of jointly developing such an aircraft
between 1993 to 1995. That project failed
and Thomas went on to head Airbus’s Large
Aircraft Div<strong>is</strong>ion.
“Our market share in <strong>the</strong> 70s and into <strong>the</strong>
80s was almost negligible. We had just two
products. Gradually it went up, but with big
fluctuations. Sometimes it was 25%, <strong>the</strong>n
we went back to 15%,” he said.
“At <strong>the</strong> time we were talking to Boeing,
we were at 30% to 35%. Our product
range was extending. There was better
acknowledgement from <strong>the</strong> airlines. Pricing
was getting better. But if we had had a
downturn as compared to <strong>the</strong> competition,
<strong>the</strong> chances [of launching <strong>the</strong> <strong>A380</strong>] would
have been low.
“It was a time when Airbus was really
catching up in terms of everything.
Everything was in <strong>the</strong> right direction.
“We had a very nice family, but not at <strong>the</strong>
upper end if an airline w<strong>is</strong>hed to have a very
big aircraft, a 400-plus seater. Any airline
could sat<strong>is</strong>fy <strong>the</strong>ir complete demands from
Boeing, from <strong>the</strong> very smallest 100-seater,
to a 737, to <strong>the</strong> biggest, <strong>the</strong> 747.”
The formation of a single Airbus
company in 2001 by BAE Systems and
EADS – made up of Aerospatiale, Daimler
Chrysler Aerospace and CASA – also
helped.
“It was very important. Dec<strong>is</strong>ions before
DECEMBER 2004-FEBRUARY 2005 ORIENT AVIATION / <strong>A380</strong> Quarterly Update 17

<strong>A380</strong> ASSEMBLY
were very much driven by national partners.
It was instrumental to have a single
command. It was best for <strong>the</strong> aircraft,” said
Thomas.
Jarry joined Thomas’s A3XX team in
early 1996, tasked with assessing <strong>the</strong> market
and talking to airlines about bringing in
<strong>the</strong>ir expert<strong>is</strong>e at <strong>the</strong> development stage.
As head of Airbus marketing, he had had
180 engineers working for him. H<strong>is</strong> new
surroundings were not impressive.
“We were all located in a small building
at <strong>the</strong> end of <strong>the</strong> [Toulouse] runway. The
grass around it was not cut.
It was awful. I just had a
desk, two chairs, a telephone,
no secretary and empty
cupboards. I thought ‘that’s a
good start’.”
Four hectic years later,
with a much better office and
a full team, Jarry was able
to celebrate <strong>the</strong> launch of <strong>the</strong>
<strong>A380</strong> programme, before
moving on to a new post
as vice-president, product
evaluation.
The Frenchman, who
joined Airbus from CFM
International in 1981 where
he was sales manager, had
seen such contrasts in fortune
before.
“At that time [<strong>the</strong> early
80s] we only had one airplane
type – <strong>the</strong> A300. We were
developing, and later selling,
<strong>the</strong> A310s. We were excluded by most
airline companies. We had no big plane,
no small plane, no long-range, no freighter.
Just a medium plane,” he said.
Jarry was told around that time that if
he sold three planes by <strong>the</strong> end of <strong>the</strong> year,
Airbus could keep up its production rate of
1.5 a month.
“We had a big party when we sold three
to Cyprus,” he said. “Now one a day <strong>is</strong>
produced. It will be more next year. Three
doesn’t matter. That gets us through to
Thursday.”
He talks matter-of-factly about <strong>the</strong>
contrasts with 20 years ago. “There has
been a complete change. As sales director
for Airbus, some managing directors
would not see me in <strong>the</strong>ir office. Only in <strong>the</strong>
corridor. I wasn’t allowed in.
“There are not many airlines now that
can start fleet planning and keep Airbus out
of <strong>the</strong> loop. It would look really suspicious.
The world has changed completely.”
John Leahy <strong>is</strong> ano<strong>the</strong>r Airbus leader
who can recall tougher times. As a new
sales and marketing executive for Airbus’s
U.S. operation in 1985 he had to counter h<strong>is</strong>
own staff’s view of how business was going,
even after clinching an important sale to
Pan American World Airways.
“We had a black tie function at <strong>the</strong>
Museum of Modern Art in New York.
We invited Pan Am executives. We had a
little orchestra, cocktail reception and sitdown
dinner to celebrate <strong>the</strong> signing of
The first <strong>A380</strong> test plane <strong>is</strong> towed to Station 30 for fur<strong>the</strong>r work on its systems
<strong>the</strong> purchase agreement,” said <strong>the</strong> current
Airbus chief commercial officer and
customer affairs head.
“We spent a bit of money. We had a staff
meeting <strong>the</strong> following Monday and <strong>the</strong> PR
girl said: ‘I’ve not only spent <strong>the</strong> budget for
all of th<strong>is</strong> year, but I think I’ve even spent
half of next year’s budget’.
“I said: ‘That’s awful. We are only
halfway through <strong>the</strong> year. What are we
supposed to do?’ She said: ‘Well John,
you’ve only been here six months. But I’ve
been here about six years. Don’t worry,
it’s going to be about three or four years
before we sell ano<strong>the</strong>r airplane over here
anyway’.”
