Remote-Controlled Airbus 330 Evening Exhibition Show

Now this truly looks like hours...err, days of nonstop fun. In this video a remote-controlled Airbus 330 performing a touch-and-go, then later in the movie performs another landing and slowly proceeds back to the crowds for a photo shoot. The careful attention to detail, such as the lighting and engine sounds are incredible and bring life to the plane. Other videos around YouTube include RC Airbus 380, A340 and other popular "birds." Enjoy - and thanks Jason for forwarding this.

Enter the Singapore Airlines 30th Anniversary Sweepstakes

This week Singapore Airlines celebrates their 30th anniversary of flights between Singapore and the United States. Their first USA flights were to San Francisco, via Hong Kong and Honolulu! As part of the celebration, the airline is giving away a pair of round-trip business class tickets (grand prize), four pairs of economy class tickets (first prize), and 25 Singapore Airlines Airbus 380 model airplanes (second prize). According to the rules, you may enter weekly, now through the end of April 2009.

Riding Coach on the Emirates A380

Last week I described the superior product Emirates has produced for passengers lucky enough to ride in Business or First Class on Airbus 380 flights. But what about everyone else? That is, the other 399 passengers flying downstairs in economy class.

Friends have asked, "is it worth flying the plane if you are not flying in luxury class?"My response is, while the luxuries are more prominent upstairs, there are plenty of enhancements and offerings for those riding downstairs, in economy, that do make riding the big bird an exciting experience, even in coach.


Economy/Coach Class
Thumbs Up:

• Economy seating (see below) is configured 3-4-3. Seat pitch is 33" which is about 1"-2" larger than economy seating offered by most U.S.-based airlines.
  

• A 10.6" seat-back mounted display screen is offered at each seat. Over 1000 channels of programming, including on-demand TV shows and movies, music and more is available using Emirates ICE entertainment system.


• A USB port works with the entertainment system, allowing you to bring personal music, video or PDF files from home. Power


• A seat-back mounted hook was added enabling passengers to hang a coat or sweater without the need of stowing it in the overhead bins, and providing easy access in the event the cabin cools during flight.


• Tray tables, as expected, are included at each seat. In addition, a drop-down cup/drink holder can be used, making it unnecessary lower the entire tray table just to lay your drink down.


• Exceptionally quiet in-flight experience. Conversations can take place in a normal tone and volume, without competing against excessive engine noise found on older aircraft models.
  
• Three separate jetways (pictured below) allow concurrent loading/unloading of passengers on both the upper and lower decks.

Thumbs Down:

• Rows 85-88; the numbers basically say it all. It's pretty far back on the plane. There is a general feeling of being cutoff from everyone else on the plane, in part because a center wall, which replaces where 4 seats would be located (3-4-3 configuration) causes an obstructed view to the opposite side of the plane. This areas of the plane is not for the claustrophobic! That said, these rows are sometimes reserved for flight crew, and would therefore be an infrequent problem for regular passengers.
  

Overall, Economy class on Emirates Airlines' A380 transcends the competition. Although far short of the generous amenities afforded to business and first class fliers upstairs, as you would expect, there is still a general "wow" feeling as you walk through the cabin. The massive interior, the unsoiled carpets, the smell of newness, all contribute to the experience.

Of course this same "wow" happened with the advent of the Boeing 747, and other grand additions to aviation history, but the A380 marks the latest and greatest in technological developments, and combined with the high standards of service Emirates has built its reputation on, flying the Airbus 380 on Emirates is simply an enjoyable journey not to be missed.

Click here for more pictures from Economy
Click here for more pictures from Business and First
Click here for pictures from the Emirates A380 arrival into SFO last week

Review of the Emirates Airbus 380 at SFO

By Mike Grasso
August 1, 2008, Emirates Airlines made history by launching the first-ever, Airbus 380 commercial airliner service into the United States. The flight touched down at New York's JFK, and will continue to be operated 3 times a week JFK and the Emirates hub in Dubai.

During a little downtime in the flights, the airline shuttled the super-jumbo jet to San Francisco Airport, where media and other aviation VIP's got a sneak peak of the A380, and a taste of the world famous Emirates service.


First Class

The 14 First Class Suites (pictured left) exceed a private jet experience. Electronically controlled double-doors open to an adjustable bed extending 86" in length. The suites provide the opportunity to customize a level of service depending on your needs. Simply relax in your suite with the accompanying mini-bar and refreshments, vanity mirror, 23" digital TV, including 1100 channels of programming, and request flight crew service on an as needed basis.

