Do you think A380 will out-live 747?

[kuyaeyik]

Boeing just introduced their new 747-8 (not too long ago)...
But will the A380 out-live the 747?
What do you think?

[Dontcopy]

Impossible. The 747 will live forever

[deaneb]

LOL - the 747 has a 40 year head start and is still going strong. Thats a very long time in aviation and I hope the A380 does not outlast for one very good reason - we need a quantum leap in technology to happen in aviation in the next few decades which will usher in a whole new generation or aircraft.

[Ian Warren]

The Fokker F-27 Friendship was designed to replace the DC-3 ... go figure as few as both are now more have a heart to the Dak , think the 74 s history will hold its own and as for ARBUST again .. well on testing PAX safety 24 injured , A320 lest demo it at an airshow with a crash and burn and my first experience , bloody thing brakes down , 747 without a d,out brussel sprout

[AlisterC]

I voted yes.
Fuel might become more and more expensive into the future - just look at the cost now. The more bums on seats you have the more economic your aircraft is. Can't fault that for a business decision.. Love the 747 though, may she fly many more years yet.

[Naki]

Hmm I said yes as well but what I understand is that the 747-8 is just as or more economical than the A380...in saying that A380 is newer tech so should last longer than the 747-8 which has a lot fewer orders than the A380.

I am also wondering what the general gist of the question is - do you mean the 747 will outlast the A380 in length of service from when it orginally flew (1969 for the 747) or will the A380 be in service beyond the inservice date of the 747?

[wairoaboy]

Given the technology in the modern Airbus i wonder if man will either be a victim of thier own success (do themselves completly out of a job) or keep falling from the sky! from what ive seen on a few doco's lately it seems Airbus insist on programming computers to be 'pilot proof' ie eliminate/reduce pilot error almost to a fault....personally that gives me a real feeling of insecurity...may the old faithful 747 live on

[Chairman]

From what I've heard I gather the manufacturing process will be a problem for the 380. E.g. the wing is a one piece thing so if something happens that rips a chunk out of it e.g. a piece of engine punching a hole through it, the whole wing has to be replaced - and if I recall correctly wings are one of the thing that aren't being made fast enough to even keep up with new builds, never mind replacing broken ones.

It would be interesting to keep an eye out and see when the QANTAS one re-enters service, and I bet a lot of people in charge of ordering planes are watching that too. It's inconceivable that in 41 years the same thing has not happened to a 747 so we should have something to compare it with when they get it going again.

(oh and I voted no on purely aesthetic grounds )