Now Airbus has delivered more than
3,700 aircraft to some 197 customers worldwide,
and has a delivery backlog of almost
1,400, which will take five years to fill at current
production rates. About 43% of its total
orders have come from North America, no
18 ORIENT AVIATION / <strong>A380</strong> Quarterly Update DECEMBER 2004-FEBRUARY 2005
doubt to John Leahy’s sat<strong>is</strong>faction.
Over 30 years its fleet has clocked up
some 72 million flight hours and an Airbus
takes off or lands now somewhere in <strong>the</strong>
world every four seconds.
Some 50,000 employees work ei<strong>the</strong>r for
Airbus or its wholly-owned subsidiaries
worldwide.
Philippe Jarry, for one, refuses to be
complacent. Boeing continues to cast its
shadow from far away Seattle and he <strong>is</strong> not
one to ignore that.
H<strong>is</strong> office wall boasts a colourful poster
of Boeing’s new 7E7. It has taken <strong>the</strong> place
of <strong>the</strong> proposed Stratocru<strong>is</strong>er <strong>the</strong> American
company dropped in favour of <strong>the</strong> slower,
but more fuel efficient Dreamliner,
Boeing’s new weapon in <strong>the</strong> continuing
fight for aircraft sales.
“The big danger <strong>is</strong> complacency,” said
Jarry. “We should always imagine <strong>the</strong>re <strong>is</strong>
a Boeing plane in front of us. As long as we
do th<strong>is</strong>, we can be first.”
Where <strong>the</strong> Airbus orders
have come from
North America : 43%
Europe : 27%
Asia-Pacific : 18%
Middle East : 6%
Latin America : 4%
Africa : 2%

AIRPORTS
Singapore Changi International Airport will be <strong>the</strong>
first airport in <strong>the</strong> world to handle <strong>the</strong> Airbus <strong>A380</strong>
as it begins life in commercial airline service.
When <strong>the</strong> first Airbus
<strong>A380</strong> takes off from
Singapore Changi Inter-
national Airport with
launch customer Singapore
Airlines (SIA) in 2006, it will mark some 10
years of planning and hard work.
But it will not be <strong>the</strong> end of development
to cater for what <strong>is</strong> expected to be a rapidly
increasing number of <strong>A380</strong>s operating
through <strong>the</strong> heart of Sou<strong>the</strong>ast Asia on
<strong>the</strong> major trunk routes between Asia,
Australasia and Europe.
As more and more of <strong>the</strong> big planes take
to <strong>the</strong> skies in airline liveries, Changi will
become a primary hub for <strong>A380</strong> operations
as o<strong>the</strong>r carriers take delivery of <strong>the</strong>ir
aircraft and set <strong>the</strong>m to work.
Changi will be ready in time, said
Koh Ming Sue, senior engineer (airport
planning) for <strong>the</strong> Civil Aviation Authority
of Singapore (CAAS), which operates <strong>the</strong>
airport. “Although accommodating <strong>the</strong>
<strong>A380</strong> poses challenges to airports in terms
of significant modifications, all being done
in an operational environment, and having
to process more passengers at any one time,
CAAS believes <strong>the</strong> advent of <strong>the</strong> <strong>A380</strong>
brings exciting new opportunities that
we can offer to airlines and passengers at
Changi Airport. “It <strong>is</strong> definitely significant
that Changi will be <strong>the</strong> first airport to
receive <strong>the</strong> <strong>A380</strong>. Th<strong>is</strong> will present us with
future marketing opportunities.”
Changi began planning for what was
<strong>the</strong>n a paper aeroplane, <strong>the</strong> Very Large
Commercial Aircraft, or VLCA, in <strong>the</strong> mid-
1990s, when manufacturers were toying
with <strong>the</strong> idea of a bigger commercial airliner
with an 80-metre wing span, capable of
seating up to 600 passengers.
“We followed developments on th<strong>is</strong>
subject closely and lia<strong>is</strong>ed with aircraft
manufacturers so we could make relevant
prov<strong>is</strong>ions to accommodate such an aircraft
type in new construction projects,” said Koh.
Development of facilities to handle <strong>the</strong> super
jumbo <strong>is</strong> underway and Changi will be well ready
for its arrival, reports TOM BALLANTYNE.
Big time preparations
Singapore Changi International
Airport: lots of work but no major
problems preparing for <strong>the</strong> arrival
of <strong>the</strong> <strong>A380</strong> in 2006
By <strong>the</strong> time <strong>the</strong> <strong>A380</strong> programme
emerged as a reality and SIA had formally
signed up as launch customer in July 2001,
Changi already had a good idea of what
would be required.
A 10-strong team, compr<strong>is</strong>ing airport
planners and engineers, had been tasked with
reviewing ex<strong>is</strong>ting airport infrastructure
and working on <strong>the</strong> modification works
needed to accommodate <strong>A380</strong> flights.
