Airbus super-jumbo expected to make maiden flight

25/04/2005 - 10:27:22
Airbus said its new A380 super-jumbo, the world’s largest commercial airliner, will make its maiden flight on Wednesday if weather permits.

The double-decker A380 will undergo its first airborne test at Airbus headquarters in southern France, near the city of Toulouse, the European aircraft maker said.

The four-aisle, four-engine, aircraft has a 262-foot wingspan and a tail as tall as seven-storey building.

It will carry 555 passengers – 33% more than rival Boeing’s 747, the industry’s current largest commercial plane.