Or, pamper yourself with the award-winning service Emirates is known for. Indulge in a seven course meal, with a variety of options to please all tastes. First class passengers may order limitless menu items, including a complete range of sundries and premium liquors by simply informing the nearby cabin attendant.

First class passengers receive complimentary access to two full-service bathroom spa's (pictured above), including hot steamy showers, to freshen up after a long journey. Although showers are limited to 5-8 minutes in length due to water restrictions, guests are permitted to use the remainder of the bathroom for a longer duration. And who wouldn't, with heated flooring, premium grooming products, a hair dryer, and a 15.4" LCD monitor.

Although the suites provide a high level of privacy and comfort, they are not floor-to-ceiling enclosures you might expect when you hear the term, "suites." The surrounding wall to the walkway stands about 3-4 feet in height. Nevertheless, the luxurious first class suite on the Emirates A380 is one not to be missed, and certainly surpasses most other first class aviation products available.

First and Business Class, both which cover the entire second level of the A380, share a lounge area near the rear of the aircraft. Two nearby leather couches invite friends, new and old, to truly enjoy the experience of flying - outside of the assigned seat. A few steps away, a full-service bar (pictured above), featuring warm and cold canapés, premium liquors, and service with a smile, are all available at your leisure.

Business Class

Business class (pictured above), includes 76-lie flat beds which vary between 70" and 79" in length, depending on your seat. Although business class does not feature enclosed suites, high quality food and service, much like in first class, remain available to guests. On-demand media programming is available with a 17" personal digital TV in each unit.

An important consideration when flying Business Class on the new Airbus 380 is the staggering layout of the seats affecting your experience. Some rows for example are designed for two passengers travelling together, but still with the option of putting up a privacy wall in-between, while other rows are built with a large amount of space between the seat next - not particularly warming for a couple traveling together. An Emirates purser I spoke with indicated that the varying layout reflects the needs of the traveler, and often times, those traveling in business class are flying solo. Bottom line here. not all business class seats are equal, and be sure to know this when selecting them during the reservation process.

The business class product itself appears to be of superior quality and will most certainly makes for a wonderful flying experience.

Additional First & Business Class photos can be found here.

All Classes

Ring-ring, who is that calling? It's a friend sitting back in row 86K. (That is, economy class of course). A feature available to all passengers on the plane is the seat-to-seat calling. Can't sit together? Too lazy to go visit them? Call them. The quality of the voice comes through quite clear on the receiving end.

Another great element of the Emirates Airbus 380 are the three mounted cameras. The tail-mounted cam (pictured above) makes for hours of viewing pleasure, particularly during take-offs and landings.

The entire aircraft is equipped with the latest and greatest in technological developments. Each seat features a USB port whereby you can upload and work on important business tasks, or entertain yourself with music and movies you brought from home. ICE, the onboard entertainment system offers over 1000 channels of on-demand entertainment, as well as live BBC news headlines.

Each cabin has crew-controlled mood lighting and sounds. As night falls, the cabin dims and stars fill the roof of the cabin; by morning, light begins to fill the cabin, with the sounds of birds chirping, softly in the background.

Emirates has incorporated even these small details to ensure a premium travel experience for all passengers, regardless class of service.

Please check back later this week for a review of Emirates A380 Coach class.

Emirates Airlines Airbus 380 Arriving At SFO Earlier Today

Check back Tuesday for complete coverage of the Airbus 380 Demonstration flight at SFO. For now, check out more photos of the A380 arrival at SFO from earlier today.

Emirates Inaugurates Airbus 380 to United States

Special coverage of Emirates A380 flying to San Francisco on Monday

Earlier today, Dubai-based Emirates Airlines launched the first-ever commercial Airbus 380 service to the United States. The flight is scheduled to touch down at New York's JFK airport at 4:45 p.m. local time. No other airline operates A380 flights to the U.S.

On Monday, the A380 will fly to San Francisco to begin two days of familiarization flights along the West coast. The plane will be greeted with a water cannon ceremony upon landing at SFO. Shortly thereafter, media will have the opportunity to tour the interior of the aircraft and experience the service and comfort Emirates is famous for, during a two hour demo flight.

I'm pleased to report that I've been invited to attend the Monday festivities at SFO. Please check back late Monday for complete coverage on this exciting and historical event.

Read more: Past articles on Emirates.