“Separately, o<strong>the</strong>r div<strong>is</strong>ions from
CAAS and relevant airport agencies, such
as fire fighting and rescue services, apron
control and ground handling agents, also
looked into <strong>the</strong>ir respective areas to prepare
<strong>the</strong>mselves to handle <strong>the</strong> aircraft. Along
<strong>the</strong> way, Changi has constantly maintained
close and regular contact with Airbus
and airlines, working towards modifying
facilities” said Koh.
Regular meetings were held not only
with Singapore Airlines, but also with
o<strong>the</strong>r airlines intending to operate <strong>the</strong> <strong>A380</strong>
through Changi.
Koh said <strong>the</strong> airport’s Master Plan had
made sufficient allowances in <strong>the</strong> design of
Changi’s two ex<strong>is</strong>ting terminals – a third
<strong>is</strong> currently under construction – to make
major modifications unnecessary.
Never<strong>the</strong>less, work to upgrade infrastructure
<strong>is</strong> still substantial and requires
careful planning to minim<strong>is</strong>e inconvenience
to passenger processing and aircraft
operations.
Modifications include widening of
runway shoulders, broadening of taxiway
junctions to allow aircraft to negotiate
turns safely, reconfiguration of aircraft
stands, passenger loading bridges and gate
holding rooms to accommodate <strong>the</strong> <strong>A380</strong>
and a review of processing facilities within
<strong>the</strong> terminal buildings to cope with higher
passenger volumes.
Changi has been looking at various
aerobridge options, including aerobridges to
both main and upper decks, or even having
three aerobridges instead of <strong>the</strong> current two.
O<strong>the</strong>r changes include leng<strong>the</strong>ning luggage
conveyor belts from <strong>the</strong> current 70 metres
to about 90 metres. The modifications
are costing about S$45 million (US$27
million).
In conjunction with th<strong>is</strong>, although
not directly <strong>A380</strong> related, <strong>the</strong> airport’s
Terminal 2 has been undergoing a S$240
million facelift. Work began early th<strong>is</strong> year
and <strong>is</strong> now half completed. The work will be
completed in 2006.
Meanwhile, following <strong>the</strong> introduction
of <strong>the</strong> <strong>A380</strong> into service, work will continue
on Changi’s new S$1.5 billion Terminal
3. Scheduled to open in 2008, <strong>the</strong> gates,
baggage handling system and lounges have
all been designed with <strong>the</strong> <strong>A380</strong> in mind.
Eight of <strong>the</strong> terminal’s 28 gates will have
<strong>the</strong> capability of handling <strong>the</strong> big Airbus. It
will add a capacity of 20 million passengers
a year, bringing <strong>the</strong> total capacity of Changi
to 64 million passengers annually.
DECEMBER 2004-FEBRUARY 2005 ORIENT AVIATION / <strong>A380</strong> Quarterly Update 19

SUPPLIER PROFILE
Engines: challenges met
Powerful, quiet, clean, economic
It will take a mighty engine to propel <strong>the</strong> largest commercial
passenger aircraft ever built. Four mighty engines, in fact,
producing a combined 280,000lbs of thrust. Add in no<strong>is</strong>e
stipulations, em<strong>is</strong>sion controls and <strong>the</strong> low fuel burn
demanded by Airbus and it <strong>is</strong> easy to see <strong>the</strong> engineers at
Rolls-Royce and <strong>the</strong> Engine Alliance have faced a huge challenge.
The spotlight at present <strong>is</strong> on Rolls-Royce’s Trent 900, <strong>the</strong> fourth
in <strong>the</strong> long-running family of Brit<strong>is</strong>h engines. It will power all four
development aircraft now being assembled in Toulouse, including
<strong>the</strong> test flight plane due to take off in <strong>the</strong> first quarter of 2005. Two
Trent 900s have already been fitted on to that aircraft. Singapore
Airlines also chose it for its 10 <strong>A380</strong>s, <strong>the</strong> first of which will fly in
<strong>the</strong> second quarter of 2006 when <strong>the</strong> airplane enters service.
The Trent 900 has been through extensive land and air tests with
an Airbus A340-300 being util<strong>is</strong>ed as a flying test bed last May.
They culminated in certification in late October.
But <strong>the</strong> Europeans cannot afford to get carried away. The Engine
Alliance’s GP7200 engine, produced by a joint venture between
General Electric and Pratt & Whitney, <strong>is</strong> at present outselling
<strong>the</strong> Trent 900, mainly thanks to a block order of 43 planes from
Emirates Airline, <strong>the</strong> largest single buyer of <strong>A380</strong>s so far. The
Engine Alliance has MTU of Germany, Snecma Motors of France
and Techspace Aero of Belgium as revenue sharing partners.
The score so far in engine terms <strong>is</strong> Rolls-Royce 43, Engine
The Engine Alliance
EA’s 10-year journey
By Charles Anderson
A
long journey will come to
an end for Bruce Hughes
and h<strong>is</strong> team at <strong>the</strong> Engine
Alliance (EA) when <strong>the</strong>
GP7200 goes into service
on <strong>the</strong> first of Emirates Airline’s <strong>A380</strong>s in
October 2006.
