Airbus is celebrating this week; it delivered its 9000th plane since being formed from British, French, German companies in 1968 to compete with the Big 3 U.S. makers. The new plane, an A321, went to a fairly new Asian airline, VietJetAir.
You’ll notice I said Big 3 U.S. makers? Now it’s down to just Airbus and Boeing in the big-plane business. McDonnell Douglas, itself a merged company, has disappeared into Boeing, and Lockheed is out of the commercial plane business.
Who’d a thunk it, way back when! USA Today has MORE on the celebration. Below, the plane’s welcome in Ho Chi Minh City; photo Airbus Industrie
Here’s what it looks like head-on, going into its hangar. A little like the Pillsbury Doughboy, no?
More pictures of the Beluga, including one with all 6 of them at once, and some flying in formation with French Air Force aerobatics team…CLICK
DrF, I admit that I used to worry about too few engines…but of course, the plane is designed so it can fly safely with one. Or so they tell us.
That reassures me a little…almost enough to overcome my belief (which I only believe while waiting for takeoff) that flight of such a huge and heavy thing is totally impossible and I’m going nowhere but the end of the runway. Every take-off and landing seems a miracle, although I’m not among those who clap on landing.
Ever wondered how Airbus bring together all the parts of an Airplane for assembly ?
This is a frequent sighting in the skies above Liverpool.
It takes the wings that are made in Wales UK to Germany.
The body of an Airbus fits inside this huge Aircraft too.
So big when it passes it doesn’t appear to be moving at all !
Interesting GarryRF! Surprised the Beluga only has two jet engines.
I guess I’m a cup is half empty kind of guy. Two engines are great if they both work. If one fails things must get interesting in the cockpit. (I am aware most planned only have 2 engines).
Only two, but they’re as big as whales!
Boeing has a similar strange craft that moves its stuff around…I’d
love to be somewhere I could see either!