Author Topic: another aeroplane, the A380  (Read 4078 times)

Martin

another aeroplane, the A380
« on: 30 March, 2008, 04:43:13 pm »
I saw that Singapore A380 take off from the train at Slough today.

Very big and impressive beastie; looked a bit like one of those dwarf 747s until I realised how far away it was. It seems to turn off towards the North on a Westerly take-off

Publshed departure is 11.00 daily; it was about 25 mins late today.

PaulF

  • "World's Scariest Barman"
  • It's only impossible if you stop to think about it
Re: another aeroplane, the A380
« Reply #1 on: 30 March, 2008, 04:59:57 pm »
I saw that Singapore A380 take off from the train at Slough today.

Very big and impressive beastie; looked a bit like one of those dwarf 747s until I realised how far away it was. It seems to turn off towards the North on a Westerly take-off


It is impressive, I saw one parked next to a 747 last week, made the 'jumbo' look like 'Dumbo' :)

Quote

Publshed departure is 11.00 daily; it was about 25 mins late today.

That's about par for Heathrow. And thereby hangs the greatest mystery of airline travel; timetabling. It seems that departure time is when they close the door, arrival is when it touches down. Never mind, from Heathrow at least that tehr ecan be often upwards of 30 minutes between doors closing and takeoff or touchdown and doors opening.

Or have I become too  jaded and cynical?

TimC

  • Old blerk sometimes onabike.
Re: another aeroplane, the A380
« Reply #2 on: 30 March, 2008, 05:36:21 pm »
The aircraft is big, but the increase in size over the B747 isn't that great - except in its wingspan. Once you get to that sort of size, small changes in fuselage diametres and the like produce big changes in volume - and weight. The A380 is considerably shorter than the A340-600, however.

The 11:00 departure time, like all airline departure times, is from the gate. It is not a takeoff time. Similarly, the arrival scheduled time is at the gate, not the time of landing. 25 minutes from departure to takeoff is about right.

Re: another aeroplane, the A380
« Reply #3 on: 30 March, 2008, 05:41:14 pm »
3-m fan diameter... Nice!
Frenchie - Train à Grande Vitesse

Arthur

Re: another aeroplane, the A380
« Reply #4 on: 30 March, 2008, 09:00:24 pm »
I saw that Singapore A380 take off from the train at Slough today.

Blimey, the wonders of modern engineering. I'd have have though a plane that size would need a runway to take off from.   

I'll get my coat.

gonzo

Re: another aeroplane, the A380
« Reply #5 on: 30 March, 2008, 09:33:13 pm »
The thing that amazed me most was how quiet it was! The A380 chucks out a LOT les noise than a eurofighter (with afterburner) which is mind boggling!

3-m fan diameter... Nice!

I've spun one before  ;D

Re: another aeroplane, the A380
« Reply #6 on: 30 March, 2008, 11:15:43 pm »
The thing that amazed me most was how quiet it was! The A380 chucks out a LOT les noise than a eurofighter (with afterburner) which is mind boggling!

It's a matter of bypass ratios, and exhaust velocity, Gonzo, as you ought to know...  ;)
"He who fights monsters should see to it that he himself does not become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." ~ Freidrich Neitzsche

Re: another aeroplane, the A380
« Reply #7 on: 31 March, 2008, 02:33:42 am »
The thing that amazed me most was how quiet it was! The A380 chucks out a LOT les noise than a eurofighter (with afterburner) which is mind boggling!

It's a matter of bypass ratios, and exhaust velocity, Gonzo, as you ought to know...  ;)

Yes, but also the way the nacelles are designed and integrated in the wing system.

We are now reaching the upper limits of by-pass ratios (airframe manufacturers have dictated this). The T900 is the largest (diameter) in the Trent Family. The T1000 is smaller.

A military engine design is rather different to that of a T900. Trent engines are compact with high by-pass ratios, with three shafts whereas I believe military engines are long, with lower by-pass ratios and 2-shaft I believe; and not design to be that silent when full power is required. But I don't work on military engines (knowingly at least), so I could be wrong.

PS Gonz' the T800 engine at the RR museum is now glued to avoid people spinning it and injuring themselves with the fan blades.
Frenchie - Train à Grande Vitesse

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: another aeroplane, the A380
« Reply #8 on: 31 March, 2008, 10:12:38 am »
I saw that Singapore A380 take off from the train at Slough today.

Blimey, the wonders of modern engineering. I'd have have though a plane that size would need a runway to take off from.   

I'll get my coat.

I was thinking the same.  ;) ;) ;)

gonzo

Re: another aeroplane, the A380
« Reply #9 on: 31 March, 2008, 11:08:15 am »
Regarding noise; I was standing in a field of RR engineers and all of us were shocked by how little noise the A380 made as it flew overhead to land in the next (air) field along. Conversely, when we got a flyby from a eurofighter and it switched on it's afterburner to do a straight up flight, every car alarm below went off due to the noise!

PS Gonz' the T800 engine at the RR museum is now glued to avoid people spinning it and injuring themselves with the fan blades.

The one I played with was on the production line :)

Martin

Re: another aeroplane, the A380
« Reply #10 on: 31 March, 2008, 12:25:35 pm »
I saw that Singapore A380 take off from the train at Slough today.

Blimey, the wonders of modern engineering. I'd have have though a plane that size would need a runway to take off from.   

I'll get my coat.

I was thinking the same.  ;) ;) ;)


so was I when I made the OP....

alan

Re: another aeroplane, the A380
« Reply #11 on: 01 April, 2008, 08:06:11 pm »
I saw that Singapore A380 take off from the train at Slough today.

Blimey, the wonders of modern engineering. I'd have have though a plane that size would need a runway to take off from.   

I'll get my coat.

I was thinking the same.  ;) ;) ;)


So was I ;D