Hughes, a General Electric executive,
arrived at <strong>the</strong> joint venture with Pratt &
Whitney a few months after its launch in
1996. Little did he think it would be 10 years
before <strong>the</strong> resulting engine, first env<strong>is</strong>aged
as <strong>the</strong> power plant for a 550-seat Boeing
747, would start its working life.
He compares it to an earlier Snecma-
General Electric joint venture that took many
years to produce <strong>the</strong> CFM series. “We used to
joke that we would finally beat CFM in terms
of time from <strong>the</strong> beginning of <strong>the</strong> programme.
I think we passed <strong>the</strong>m a while ago,” said
Hughes, <strong>the</strong> Engine Alliance senior vicepresident
and project general manager.
Judging by <strong>the</strong> 60% of <strong>A380</strong> orders that
<strong>the</strong> GP7200 has won, <strong>the</strong> wait has been
worthwhile. That translates to 300 engines,
including spare units. “We are happy with
where we are, but Emirates <strong>is</strong> an awfully big
chunk of that. We would like to add some
more logos,” said Hughes.
The problem was that during those long
years <strong>the</strong>y didn’t have an airplane to put <strong>the</strong>
engine on. They do now. “You have to tip
your hat to Airbus. They have done a good job
by getting th<strong>is</strong> airplane launched,” he added.
The Engine Alliance switched its
attention to <strong>the</strong> <strong>A380</strong> when Boeing decided
20 ORIENT AVIATION / <strong>A380</strong> Quarterly Update DECEMBER 2004-FEBRUARY 2005
Alliance 67 with <strong>the</strong> remainder undecided.
The GP7200 <strong>is</strong> due to start its stint on a flying test bed about
in early December, in th<strong>is</strong> case on a Boeing 747 in California.
Certification <strong>is</strong> due in July 2005.
Both engines have fully swept fan designs and very high bypass
ratio turbofans that generate thrust by moving a greater volume
of air through <strong>the</strong> engine more slowly than previous types. No<strong>is</strong>e
levels are helped by 3-D aerodynamics throughout <strong>the</strong> compressors
and in <strong>the</strong> turbines.
These and o<strong>the</strong>r advances in engine design, plus alterations to
landing gear to reduce wind roar, allow <strong>the</strong> <strong>A380</strong> a shorter take-off
run and steeper climb-out, substantially reducing its no<strong>is</strong>e footprint
around airports.
Th<strong>is</strong> <strong>is</strong> especially important at London Heathrow Airport, where
<strong>the</strong> QC2 no<strong>is</strong>e requirement, a stipulation of <strong>the</strong> SIA order, forced <strong>the</strong>
engine makers to rethink <strong>the</strong>ir designs, with fan diameters being
increased to 116 inches in both cases.
Thanks to its engines, <strong>the</strong> <strong>A380</strong> will save 53 tonnes of fuel and
a corresponding volume of em<strong>is</strong>sions, for every 1,000 passengers
flown on a 13-hour flight compared to a B747-400.
Both engines have been designed to beat <strong>the</strong> 70,000lbs of thrust
at present required, to power a possible stretch version or meet o<strong>the</strong>r
future demands. The Trent 900 has hit 93,000lbs and <strong>the</strong> GP7200
92,000lbs.
The Engine Alliance switched its
attention to <strong>the</strong> <strong>A380</strong> when Boeing
decided against a super jumbo of its own

against a super jumbo of its own. General
Electric supplied <strong>the</strong> core and control
system. Pratt & Whitney looked after <strong>the</strong>
fan, <strong>the</strong> low pressure spool, compressor
and turbine and <strong>the</strong> gear box. The engine
evolved from <strong>the</strong>re.
The split meant that it fell to Pratt &
Whitney to design a new fan blade when
London’s QC2 no<strong>is</strong>e requirement sent
engine-makers back to <strong>the</strong> drawing board.
“We had to increase our fan diameters. That
was a big shock to <strong>the</strong> system. But it was
very important,” said Hughes, who pegs
<strong>the</strong> GP7200 as one of <strong>the</strong> first engines with
no<strong>is</strong>e requirements as a primary driver.
By Tom Ballantyne
Hilary Barton has a major
goal in life: to keep things
quiet. And <strong>the</strong> chief of
no<strong>is</strong>e engineering for Rolls-
Royce <strong>is</strong> more than proud of
what has been achieved in <strong>the</strong> massive Trent
900 power plants that will take <strong>the</strong> Airbus
<strong>A380</strong> off <strong>the</strong> ground for <strong>the</strong> first time.
These engines will, combined with <strong>the</strong>
aerodynamics of <strong>the</strong> plane itself, make <strong>the</strong>
<strong>A380</strong> 50% quieter than today’s B747 jumbo
jet, said Barton.
“Th<strong>is</strong> engine <strong>is</strong> not only far quieter,
its design has been optim<strong>is</strong>ed to meet
London’s tough no<strong>is</strong>e requirements and it
betters all current and proposed em<strong>is</strong>sions
leg<strong>is</strong>lation. It incorporates significant new
technologies.”