Emirates To Operate Superjumbo A380 On San Francisco Route

Emirates airlines announced Thursday the intention to operate a superjumbo Airbus 380 aircraft on its upcoming San Francisco to Dubai route. The double-decker Airbus 380 is the largest aircraft in the world.

The airline, which announced the debut of the San Francisco to Dubai route beginning November 20th, will initially operate using a Boeing 777 aircraft. Emirates Senior Vice President of commercial operations for the America's said, "We hope to build up the route for the A380. I would be disappointed if we could not operate the aircraft in two or three years in San Francisco."

On August 4th, Emirates will show off the first fully outfitted Airbus 380 at San Francisco International Airport. The plane has 14 first-class suites, 76 business class seats and 399 seats in economy.

(Above: An Emirates Airbus 380 aircraft at the 2005 Dubai Airshow. Nasser Younes/Agence France-Presse --Getty Images)

Emirates First To Launch Airbus 380 Flights To United States

Emirates Airlines announced it will launch its first Airbus 380 commercial service on the

Dubai - New York route beginning August 1st, making it the first airline to bring passenger service utilizing the Superjumbo into the United States.

Considered one of the leading airlines in the world in terms of service, Emirates has said the Airbus 380 will offer a "high quality experience previously associated with private jets" (HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airlines).

Separately, Emirates previously announced it would begin flying Dubai to San Francisco October 26th utilizing a new Boeing 777-ER aircraft.

Emirates Airlines: Shower facilities onboard flights by October

Environmental Impact Yields to Luxury Travel

One of the most luxurious airlines in the world, Emirates, is taking luxury and service to an even higher level. Beginning this October, Emirates will offer onboard shower facilities to first class passengers. The showers will be available on their Airbus A380 aircraft, operating a New York to Dubai route.

But talk about working against eco-friendly travel solutions. The London Times estimates aircraft will need to haul around an extra ton of water per flight, and the extra fuel to move it.

This results in a “carbon cost” of 48,455 pounds for every round trip flight.

It's fantastic technology has evolved to a point which permits people to bath themselves at 40,000 feet...and I suppose passengers paying $15,000+ for a first class flight have a right to it. And of course it would be great to try it and say, "wow!" But hopefully this doesn't become a standard for the que of other Airbus 380 aircraft on wait lists and assembly lines. There are other methods of "wowing" first class passengers that result in less harm on the environment.

No 'Mile High Club' Memberships on Singapore's Airbus 380

Singapore Airlines has taken the unusual step of publicly asking passengers on its new Airbus A380 plane not to engage in any sexual activities. The potential problem has arisen because the first class area of its giant superjumbo contains 12 private suites complete with double beds.

Singapore, which is the first airline to start flying the A380, said the suites were not sound-proofed. It said it did not want anyone to offend other travellers or crew.
Singapore added that while the suites were private, they were also not completely sealed.

"All we ask of customers, wherever they are on our aircraft, is to observe standards that don't cause offence to other customers and crew," the airline said in a statement. "Nothing different applies for our Singapore Airlines Suites customers." -BBC News (Thanks Yih!)

The Airbus 380, wrapping up its short publicity gig at SFO will be heading to France this afternoon. When the A380 departs, they plan to maneuver in the vicinity of the City of San Francisco near Aquatic Park (230-3pm), utilizing the Fleet Week Airshow area for approximately 30 minutes before leaving. They will have a chase aircraft taking photos of them. The location and altitudes of the maneuvers may cause some public inquiries, as this area is not usually flown over at low altitudes by large aircraft. San Francisco Tower has coordinated the operations with the airport public relations and noise abatement offices.

Airbus 380 SuperJumbo to land at SFO later this morning

The brand-spankin' new 525 passenger Airbus 380 aircraft has been making appearances around the world the past couple months, and San Francisco is the next stop. At 9:40 Tuesday morning, the SuperJumbo will make history by touching down at SFO. Hundreds of media and invite-only guests for the event will also be treated to viewing SFO's new triple passenger loading bridge.

History about to unfold: Airbus 380 flies in October

The grand mamma/pappa (you can choose the gender) of planes will soon be put into service for everyone to enjoy. This will truly be an amazing moment in aviation history. The Airbus-380 will begin flying passengers by the end of October.

First though, Singapore Airlines will auction off their inaugural flight to some lucky folks through eBay. 100% of the proceeds will be donated to charity organizations.

More information can be found here.