BEAST OF THE SKIES; Britain cheers in superjumbo.Byline: By TOM PARRY Dr Thomas Gregory Parry AM is an economist and public servant from Sydney, Australia. Parry served as foundation chairman of the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal of New South Wales (IPART) for the 12 years to 2004. THE world's biggest passenger jet landed in Britain yesterday, dwarfing huge 747 Jumbos on the tarmac. The double-decker Airbus A380-800 is massive on all counts. It costs pounds 200million to make, is 79ft high, over 238ft long, with a wingspan of nearly 262ft, and can carry up to 800 passengers. And it has nearly 50 per cent more floor space than a 747, which is 63ft high. London's Heathrow Airport welcomed the giant of the skies in style at a new pounds 105million pier it has built for the next generation of superjumbos. British test pilot Ed Strongman flew the Airbus from the Berlin Air Show and did a tribute sweep over Verb 1. sweep over - overcome, as with emotions or perceptual stimuli overwhelm, whelm, overpower, overtake, overcome devastate - overwhelm or overpower; "He was devastated by his grief when his son died" two UK plants that make parts for the plane. Workers at Broughton in North Wales North Wales (known in some archaic texts as Northgalis) is the northernmost unofficial region of Wales, bordered to the south by Mid Wales and to the east by England. and Filton in Bristol, where the plane's wings are manufactured, cheered as the huge aircraft soared overhead. Mr Strongman said: "It was amazing to see so many faces looking up at me. It made me realise how many people are involved in this project." The new Airbus is so large that only Heathrow and 24 other airports around the world can handle it at present. Another 66 will be able to take the huge plane by 2010. Chancellor Gordon Brown watched the Airbus, powered by Rolls-Royce engines, land without passengers at Heathrow yesterday. With him were the heads of some of the 16 airlines that have already ordered the jet. Mr Brown said: "This is a great day for London, a great day for Britain and British manufacturing and a great day for European co-operation. "The workers at Filton and Broughton should be very proud of what they have achieved." Singapore Airlines will be the first to start commercial flights. Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Atlantic airline has ordered six, due to arrive in 2008. tom.parry@mirror.co.uk CAPTION(S): GIANT: Wingspan of the new Airbus' Picture: DAVID David, in the Bible David, d. c.970 B.C., king of ancient Israel (c.1010–970 B.C.), successor of Saul. The Book of First Samuel introduces him as the youngest of eight sons who is anointed king by Samuel to replace Saul, who had been deemed a failure. DYSON' AWE: Spotter at Heathrow' ILLUSION: Airbus looms large but it is actually a third of a mile beyond this house near Heathrow' Picture: ALISDAIR MACDONALD |
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