Because London has no<strong>is</strong>e restrictions
among <strong>the</strong> toughest in <strong>the</strong> world, th<strong>is</strong> has
ramifications for most big airports around
<strong>the</strong> world and for <strong>the</strong> ability of airlines to
operate <strong>the</strong> plane where previously <strong>the</strong>re
were night limitations.
Rolls-Royce’s very high bypass
turbofan wins <strong>the</strong> battle against high
decibels using a swept fan design, 3-D
aerodynamics throughout <strong>the</strong> compressors
and advanced 3-D designs in <strong>the</strong> turbines,
all resulting in improved efficiency and
reduced no<strong>is</strong>e. There <strong>is</strong> also a contrarotating
(separate rows of blades turning
in opposite directions) high-pressure (HP)
system that improves turbine efficiency and
When it came to fuel burn, three core
engines were util<strong>is</strong>ed. “We improved <strong>the</strong>
[3-D] aerodynamics incrementally of <strong>the</strong>
compressor and <strong>the</strong> turbine, working up
in series, until we got to <strong>the</strong> point where
we thought we had a winning efficiency
combination on <strong>the</strong> core which would now
support <strong>the</strong> fuel burn requirements,” he
said. “As we learned something, we put it in
on <strong>the</strong> next build.”
Hughes <strong>is</strong> looking to certify <strong>the</strong> engine
up to 81,500lbs, giving plenty of scope for
growth capability beyond <strong>the</strong> 70,000lbs
currently required. Material changes would
take it to 84,000 lbs if needed and <strong>the</strong> engine
Rolls-Royce
All for <strong>the</strong> quiet life
‘Trent 900 <strong>is</strong> not only far
quieter, but betters all
current and proposed
em<strong>is</strong>sions leg<strong>is</strong>lation’
Hilary Barton
Rolls-Royce head of no<strong>is</strong>e engineering
fur<strong>the</strong>r trims no<strong>is</strong>e.
Rolls-Royce went fur<strong>the</strong>r, looking at <strong>the</strong>
lining of <strong>the</strong> engine and <strong>the</strong> case enclosing
<strong>the</strong> giant fan, designing <strong>the</strong>m to absorb
no<strong>is</strong>e coming from <strong>the</strong> fan. And it used
composite honeycomb liners fitted behind
<strong>the</strong> fan to absorb even more no<strong>is</strong>e.
Barton said <strong>the</strong> big gains in no<strong>is</strong>e
reduction are not only <strong>the</strong> result of careful
engine design. There <strong>is</strong> also extensive
acoustic treatment of <strong>the</strong> nacelles that
has been run as high as 92,000lbs, although
he cautions that th<strong>is</strong> was in <strong>the</strong> cold of
Cincinnati, not during a hot day in Dubai.
Exhaustive testing <strong>is</strong> continuing, with
General Electric’s B747 flying test bed
now starting its GP7200 runs. And Hughes
harbours some hopes that <strong>the</strong> GP7200 will
power ano<strong>the</strong>r large aircraft some day.
For now, though, all eyes are on <strong>the</strong>
<strong>A380</strong>. The first GP7200 tests in March were
a landmark for Hughes, but <strong>the</strong> test flight of
<strong>the</strong> aircraft itself will have him gripped, he
said, even though a Rolls-Royce engine will
be doing <strong>the</strong> work. “Just to see th<strong>is</strong> airplane
fly will be a pretty exciting event.”
enclose <strong>the</strong> complete engine unit.
A total of 18 Trent 900s will eventually
be delivered to Airbus to support <strong>the</strong>
four <strong>A380</strong>s in <strong>the</strong> flight test programme.
Although initially operating in commercial
service at 70,000lb thrust, <strong>the</strong> Trent 900 was
certificated at a rating of 80,000lb, allowing
margin for growth.
Since <strong>the</strong> engine first ran in March 2003,
seven development engines have been used
in safety and reliability testing.
The first large aero engine programme
to complete certification through <strong>the</strong> new
European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA),
<strong>the</strong> Trent 900 has met or exceeded all
performance targets, including fuel burn,
and was officially certified in late October,
less than 20 months after its first run.
While <strong>the</strong> <strong>A380</strong>’s arrival marks a new
era in aviation, for Rolls-Royce it <strong>is</strong> also a
critical point in a longer-term programme
to bring previously unheard of levels of
no<strong>is</strong>e reduction to <strong>the</strong> commercial airline
industry. The end result? Aircraft that will
have a no<strong>is</strong>e footprint entirely contained
within airport boundaries, an achievement
that would bring an end to any need for
curfews.
One of <strong>the</strong> key parts of Rolls-Royce
strategy <strong>is</strong> <strong>the</strong> ability to incorporate new
technologies that come out of its ambitious
development programmes into ex<strong>is</strong>ting
products as <strong>the</strong>y become available over
<strong>the</strong> years. And that means <strong>the</strong> <strong>A380</strong> and
its Trent 900s will get even quieter as those
new technologies become available.
