Interesting times eh and what an amazing achievement for everybody who has been involved.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7301455.stm

I remember when they done the test flight and everyone thought it would crash.

I'm interested to see this monster in the air, it's huge

I know. Its amazing the things that can be made these days.

I bet it would be crazy seeing one of these land in heavy cross winds. Anybody see the video on youtube or liveleak of that 747 coming in practically sideways? Now that was impressive which this big bast...

Seen some of those wings going from Broughton, although wings normally go by air the A380's have to go by barge to france and then on a truck. One of my family work for a company that make material for them as well (i.e the wings and some other parts i think)

Needs lowering IMO and de-badging with some nice 18"ers and Grabber tyres!

It's still a microlite compared to the Antonov

that thing looks like something from Thunderbirds

Before I clicked on that video, I was thinking: We had one of those in at Manchester last year. Manchester it was. I think there is a smaller 4 engined version of that which we've also had in at Ringway. One of them (& it could have been that one) was taking all the equipment for a group of U.S. R'B types to a charity concert in Africa. Couldn't help thinking they could have stayed at home and just sent the money they spent on getting there to the charity. When it was taxi-ing out to the runway to take off over Cheshire, it's left wing tip was overhanging the perimeter fence!
There's a slightly sinister background to this aircraft. It's that size and shape so it can load Main Battle Tanks in the back and then straight out of the front. Almost all Tupolev and Antonov civil aircraft since WW2 have been designed with military use in mind. Right up to the '70's Tupolev airliners had a "glass" nose to help with bomb aiming and para-dropping.
We often have 747F freighters in, in fact there were 3 in today but even they look small in comparison with the Antonov. Incidentally, talking about high winds we had a 747F in for repairs for several days after a wing tip hit the runway when it was landing

bet it costs ££££££'s to go on that maiden voyage

The Beard said:

Incidentally, talking about high winds we had a 747F in for repairs for several days after a wing tip hit the runway when it was landing

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there's a good video on youtube of the A380 being tested in high crosswinds in Iceland. It's pretty amazing seeing a thing that size coming in almost sideways .

RichDoblo120 said:

It's still a microlite compared to the Antonov

that thing looks like something from Thunderbirds

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I saw the AN-225 at Farnborough back in the late 80's/early 90's (I forget when exactly, it was a long time ago) and it's effing *huge*. It is unbelievable that something that big can fly, it came in to land over our heads and it was like an office block flying over you. Seriously impressive.

Cheers,

Plug

Plug said:

it's effing *huge*. It is unbelievable that something that big can fly

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thats why I prefer to drive