Extra-Large Wings on Air: Cargo Shipping Planes and Its Difference With Passenger Aircraft
When using an air cargo shipping service, some might wonder about how they actually fly so many things to different places. Compared to the usual passenger aircraft, it is hard to imagine how so items and packages can fit inside. As most people know, the planes used for the two types of cargo (people vs. 'actual' cargo) are not the same.
Passenger aircraft, which everyone has grown to know and love, are built to carry a certain capacity of weight, restricted to people, carry-on luggage, and other relatively lighter objects.
An example of this type of commercial airplane is the Boeing 737 Next Generation series. This narrow-bodied passenger aircraft is not used for air cargo shipping because it can only carry up to 756-1,835 cubic feet of cargo paired with its 130-215 seating capacity; adding anymore to this will render the aircraft overloaded.
Freight planes, on the other hand, do without the seating capacity as they function solely to transport goods, and not people; there is more space for shipment to be stored, especially since these fright planes are designed to be bigger than its commercial counterparts. The Boeing 747 Large Cargo Freighter (LCF), or the Dreamlifter, is a perfect example of how cargo planes are made differently to suit their function.
This outsize cargo freight aircraft is used exclusively for transporting airplane parts from around the world. This plane can hold up to 65,000 cubic feet in its main cargo compartment and has a wingspan of 211 feet and 5 inches. This wingspan allows it to soar in the skies even with heavy airplane equipment inside, as compared to the 93 feet that the Boeing 737 is equipped with; making the Dreamlifter a giant that can hold so much more than other commercial jets.
As seen from this comparison, freight planes are really made to be bigger and more durable than commercial counterparts because of their function. Modifications have been made to make them an ideal form of transport for shipment of different sizes, ensuring everyone that their goods are safe and secure even from 25,000 to 37,000 feet above ground.
Showing posts with label Passenger. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Passenger. Show all posts
Monday, May 21, 2012
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Turbulence Continues For Airbus A380 - Largest Passenger Aircraft in Commercial Aviation
Turbulence Continues For Airbus A380 - Largest Passenger Aircraft in Commercial Aviation
It has been rough flying for the Airbus A380, the big double-decker "superjumbo" aircraft that was once hailed as the future of commercial aviation and was destined to take over the skies. Only a few years ago experts were praising it:
"Airbus had the prescience to correctly anticipate an environment of high fuel prices, public clamor for quieter airports, fewer emissions, and less crowded skies. This is the kind of superior product vision that has served our industry so well," former Engine Alliance President Bruce Hughes said.
One Airbus customer said: "The A380 is the future of flying."
The problems began long before the inaugural flight in October 2007, but they have persisted since the maiden journey. With just 10 deliveries in 2009 and 23 in total since 2007, enthusiasm for this big aircraft has waned.
By all means, the A380 is a magnificent aircraft. It combines the very latest aeronautical technologies and with nearly 50 percent more floor space. It offers unparalleled comfort in every class and more open space for more than 550 passengers to stretch their legs.
The aircraft has significantly reduced noise and emissions levels so it minimizes the effects on the environment. Its new generation engines and advanced wing and undercarriage design mean the A380 not only complies with today's noise limits but is significantly quieter than its competitor, producing half as much noise on take-off.
The A380's weight-saving composite materials help make it a highly fuel-efficient aircraft. It burns 12 percent less fuel than its competitor and it also has reduced exhaust emissions. In every category the A380 seems like a winner.
So what went wrong? It is hard to put your finger on one reason - this is a massive project that took many years, cost billions of dollars and was the combined effort of thousands of people from several European countries. But we have highlighted a few major issues:
Design Changes
The cost increases due to ongoing design changes hit suppliers with production problems and this has taken a toll. The price of the airplane has doubled since its inception, while the market has contracted by a greater proportion.
As costs of the A380 continue, the overall development price tag has risen to over $15 billion US. Meanwhile, the market for the VLA (Very Large Aircraft) continues to erode, and a current EADS (European Aeronautic Defense and Space Company) review about what went wrong is not going to help the A380'S fortunes.
Reliability
Qantas and Emirates have concerns about the A380's reliability.
"We had a number of unrelated issues that have brought down dispatch reliability," said Emirates Airline president Tim Clark.
