[christopheL]

The roll out of BA’ first A380 is an amazing event.
BA’s A380 will be the first of the type to be operated by a UK airline, the very first to be operated at the outstanding T5 in LHR and the only one to offer new Club World seats
What a lucky man is VK if he was there.

[HedgeFundFlyer]

Are there pics or a press report?

[Binman62]

On flyertalk it is being suggested that we will not see the A380 with BAvbeforebthe end of 2013 or early 2014. Can anyone confirm or deny this?

[VintageKrug]

“HedgeFundFlyer – 12/09/2012 15:22 GMT

Are there pics or a press report?”

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8311/7975838617_6b7fde6323_o.jpg

[LeTigre]

Looks cool, love the red nose!

Is this the first increased MTOW A380?

[VintageKrug]

This should be the first, yes.

I don’t believe the red nose is Comic Relief-related. Probably more to do with radome something-or-other in the same way some of BA’s A320 noses have black rings around them? Anyone know for certain?

[AnthonyDunn]

And can anyone remind me why it is that aircraft off the production line come complete with a pre-painted tail whereas the rest of the fuselage is “body in white” (to borrow a term from the auto industry)? Is this for marketing/publicity purposes or is it because tail trim characteristics need to be determined and finalised before maiden flights?

[canucklad]

Is the completed tail not completed elsewhere and ferried to Toulouse to be stuck on?

[BigDog.]

Now the engines. RR Trents -good to see BA have stayed loyal to RR. The French have gone down the US GE/Pratt route for their power

http://atwonline.com/aircraft-engines-components/news/airbus-installs-engines-first-british-airways-a380-1009

Is the airfix model out yet?

[BusinessTraveller]

Hi BigDog – we’ve also reported on the fitting of the engines on this site today:

http://www.businesstraveller.com/news/the-big-picture-airbus-fits-engines-to-baa-s-fi

Business Traveller’s Scott Carey is attending a BA A380 media trip in Toulouse tomorrow, and will report further on his return.

[AnthonyDunn]

@ BigDog. – 10/10/2012 15:58 GMT

As “committed Europeans….” the French almost ALWAYS source their engines from the USA rather than from Rolls-Royce in Derby. Just about the only time that they have ever bought (past tense!) anything with a R-R component is when it has been an Anglo-French government project such as the Olympus on Concorde, or the joint aircraft and helicopter programme of the 1960s onwards giving rise to the Gazelle (Artouste), Lynx (Gem) or Puma (Turmo) helicopters (engines) and the Jaguar (Adour) ground-attack aircraft in which R-R contributed modules alongside Turbomeca. I worked on these projects for a period in the 80s whilst in MODUK (Air).

[BA744fan]

In response to the question why the tails arrive at the FAL already painted, this is because the tails have to be balanced when they are fitted, and to add paint after fitting might knock out the balance.

[BigDog.]

Yes committed Europeans indeed, Anthony. Is the French reluctance more to do with sticking two fingers up or wanting to cosy up to the US to get quid-pro-quo, as I understand the RR Trent is allegedly the better product.

Interesting background Anthony – I had a most fascinating day at one of their research facilities in Weymouth/Portland, now closed, then the RN helicopters now also closed. I would agree we need the best brains to deliver both huge infrastructure as well as the best defence.

[christopheL]

Everybody knows that UK is the most committed European country.
Ask former BA CEO Robert Ayling who is the one who made BA buy their first ever european aircraft in 1998, 28 years after AF did …
Does anybody knows if the longlasting British reluctance to buy European built aircrafts was also a matter of fingers ?

[VintageKrug]

Ahem, Concorde wasn’t exactly Made in USA!

[Author]

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