Core77

On a Different Plane

By Rain Noe - March 19, 2007

in Object Culture

Airbus' gargantuan A380 is making its first American stops this week. The empty, unbooked planes are making trial runs at major U.S. airports to see what modifications still have to be made to accommodate the birds; the damn things are so large that runways have to be altered and gates redesigned.

The Superjumbo is so big that proposed interior amenities have included not just seating but bars, gyms, casinos, showers, and beauty salons.

How big are we talking? The 300 million dollar plane stands eight stories tall, with a wingspan nearly the size of a football field and a maximum passenger capacity of 853. The amount of snack bags required to feed that many people will probably revolutionize peanut farming.

[Read about it in the Times.]

Comments: If you were an airplane designer, what would you do with that much space? IMAX screens? Crying babies all sealed off on a separate level? Tell us about it below.

o

Favorite This
Q
14

Comment

Comments

jericho Carlos

17 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

How about a 5th wheel? Oh wait it already has that.
!Report as spam
Will Mac

17 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

A large carbon fibre repair kit
!Report as spam
gubba bump

17 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

I'd host the Olympics. Nothing says universes like the Olympics at 38'000 feet!
!Report as spam
Matthew bruno

17 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

This plain seems ill-conceived and annoying, having to redesign all that surrounds it just to accommodate its size just seems backwards. Plus the bar, gym, casino, showers... all useless until that seatbelt sign goes off. TURBULANCE!!!

!Report as spam
MT

17 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

Not to be terribly negative or anything but this sounds like a remake of the Titanic.
!Report as spam
deger

17 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

you know, all this sounds very nice, and i am sure people will not even wanna get off of it but i just think that its a little too much. i think its a better idea to exclude the casinos and the gyms so that more people can afford it. the purpose was to offer relatively more comfort than that offered by planes being used today in the first place, wasnt it? all people need is to be able to sleep, and move around more freely, and watch better movies. if you think this is a whole another area of entertainment, thats another story in itself. however, in that case, we will still need more comfortable and affordable planes to fly people around everday.

!Report as spam
jdt

17 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

a basketball court. with a radio link to the pilot so he can dive the plane when you're going in for a dunk.
!Report as spam
R Saguin

17 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

1. Paintball arena
2. Pool filled with club soda
3. Room filled with pillows
!Report as spam
niti bhan

17 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

What are the emissions like?
!Report as spam
Xanthe

17 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

If I were and airplane designer I would say, this plane is too big. Its obnoxious.
!Report as spam
jake

17 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

obviously, a "steerage" section.

!Report as spam
iptydafu

17 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

I'd pack 853 parachutes.
!Report as spam
Colin

17 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

leg room for everybody!
!Report as spam
Andre

17 years ago

Z

Z

Reply

Bad Ideas:
1) Huge swimming pool
2) Huge jungle gym for the kiddies
3) Shooting range
!Report as spam