Qantas had high-profile problems when technical issues grounded all three of its A380's briefly. The airline said two A380's were declared "unserviceable with a fuel tank indication system problem", while the third "experienced a nose-wheel ground steering issue and an unrelated fuel leak issue".
The A380's newest customer, Air France, also experienced a string of embarrassing problems with the A380.
Economy
The recession has not been kind to commercial aviation as many airlines continue to lose money. The struggling industry faces another $5.6 billion of losses next year, on top of the $11 billion in 2009. Many airliners have cancelled orders for the A380 including Lufthansa, Virgin Airlines, Thai Airways, Fed Ex and others. Certainly the recession has been a chief factor for the aircraft's uncertain future.
The question remains - is the world ready for a VLA - or will it ever be ready for this enormous plane? Time will tell. But the money spent to find out the answer was probably not worth it. It may well go down in the history books like the Concorde SST.
Whatever happens to the A380, Boeing certainly looks like the winner in this race when it decided to drop their own VLA plans 5 years ago and opt for an expanded version of their successful 747 (the 747-8) instead.
It has been rough flying for the Airbus A380, the big double-decker "superjumbo" aircraft that was once hailed as the future of commercial aviation and was destined to take over the skies. Only a few years ago experts were praising it:
"Airbus had the prescience to correctly anticipate an environment of high fuel prices, public clamor for quieter airports, fewer emissions, and less crowded skies. This is the kind of superior product vision that has served our industry so well," former Engine Alliance President Bruce Hughes said.
One Airbus customer said: "The A380 is the future of flying."
The problems began long before the inaugural flight in October 2007, but they have persisted since the maiden journey. With just 10 deliveries in 2009 and 23 in total since 2007, enthusiasm for this big aircraft has waned.
By all means, the A380 is a magnificent aircraft. It combines the very latest aeronautical technologies and with nearly 50 percent more floor space. It offers unparalleled comfort in every class and more open space for more than 550 passengers to stretch their legs.
The aircraft has significantly reduced noise and emissions levels so it minimizes the effects on the environment. Its new generation engines and advanced wing and undercarriage design mean the A380 not only complies with today's noise limits but is significantly quieter than its competitor, producing half as much noise on take-off.
The A380's weight-saving composite materials help make it a highly fuel-efficient aircraft. It burns 12 percent less fuel than its competitor and it also has reduced exhaust emissions. In every category the A380 seems like a winner.
So what went wrong? It is hard to put your finger on one reason - this is a massive project that took many years, cost billions of dollars and was the combined effort of thousands of people from several European countries. But we have highlighted a few major issues:
Design Changes
The cost increases due to ongoing design changes hit suppliers with production problems and this has taken a toll. The price of the airplane has doubled since its inception, while the market has contracted by a greater proportion.
As costs of the A380 continue, the overall development price tag has risen to over $15 billion US. Meanwhile, the market for the VLA (Very Large Aircraft) continues to erode, and a current EADS (European Aeronautic Defense and Space Company) review about what went wrong is not going to help the A380'S fortunes.
Reliability
Qantas and Emirates have concerns about the A380's reliability.
"We had a number of unrelated issues that have brought down dispatch reliability," said Emirates Airline president Tim Clark.
Qantas had high-profile problems when technical issues grounded all three of its A380's briefly. The airline said two A380's were declared "unserviceable with a fuel tank indication system problem", while the third "experienced a nose-wheel ground steering issue and an unrelated fuel leak issue".
The A380's newest customer, Air France, also experienced a string of embarrassing problems with the A380.
Economy
The recession has not been kind to commercial aviation as many airlines continue to lose money. The struggling industry faces another $5.6 billion of losses next year, on top of the $11 billion in 2009. Many airliners have cancelled orders for the A380 including Lufthansa, Virgin Airlines, Thai Airways, Fed Ex and others. Certainly the recession has been a chief factor for the aircraft's uncertain future.
The question remains - is the world ready for a VLA - or will it ever be ready for this enormous plane? Time will tell. But the money spent to find out the answer was probably not worth it. It may well go down in the history books like the Concorde SST.
Whatever happens to the A380, Boeing certainly looks like the winner in this race when it decided to drop their own VLA plans 5 years ago and opt for an expanded version of their successful 747 (the 747-8) instead.
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