World News 28-04-2005 Superjumbo Takes Off who: Airbus what: Successfully tests A380 "superjumbo" where: Toulouse, France when: Wednesday snippet: The world`s biggest airliner took off for the first time on Wednesday "with all the crew wearing parachutes," says The Mirror. "But they were not needed - the Airbus A380`s pilot said flying it was as easy as riding a bike." "The French test pilots eased the 22 wheels of the winged double-decker, history`s biggest airliner and a giant gamble on the future of flying, off Runway 32L at Toulouse airport after a short run watched by about 50,000 aircraft buffs and staff," writes Charles Bremner in The Times. "Their applause all but drowned out the surprisingly quiet drone of the A380`s Rolls-Royce engines that took the 421 tonnes of metal, plastic and liquid into a cloudless sky westwards on a gentle jaunt over the Bordeaux vineyards, the Atlantic and the Pyrenees." "Airbus, which is owned by European firm EADS and the UK`s BAE Systems, sees the A380 as the future of air travel," says the BBC. "Arch-rival Boeing has instead chosen to focus on mid-sized long-haul aircraft such as its new 787." "This week, Air Canada said it had placed firm orders for 32 new Boeing jets, including 14 787s, with a list value of around $6bn (£3.2bn)," says The Guardian`s Mark Tran. "Air India announced plans to order 50 Boeing jets, including 27 787s, worth $6.8bn... Airbus already has orders or commitments from 15 customers for 154 of the [A380] planes." "The chances are that the new plane will make air travel even more miserable than it is now," remarks The Telegraph`s leader writer on Thursday. "Imagine waiting with 839 fellow passengers for your suitcase to appear on the luggage carousel, and you will see what we mean. But this is not a day for curmudgeons. Time will tell whether or not Airbus has judged the market more cannily than Boeing, by deciding to go large. Today, we simply drop our jaws in awe at an astonishing feat of engineering." [... more]

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