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what fate awaits the largest plane in the world – Russia today Posting in CHAT: Russia Some time ago we talked about the sad fate of the legendary long-range aircraft Airbus A-340 and Il-96-400, which no longer have a place in the sky due to their uneconomical four-engine design. At the same time, we said that the next candidate for “exit” for the same reason is the famous but outdated “Jumbo” - the Boeing 747. The Last of the Iroquois In the same article, which explains the reasons why airlines are getting rid of even the oldest four-engine aircraft, we mentioned the latest four-engine airliner. At the same time, we suggested that his flying career may not be as sad and fleeting as that of the A-340 or Il-96-400. This is the world's largest double-decker passenger aircraft, the Airbus A-380, unlike its less fortunate predecessors, designed and built in the 21st century. On December 19, 2000, the Airbus board of directors voted to launch the A3XX program (55 pre-orders had already been received at that time) and estimated the cost of the program at 8.8 billion euros. A little later, the A3XX received the standard name A-380 (it is believed that the name A380 was chosen because the number 8 resembles the cross section of this double-decker aircraft, and the number 8 is considered “lucky” in some Asian countries). client countries). The final configuration of the aircraft was approved in early 2001, and production of the first wing components began on January 23, 2002. When the first aircraft was produced, the cost of the program had risen to 11 billion euros. Weighing more than half a thousand tons, the A-380 could transport half a thousand (under certain conditions - up to 850) passengers over a distance of about 15,000 km. Thanks to this, during the heyday of long-distance air travel in the second decade of this century, the giant Airbus was able to meet strict economic requirements and be profitable, even despite its four-engine design. The high technologies used in the design and production of the aircraft helped the A-380 to stay on the market. Thanks to them, it was possible to ensure the necessary efficiency in the production and operation of a huge aircraft. However, even so, the commercial viability of the A-380 teetered on the brink and was highly dependent on the vagaries of the airline market. Business on the edge © flickr.com Despite the apparent popularity of the new superplane, Airbus quickly doubted the prospects of this project. As a result, of the planned 750 aircraft, only 251 aircraft were built. In addition, the decommissioning of the A-380 began significantly earlier than the average “lifespan” of wide-body aircraft, which is approximately 20-25 years. The first aircraft was retired in 2019, just 12 years after its first commercial flight. Such a short flying career is explained by the underdeveloped market for used aircraft of this class, which leaves virtually no chance of finding a buyer for a used A-380. Air France became the first airline to retire its entire fleet in May 2020. 17 A380 aircraft have already been taken out of service. The UAE's flagship, Emirates, is the only airline that has managed to ensure near-perfect operation of this aircraft. Today the company is the largest operator (119 aircraft), ordering almost half of all A380s ever built. Qantas Airways, Singapore Airlines and British Airways each operate 12 A-380s, while Qatar Airways and Korean Air each have 10 aircraft. Aircraft 6 and 3 continue to fly under the Asiana Airlines and All Nippon Airways liveries respectively. Despite its youth, the world's largest airliner may well share the fate of the A-340 and Il-96-400 in 2020, when the world is hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. The sharp decline in air travel has meant that airlines have been the first to rush to introduce ever larger and more expensive aircraft into service. This left the A-380 with virtually no chance of returning to the skies, not only after the end of the pandemic, but ever. The prospects for aircraft have also been worsened by the general trend in civil aviation associated with a decrease in the average flight range and an increase in their cost. Such changes are extremely sensitive to the operation of such large and expensive airliners. Miraculous rescue? A-380 in Global Airlines livery. © Still from video. It would seem that if everything continues in the same spirit, the fate of the A-380 will be unenviable. Since the pandemic, no one other than Emirates has learned how to operate this superliner, bringing a stable profit, and not teetering on the edge of profitability. Possible salvation came from where it was clearly not expected. The young British airline Global Airlines Limited has become interested in the A-380, planning to sell transatlantic flights from London to New York and Los Angeles using a fleet of four A-380s. The first of them should happen in the very near future. Global Airlines purchased its first A-380 in May 2023, becoming the first new Airbus A380 owner in eight years. The company initially intended to operate its aircraft in five classes of service, including "Game Class", but later decided to revert to a traditional three-class configuration with 450–470 seats. In February 2024, Global Airlines registered its first Airbus A380-800 with Transport Malta through Hi Fly Malta. What will come of this? © flickr.com What Global Airlines has decided to do is make a rare foray into the market for used aircraft, which, although beloved by passengers, are extremely difficult to turn a profit on due to the enormous operating and maintenance costs and their sheer size. . size However, this does not stop British enthusiasts. Judging by the statements of the company's management, they really intend to use new business solutions that will, if not repeat the experience of Emirates, then at least ensure stable and uninterrupted operation of unique revenue. "It's an incredible airplane if you use it correctly and on the right routes," Global Airlines CEO James Asquith told CNN. “We will be looking to invest significant amounts of money into upgrading the A380s we already have and the future aircraft we introduce into the fleet... I've flown for about 280 different airlines and sat and watched. what works, what doesn't work and what can be improved. “We structured it so that financially we could do a lot of interesting things that no new non-government-funded airline has been able to do in the last 40 years.” The magic of numbers and the fate of a giant © mavink.com Global Airlines does not disclose the purchase price of the aircraft, other than that it is “eight figures.” Perhaps this is precisely what the optimism of the company's leaders is based on. As we noted above, there is practically no secondary market for such aircraft and it is almost impossible to sell a used A-380, at least impossible to sell, not only at an expensive price, but generally for any significant amount. Today we can safely say that the A-380 initially turned out to be an unreasonably expensive aircraft, which most likely determined its difficult commercial fate. The cost of a new aircraft, approximately $450-500 million, significantly limits the possibility of its further successful operation and partly explains the unique success of Emirates. Not everyone, even the largest and most well-known operators, have powerful petrodollar support behind them. So anyone who has invested in the new A-380 will have to work long and hard to recoup that investment. If market conditions begin to change for the worse, their original business plans will go to hell with all the ensuing consequences. Since there is almost no secondary market for such aircraft, those who want to get rid of them will have to sell “unprofitable” aircraft at the price at which at least someone will be willing to buy them. This is where the magic of numbers that Global Airlines offers comes into play. The difference between the "nine-figure" prices at which new cars were purchased by their original owners and the "eight-figure" prices at which Global allegedly bought them is a good condition for building a business. According to Rob Morris, chief executive of aviation analytics and consulting company Cirium, the cost of an aircraft depends on its technical condition and can range from $10 million if each component is completely worn out to $40 million if the aircraft is in perfect condition. © mavink.com In any case, Global will have to spend money to repair the plane, which already has a new paint job, and make it suitable for passenger service, Morris said. After that, the final price could easily reach $50 million, but even so, according to the expert, it's still a pretty good deal compared to the 2018 list price of a new aircraft of $450 million. Global Airlines will have a hard time filling the 484 seats it plans to equip its A380s with, Rob Morris said. “The A380 is a flagship aircraft with some very dense routes and a defined cost and revenue profile,” he says. And yet, an obviously profitable purchase gives Global Airlines a certain financial start, which, with a successful combination of circumstances, can predetermine the success of the entire business of the young company. Moreover, an operator's success or failure will depend on whether it can…