20 amazing facts about the A380 superjumbo, the largest passenger plane ever produced

(CNN) -- Loved by passengers for its spaciousness and comfort, but disliked by airlines because of its running costs, the Airbus A380 has already entered its slump years, despite making its commercial debut just 14 years ago. years.

Its final chapter came into clearer focus this week, when Airbus delivered the last A380 ever made to its new owners, Emirates, ending 18 years of production of the plane.

The superjumbo was conceived at a time when larger planes carrying hundreds of passengers between hubs were an attractive proposition, but by the time it began to fly, a different business model – smaller planes connecting smaller airports – had taken hold. of the aviation industry.

However, the largest passenger plane ever produced has amassed a following, and while a significant portion of the fleet will not survive the pandemic, the news that the plane will return to the air electrified those specifically looking for it when making flight reservations.

Now several airlines, including Emirates, British Airways and Singapore, are offering long-haul flights on the superjumbo again.

Whether you plan to take a flight on an A380 while you still have the chance or not, here's our pick of the 20 most interesting facts about this unique aircraft.

1. Bigger than ever

As the only full-length double-decker airliner ever built, the A380 is so large that it could theoretically carry a maximum of 853 passengers if all seats were economy. Yet no airline has ever outfitted an A380 like it: the highest recorded capacity is 615 people in a two-class (economy + business) configuration.

2. Cables by kilometers

Each A380 contains more than 300 miles of electrical cables and wiring, and their installation proved so challenging that some of the initial delays in aircraft production were attributed specifically to wiring. In 2009, Airbus streamlined operations by accelerating the installation of the brackets that hold the wiring: there are up to 80,000 on each aircraft.

3. Turbulent air

The superjumbo's size and weight can cause problems for smaller planes following closely behind it, a phenomenon known as "wake turbulence." In 2017, a small private jet went airborne when it crossed paths with an A380. Recent guidelines suggest light aircraft should wait four minutes before taking off or landing on the same runway just used by an A380.

4. A serious paint job

It takes 950 gallons of paint to cover the entire 3,530-square-foot surface of an A380. A regular coat of paint adds 1,500 pounds of weight to the plane. The process usually takes about two weeks.

5. No need to carry light luggage

The cargo hold of an A380 can carry up to 3,000 bags, and two cargo belts, one at the front and one at the rear, can be used simultaneously to speed up the process.

6. A true globalist

Each A380 is made up of 4 million individual components, produced by 1,500 companies in 30 different countries. They all used to converge by road, air and sea to Toulouse, in the south of France, where the last plane was assembled.

7. Possibility to shower

A fully stocked bar with onyx tops on the upper deck is relatively common on the A380. Less so are the fully functional showers installed in the first class suites on Emirates and Ethiad A380s, or the full-size double bed that Singapore introduced in its double suites.

8. More space than a basketball court

With its full-length double deck, the A380 offers nearly 6,000 square feet of usable space, roughly 40% more than the second-largest airliner, the Boeing 747-8.

9. Loved by Emirates

By far the largest operator of the A380 is Dubai-based Emirates with 123 orders, followed by Singapore Airlines with 24. In total, 14 airlines have ordered and flown the A380. When Emirates canceled an order for 39 A380s in early 2019, Airbus decided to cease production of the aircraft entirely at the end of 2021.

10. You can have a piece of one

While it has just taken delivery of the last A380 built, Emirates has already retired the first one it purchased 14 years ago and handed it over for recycling into furniture. Among the items listed for pre-order at the Dubai Airshow in November were coffee tables made from wheels, clocks made from fuel panels on the wings and the entire 24-meter-tall tail of the plane. Also at stake was the plane's sleek upper deck bar.

11. The secret compartment

With a cabin crew of three and up to 21 flight attendants, the A380 has the largest crew of any passenger aircraft. The galley area has enough space for five people to work simultaneously, and crew members can rest in a "secret" area on the third deck (lower cargo deck), with bunks and a private bathroom.

12. Not for everyone

The A380, due to its size, cannot be operated at all airports and many had to make modifications to be able to handle the superjumbo. In Munich, it was necessary to build special hangar doors to accommodate the tail of the plane. Airbus says that 140 airports around the world are compatible with the plane and more than 400 can accept it in the event of an emergency landing.

13. The longest flight

Emirates operates the longest scheduled A380 passenger flight: Dubai to Auckland, 12,874km and over 17 hours in the air. In 2019, Qantas flew one of its A380s back to base in Sydney from Dresden, Germany after the refurbishment. The plane was empty and flew for more than 18 hours and approximately 16,093 km.

14. The shortest flight

Singapore Airlines announced that it will offer the world's shortest new A380 flight: a fast hop of just 289km/s between Singapore's Changi Airport and Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia. Emirates previously held this record with a flight from Dubai to Muscat, Oman, clocking around 337 km.

15. The cargo version that never was

When Airbus launched the A380 in December 2000, it offered a freighter version called the A380F, designed to compete with equivalent freighter-only models of the Boeing 747. UPS and FedEx initially placed orders for the aircraft, but after its launch was delayed , they canceled them, leading to the cancellation of the A380F program itself.

16. Flappy Wings

During takeoff, the A380's wings flap so much that they flex upwards by up to 3 meters. That's a lot, but not as much as planes with a higher amount of composite materials, like the Boeing 787, whose wings can flap up to 7 meters.

17. Huge depreciation

The list price of an Airbus A380 was about $450 million, not taking into account discounts, which are common. However, the current value of the fleet has plummeted: one estimate says a 2005 model is now worth just $77m, and a like-new A380 built in 2019 is just $276m.

18. Two per wing

The plane's four engines are one of its most distinguishing factors and a drawback, requiring more fuel than twin-engine planes. They are made by Rolls-Royce in the UK or Engine Alliance in the US, and can lift the plane's maximum takeoff weight of 650 tonnes to cruising altitude in 15 minutes.

19. There are no American buyers

One of the main reasons the A380 was never a commercial success is the fact that not a single US airline bought the plane. Major European airlines like Air France, British Airways and Lufthansa did, but in small numbers. By the time the A380 became available, US carriers had already moved away from jumbo jets to more fuel-efficient twin-engine jets such as the Boeing 787 and Airbus A350.

20. A Partial Comeback

The pandemic hit the aviation industry hard and hit the A380 hardest. Lufthansa and Air France never returned their A380s to service after they were grounded, instead deciding to retire all of their fleets, while Qatar sent half of its fleet into permanent storage. On the other hand, Qantas, British Airways, Emirates, Qatar, Singapore, All Nippon and Korean Air announced that they are restarting A380 service.