DECEMBER 2004-FEBRUARY 2005 ORIENT AVIATION / <strong>A380</strong> Quarterly Update 21

SUPPLIERS
By Charles Anderson
It’s not only Airbus that <strong>is</strong> laying its
money on <strong>the</strong> line with <strong>the</strong> <strong>A380</strong>
programme. The project’s r<strong>is</strong>ksharing
partners are supplying
US$3 billion out of <strong>the</strong> total
US$10.7 billion investment necessary to
get <strong>the</strong> plane in <strong>the</strong> air – and some US$2.1
billion of that has come from aerostructure
manufacturers.
Look at <strong>the</strong> roll call of structures
suppliers and many of <strong>the</strong> big names are
<strong>the</strong>re: GKN Aerospace Services of <strong>the</strong> UK,
EADS Ausburg from Germany, Goodrich
from <strong>the</strong> U.S. Alenia Aeronautica from
Italy as well as Eurocopter, Fokker/Stork
and Saab, to name just a few.
Not all companies on <strong>the</strong> <strong>A380</strong> l<strong>is</strong>t are
r<strong>is</strong>k-sharing partners by any means. It <strong>is</strong>
only <strong>the</strong> big companies that can afford that.
Participation in some instances also goes
back to framework agreements signed at <strong>the</strong>
time of <strong>the</strong> A3XX programme. Th<strong>is</strong> time,
however, <strong>the</strong>re was a competitive process
based typically on a company’s know-how
and Airbus experience.
The Asia-Pacific <strong>is</strong> also playing a part,
led by Hawker de Havilland, Australia,
which <strong>is</strong> making wing tips and <strong>the</strong> wing-tip
fence, Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI),
supplying <strong>the</strong> outboard panel assembly
bottom, and CTRM of Malaysia which has
been sub-contracted by BAE Systems to
make wing components.
Also, <strong>the</strong>re are two of Japan’s “heavies”,
Fuji and Mitsub<strong>is</strong>hi Heavy Industries, as
well as Jamco, Nippi and Shin Maywa –
a qualified breakthrough for Airbus in a
country closely associated with Boeing
and which <strong>is</strong> accounting for 35% of <strong>the</strong>
manufacture of Boeing’s 7E7. There were
hopes that Japan would join <strong>the</strong> r<strong>is</strong>k sharers,
but that was not to be.
“Although our percentage remains low, at
least we have managed to stick <strong>the</strong> Airbus flag
in Japan. It was a significant achievement to
get <strong>the</strong>m on board,” said Charles Champion,
executive vice-president, <strong>A380</strong> programme.
China <strong>is</strong> represented through a subcontracting
deal by Latecoere of France with
China Aviation Industry Corp I (AVIC I) for
<strong>the</strong> upper and lateral panels of <strong>the</strong> nose landing
gear bay.
Primary work was not offered, Champion
said, because <strong>the</strong> Chinese aviation industry
<strong>is</strong> at present oriented towards manufacturing
without having a strong design capability.
On <strong>the</strong> equipment side, leading vendors
R<strong>is</strong>k sharing,
on a global scale
‘ Although our percentage
remains low, at least we have
managed to stick <strong>the</strong> Airbus
[suppliers] flag in Japan. It was
a significant achievement to
get <strong>the</strong>m on board’
Charles Champion,
Executive vice-president,
<strong>A380</strong> programme
include Goodrich, Honeywell, Dunlop,
Hamilton Sundstrand, KID, Messier-
Bugatti, Messier-Dowty, Rockwell Collins,
Smiths Aerospace and Thales Avionics.
The fact Airbus <strong>is</strong> now a single company
helped smooth <strong>the</strong> process. Th<strong>is</strong> <strong>is</strong> <strong>the</strong> first
programme to be launched since restructuring
and that meant <strong>the</strong> old way of doing things
could be forgotten. Many American firms
are now on <strong>the</strong> roster as a result.
“For <strong>the</strong> first time [we] were able to
select with a full picture, because in <strong>the</strong> past
selection was made by our former partners.
Then we had customer services and
customer support on <strong>the</strong> Airbus side. It was
difficult to put all <strong>the</strong> elements toge<strong>the</strong>r,”
said Champion.
22 ORIENT AVIATION / <strong>A380</strong> Quarterly Update DECEMBER 2004-FEBRUARY 2005
“Basically we did a full comparative
selection process, looking at all <strong>the</strong> aspects
of <strong>the</strong> business, not only <strong>the</strong> performance,
weight and cost, but also reliability, mean time
between failure and <strong>the</strong> direct maintenance
costs. We completely opened <strong>the</strong> door.
“As a result we selected some vendors
we had never chosen before. One of <strong>the</strong>
first, after <strong>the</strong> programme was launched
in February 2001, was Goodrich for <strong>the</strong>
landing gear. We have never, never installed
landing gear from Goodrich before. It was
ei<strong>the</strong>r Messier or Dowty.
“It was a very strong sign to <strong>the</strong> industry
that <strong>the</strong> game was open. Afterwards we
selected some vendors that we were already
working with on o<strong>the</strong>r programmes. If <strong>the</strong>y
have been sat<strong>is</strong>factory, <strong>the</strong>y are in pole
position. If you have developed solutions
for <strong>the</strong> A320 and A340, you have a better
knowledge and can minim<strong>is</strong>e your r<strong>is</strong>k
factor.
