A380 grounded (AGAIN!)

[Andrew McLaughlin]

Originally Posted by Ash W

So how many times now has the a/c gone u/s?

Three in six months... not too bad for a new type.

[Ash W]

Originally Posted by Andrew McLaughlin

Three in six months... not too bad for a new type.

In fact you could well say it is pretty good. I imagine one of the 'faults' was the one where they backed it onto the grass.

[Shameel Kumar]

Originally Posted by Andrew McLaughlin

Three in six months... not too bad for a new type.

Very true, that's pretty good for a 6 month timeframe... but when you consider the fact that throughout those 6 months virtually only 2 A380's have been in service (the third was only very recently delivered)..well then the numbers aren't so impressive.

But on the whole, seems like the A380 is a very reliable aircraft...which is the way it should be in this day and age of technology!

Just out of curiousity, how did the 777 go in terms of in-service reliability when it began flying in June of '95?

[Adam P.]

Aeroplanes are complex beasts. They break. ALL THE TIME! It's a fact of life for any airline.

The thing is, this one has such a high profile that everyone is watching closely.... both aircraft are being fully utilised, so it is very difficult to swap to another tail number. Because there are only two of them even your average man on the street can tell that a swap's been done, when they expect a great big whopping A380 and instead get a crappy old 747.


The point, once I finally reach it, is that many people don't know what goes on around aeroplanes and airlines on a daily basis. What's happening to SQ is perfectly normal with such a complex system - it's just that the big ugly French thing is so new that people are watching!

[David Ramsay]

Because there are only two of them

Arithmetic 101

one, two, three!!

[Shameel Kumar]

Originally Posted by Adam P.

- it's just that the big ugly French thing is so new that people are watching!

Very true..but in the case of the media they have 24/7 surveillance on the A380 with a huge magnifying lense, waiting at a moments notice to make a drama out of the A380 running over a caterpillar.
I'm suprised they haven't made a big fuss whenever the A380 arrives into SYD 10 minutes later than scheduled.

Apart from the fuel-pump issues, the only other 'problems' I've heard so far are the dirtiness of the first A380 during the first few weeks of service, and also the quietness of the cabin meaning passengers can hear the aircraft's plumbing at work.

Excellent work by Airbus to make the aircraft so reliable!!

[Adam P.]

one, two, three!!

[Brenden S]

Hmm 2nd time for a fuel pump issue. I wonder when SKC will get this problem.

[Olle Q]

Well folks, just look back and remember how the 747 behaved the first months in full service........

[Grant Smith]

Originally Posted by Olle Q

Well folks, just look back and remember how the 747 behaved the first months in full service........

Can't say I was around way back then... Maybe some of the more "senior" members of the board can enlighten the less senior members