Handling The A380

[WhoozOn1st]

Airbus A380 requires special handling at LAX

"Operations have gone fairly well so far, but some fear that delays will mount as more of the aircraft arrive."

The article includes a pretty interesting photo gallery of mostly A380 interior shots.

 

[Joel N. Weber II]

If you wanted to maximize the passengers per hour handled by LAX, is the 747 the optimal airplane to use?

 

[saxman]

If you wanted to maximize the passengers per hour handled by LAX, is the 747 the optimal airplane to use?

Probably, but thats just a WAG. The 380 requires 10 miles of separation. I've now landed behind it twice and I was glad to be no where near it. While any plane 757 and bigger uses the designation 'heavy' the 380 gets the 'super' with ATC. Its quite a sight thought seen taxiing around. Like a giant whale with huge wings and a oversized tail

 

[WhoozOn1st]

And what about the wake turbulence issue? That's gotta be a major concern.

 

[Joel N. Weber II]

If you wanted to maximize the passengers per hour handled by LAX, is the 747 the optimal airplane to use?

Probably, but thats just a WAG. The 380 requires 10 miles of separation. I've now landed behind it twice and I was glad to be no where near it. While any plane 757 and bigger uses the designation 'heavy' the 380 gets the 'super' with ATC. Its quite a sight thought seen taxiing around. Like a giant whale with huge wings and a oversized tail

Is super used for anything other than the A380?

The other thing I'm curious about is: if you had an airport that was optimized to handle as many A380 planes an hour as any airport ever could hope to handle, would using all 747s or would using all A380s maximize the passengers per hour at the airport?

 

[Konrad]

If you wanted to maximize the passengers per hour handled by LAX, is the 747 the optimal airplane to use?

Probably, but thats just a WAG. The 380 requires 10 miles of separation. I've now landed behind it twice and I was glad to be no where near it. While any plane 757 and bigger uses the designation 'heavy' the 380 gets the 'super' with ATC. Its quite a sight thought seen taxiing around. Like a giant whale with huge wings and a oversized tail

But you should be ON it. Quiet, quiet, quiet!

And sorry, but I might have been on that Qantas big bird that delayed your flight....

And no other airport is carrying on like LAX about the 380. Sydney, Singapore and Heathrow aren't complaining.

 

[GoldenSpike]

Enlarge

 

[GoldenSpike]

I forgot to add the aircraft shown is on order for a ME prince:

 

[PetalumaLoco]

"Operations have gone fairly well so far, but some fear that delays will mount as more of the aircraft arrive."

I didn't realize they were sending it here in pieces... :blink:

 

[jis]

And what about the wake turbulence issue? That's gotta be a major concern.

That is why they have the designation "super" which requires additional separation behind it.

Incidentally 757's designation as heavy is exceptional and was instituted after it was realized that its super efficient wing produced wake turbulance that could be as damaging to smaller planes behind it as from certain heavier planes. By mere weight the lower configured 757s are not heavy.

 

[Rumpled]

And what about the wake turbulence issue? That's gotta be a major concern.

That is why they have the designation "super" which requires additional separation behind it.

Incidentally 757's designation as heavy is exceptional and was instituted after it was realized that its super efficient wing produced wake turbulance that could be as damaging to smaller planes behind it as from certain heavier planes. By mere weight the lower configured 757s are not heavy.

I think that was after a small plane crashed on approach coming into SNA.

 

[Rumpled]

Here's more on the crash I cited involving a 757 and small aircraft. It was the "In-N-Out" crash. I was working about a half mile away at the time

"On December 15, 1993, In-N-Out's president, Rich Snyder, son of the founders, and four other passengers died in a plane crash on approach to John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, California after opening store #93 in Fresno.[12] Snyder was aboard a charter plane. The charter aircraft followed in a Boeing 757 for landing, became caught in its wake turbulence, rolled into a deep descent and crashed near the intersection of California State Route 55 and Edinger Avenue. The crash investigation led to the FAA requirement for an adequate period between heavy aircraft and following light aircraft to allow wake turbulence to diminish. As a result of this crash Rich's brother, Guy, assumed the presidency."

And another in 1992

Crash report

 

[jis]

Speaking of John Wayne and 757s, I think a takeoff from John Wayne or from San Diego in a 757 is about as much fun as one can have in a climbout on a commercial airliner.

And from what I understand, it is that capability that makes its wake turbulence more turbulent than one would expect normally of a plane that weight and size.

 

[PRR 60]

Speaking of John Wayne and 757s, I think a takeoff from John Wayne or from San Diego in a 757 is about as much fun as one can have in a climbout on a commercial airliner.

To use an old term related to a nearby attraction, departure from SNA is a real "E-Ticket ride!" Love it!