“Never<strong>the</strong>less, we selected Hamilton
Sundstrand for <strong>the</strong> air conditioning for <strong>the</strong>
first time. We just took a very open approach:
<strong>the</strong> best guy wins.
“All in all, we had a good selection process.
It was transparent and, to my knowledge,
although usually <strong>the</strong>re are some shouts
and complaints, we didn’t have any major
challenges.”
Take <strong>the</strong> <strong>A380</strong>’s engines out of <strong>the</strong>
equation and Champion reckons European
and U.S. vendors have won a 50-50 split.
Global<strong>is</strong>ation, however, muddies <strong>the</strong> picture
somewhat.
“We have U.S. vendors with subsidiaries
in Europe and European vendors with
subsidiaries in <strong>the</strong> U.S. It <strong>is</strong> ra<strong>the</strong>r more
difficult to identify <strong>the</strong>m now,” said
Champion.
“We have managed quite well to get
away from <strong>the</strong> image that we are being
self influenced by <strong>the</strong> past. There was good
competition between <strong>the</strong> vendors. In some
cases, we were already working with <strong>the</strong>m;
in o<strong>the</strong>r cases <strong>the</strong>y were from outside <strong>the</strong>
system. I think it brought in some fresh
air.”

MAJOR <strong>A380</strong>
INDUSTRIAL
PARTNERS
Alliance pour le Développement
Mécanique (ADM) (France)
Nose upper and main deck floor grid
Alenia Aeronautica (Italy)
Centre forward lower unit, centre main
door frame and shell, centre upper
floor grid and shell, rear upper unit
Aries (Spain)
Horizontal tail plane elevator and
rudder parts
Asco (Belgium)
Flap carriages
BAE SYSTEMS (UK)
Inner leading edge in droop nose
Belairbus (Belgium)
Slat tracks
C & D (US)
Flight crew rest compartment, stairs
Composystem (Spain)
Horizontal tailplane fairings and
dorsal part of vertical fin
Composite Technology
Research Malaysia
Leading edge access panels
COMTAS (Germany)
UFW beams
Corse Composite (France)
EADS (Europe)
Belly fairing structure, cockpit
furn<strong>is</strong>hings, pax floor panels, bath
tub assembly, flap tracks, floor
crossbeam, nose landing gear door
and lower structure, centre main deck
rear floor grid
Eurocopter (Europe)
Doors
Finavitec (Finland)
F<strong>is</strong>cher Advanced Composites
(Austria) Flap fairings
Fokker Elmo
Pylon harnesses
Fokker/Stork (Ne<strong>the</strong>rlands)
GLARE fuselage panels, mid and
outer J nose
Fuji Heavy Industries (Japan)
Vertical fin edges
Gamesa (Spain)
Rear fuselage section metallic parts
GKN (UK & US)
Secondary structure and shroud box
Goodrich (US)
Pylon aft fairing and rear secondary
structure
Hawker de Havilland (Australia)
Wing tip and wingtip fence
ICSA (Italy)
Horizontal tailplane box joint and
trailing edge
Jamco (Japan)
Rear e-bay rack and upper-deck floor
crossbeams
KAI (Korea)
Outboard panel assembly bottom
Labinal (France)
Electrical harnesses
Latécoère (France)
Nose lower unit
Latelec (France)
Main electronics racks, NSS racks
2900 VU and relay boxes
Lhotellier (France)
Air conditioning ducts central fuselage
MASA (Spain)
Horizontal tailplane leading edge,
wing box ribs
McGill Corp (UK)
Floor panels
Mecachrome (France)
Centre spar
Mecahers (France)
Centre pedestal
Mitsub<strong>is</strong>hi Heavy Industries (Japan)
front and aft lower cargo doors
Nippi (Japan)
Horizontal tailplane tip
Patria Finavicom (Finland)
Spoilers
RUAG (Switzerland)
Outer trailing edge spar
SAAB (Sweden)
Mid and outer leading edge
Sabca (Belgium)
Centre rear lower shell
Sacesa (Spain)
Belly fairing panels
Senior Aerospace (France)
Air conditioning duct forward fuselage
Shin Maywa (Japan)
Fillet fairing, ramp surface panels
Sonaca (Belgium)
Nose upper shell
Spekon (Germany)
Insulation blankets
MAJOR <strong>A380</strong>
SUPPLIERS
AOA for on board oxygen generation
system (option), air cooling unit,
ground cooling unit, humidification
system (option for flight crew rest
compartment)
Aerolec (Thales/TRW joint venture)
for electrical power generation
Air Liquide for on board oxygen
generation system (option)
Bridgestone for <strong>the</strong> tyres
Dasell for lavatories
Diehl Avionik Systeme for <strong>the</strong> slat/
flap control computer, and <strong>the</strong> doors
and slide management system
Diehl Luftfahrt Elektronik for
interior lights
Dräger for <strong>the</strong> gaseous oxygen
system
Eldec for proximity sensors
Eaton Corporation for hydraulic
systems and ground service plug
(GSP)/<strong>is</strong>olation work packages
ECE for primary power centres, <strong>the</strong>
integrated control panel, windscreen
wipers, rain protection and electrical
d<strong>is</strong>tribution
Engine Alliance (General Electric
