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Airbus floats concept for A380 freighter conversion
Passenger aircraft are sometimes converted to all-cargo mode after more than 20 years of service, but the A380 is already being retired after just a dozen years or so. Is there a way to keep them flying as cargo planes? Airbus is trying to find out if customers are interested. (www.freightwaves.com) Altro...Sort type: [Top] [Newest]
There was supposed to be some earlier and fedex ordered some but they were never made. Maybe fedex will get their planes now.
Their only other option is scrap.
You have only to look at a picture of the A380, and one of the 747F with its "jaw" wide open. If cargo operators need such a huge aircraft, they will always buy the 747-8F. Airbus could only compete with a total new design. No way!
You have only to look at a picture of the A380, and one of the 747F with its "jaw" wide open. If cargo operators need such a huge aircraft they will always buy the 747-8F. Airbus could only compete with a total new design. No way!
i suppose that if Airbus had constructed and designed the 380 for cargo conversion, the operators now stuck with an unusable passenger airliner would like to alter the big bird to carry cargo. BUT, since airbus did not design for cargo conversion, the question is entirely moot. Fedex and UPS did option the 380 years ago but declined the options when the plane was revealed inadequate for the task.
From what I understand it wasn't the design, but rather the delays, that caused Fedex and UPS to cancel their orders. The passenger version was delayed and engineers from the A380F program were moved to the passenger program, which would have resulted in even further delays for the freight version – and the cargo carriers didn't want to wait any longer.
Airbus claimed the A380F would haul 150 tons 5500 miles. Then that drastically dropped to 110 using only 70% capacity. That and the fuel costs is what killed the A380F.