/ Pratt & Whitney joint venture) for
GP7200 engines
ESW for trolley lift and supplemental
cooling system (option)
Fairchild Controls (with
Microtecnica) for <strong>the</strong> supplemental
cooling system
Fenwal for bleed overheat detection
FR HiTemp for fuel pumps
Fr<strong>is</strong>by Aerospace for <strong>the</strong> cargo door
actuation systems
Goodrich for <strong>the</strong> main landing gear,
evacuation slides, ice detector, multifunction
probes, exterior lighting
(Goodrich-Hella), lower deck cargo
loading system, aileron, rudder,
elevator actuators, high lift actuation,
cockpit folding seats and cabin
attendant seats
Hamilton Sundstrand for <strong>the</strong> air
conditioning system and <strong>the</strong> Ram Air
Turbine
Honeywell for <strong>the</strong> Flight
Management System (FMS),
<strong>the</strong> secondary electrical power
d<strong>is</strong>tribution centres, <strong>the</strong> Aircraft
Environment Surveillance System
(AESS) and SatCom (BFE option)
Honeywell-Dunlop (joint venture)
for wheels and brakes
Honeywell or Northrop Grumman
for Air Data and Inertial Reference
Units (ADIRU)
Hurel-H<strong>is</strong>pano for nacelles
(GP7200 and Trent 900)
Intertechnique for <strong>the</strong> hydraulic
system monitoring unit, fuel
hydromechanical, anti-ice control unit
and fuel hydromechanical
KID for <strong>the</strong> Cabin Intercommunication
Data System (CIDS)
Kollmorgen Artus for <strong>the</strong>
emergency direct current (DC)
generation
L3 Com for recorders
Latécoère for External and Taxi Aid
Camera System (ETACS) and nose
lower unit
Liebherr for <strong>the</strong> bleed generation
and d<strong>is</strong>tribution system, spoiler
actuators, highlift actuation system
and heat exchanger (hydraulics - air)
Meggitt for fire detection
(unpressur<strong>is</strong>ed areas)
Messier-Bugatti for hydraulic filter/
manifold sets, <strong>the</strong> steering control
system, <strong>the</strong> braking control system
and axle equipment
Messier-Dowty for <strong>the</strong> nose landing
gear Michelin (or Bridgestone)
for tyres
Monogram for <strong>the</strong> water/waste
system
Nord-Micro for <strong>the</strong> cabin pressure
control system incl. cabin ventilation
and avionics ventilation
Pacific Scientific for fire extinction
(cargo, APU, engines)
Pages for cockpit lights
Pall for recirculation filters
Parker for <strong>the</strong> fuel measurement and
management system
Perkin-Elmer for hydraulic
accumulators
Pratt & Whitney Canada for <strong>the</strong>
auxiliary power unit (APU)
Ratier-Figeac for <strong>the</strong> trimmable
horizontal stabil<strong>is</strong>er actuator, <strong>the</strong>
throttle control assembly and <strong>the</strong>
sidestick transducer and damper unit
RBE for cockpit door module
Rheinmetall Defence Electronics
for cargo loading system (LD)
electrical sub-system
Rockwell Collins for <strong>the</strong> high speed
avionics communication bus (AFDX
switch),aircraft communication router,
radio com and navigation aids (ADF,
VOR, DME), and multi-mode receiver
Rolls-Royce for engines (Trent 900)
Sagem for <strong>the</strong> Back-up Control
Module (BCM), <strong>the</strong> Central<strong>is</strong>ed
Data Acqu<strong>is</strong>ition Module (CDAM),
<strong>the</strong> Data Loading and Configuration
System (DLCS), <strong>the</strong> Secure
Communication Interface (SCI) and
<strong>the</strong> Network System Server (NSS)
Securaplane for <strong>the</strong> cockpit door
surveillance system (CDSS)
Serck for heat exchanger
(hydraulics-fuel)
Siemens-Cerberus (cargo and
avionics) and AOA (toilets) for fire
protection
SGS for cockpit windows
Smiths Aerospace for <strong>the</strong> landing
gear extension and retraction system,
and for <strong>the</strong> concentrator multiplexer
for video
Sogerma for cockpit seats
STN Atlas for <strong>the</strong> cargo loading
system (LD) electrical subsystem
TEAM for <strong>the</strong> radio/audio integrated
management system
Technofan for brake cooling fans
(option)
Thales for <strong>the</strong> common modules
of <strong>the</strong> new avionics, <strong>the</strong> control and
d<strong>is</strong>plays of <strong>the</strong> cockpit systems, <strong>the</strong>
flight control unit (FCU), <strong>the</strong> radio
altimeter, <strong>the</strong> standby navigation
system and <strong>the</strong> Head-Up D<strong>is</strong>play
Vibrometer for <strong>the</strong> Engine Interface
Power Management (EIPM)
Speciality engineering groups, for
reliability and maintainability for
example, were establ<strong>is</strong>hed.
DECEMBER 2004-FEBRUARY 2005 ORIENT AVIATION / <strong>A380</strong> Quarterly Update 23