Tag: Airbus

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Beluga’s birthday

Here’s a video about the Airbus Beluga, the plane which celebrated its 20th birthday last Saturday.

Try to answer the following questions about the video and come back on Monday for the answers.

Suggested ICAO level: 5+

Have a great weekend!!

1. What is this plane named after?
2. How many are in service nowadays?
3. Which plane was the foundation for the Beluga?
4. What does it usually transport?
5. What makes the Beluga unique, according to Stephane Gosselin?
6. What’s the payload capacity of the Beluga?
7. What is the new expected turnaround time for the Beluga in the future?
8. How does Gerard Baeza feel about flying the Beluga?
9. What special missions has the Beluga had in the past?
10. What does a busy Beluga indicate?

Airbus’ Beluga celebrates 20 years in the air

The Beluga, both the oddest looking and one of the most popular aircraft in the Airbus family is celebrating its 20th anniversary in the air. The cargo plane affectionately named after the Arctic white whale is responsible for ferrying crucial parts including new wings and fuselage sections between factories across Europe.

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Airbus Vs Boeing’s widebody strategy answers

Here are the answers to last Friday’s video, enjoy!

Suggested ICAO level for video: 5+

1. He says that their products cover everything from 200 – 500 seats and they compliment each other in terms of their size, range, efficiency and economics.
2. He says that their planes match what their customers say they want. He also says that the A330neo, A350 and A380 correspond to what Airbus’ customers want.
3. She suggests that Boeing has the advantage at the moment. She uses the expression, ‘some believe Boeing is delivering the punches which Airbus is having to duck’ to suggest this.
4. He says Boeing has a more holistic strategy, covering everything from 240 – 400 seats, and with the 747 defending the VLA sector. He describes Airbus as ‘a bit more reactive’, with the A330neo as an illustration of that. He also says that the A330neo-900 was launched to defend against the 787-9.

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Airbus Vs Boeing’s widebody strategy

Here’s an interesting video about Boeing and Airbus’ widebody strategies and which will succeed.

Try to answer the following questions about the video and come back on Monday for the answers.

Suggested ICAO level: 5+

Have a great weekend!!

1. What does Randy Tinseth say about Boeing’s ‘complete line of products’?
2. What does Alan Pardoe say ‘counts the most’ about Airbus’ ‘family of airplanes’?
3. Who does the narrator suggest has the advantage at the moment? What expression does she use to suggest this?
4. What does Rob Morris say about each manufacturer?

Airbus v Boeing: Which widebody strategy will succeed?

The rivalry in the widebody sector is intense not because Airbus and Boeing have directly competing products, but because they do not. Each has a different vision for the long-haul market, and the Farnborough air show will see them continue their tussle over which is right.

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Asiana Airlines’ first A380 answers

Here are the answers to last Friday’s video, enjoy!

Suggested ICAO level for video: 3+

1) The name of Airbus’ cargo plane is called the Beluga, originally it was called the Super Transporter, but the name Beluga became popular because of its shape and Airbus began to officially use this new name.

2) In 1991 Airbus began developing the Beluga after their Boeing Super Guppies became too small for their cargo transport needs. The first step in the design process was to build the A300. The lower part of the Beluga is the same as the A300. They have the same engines, wings and landing gear.
The Super Guppy opened like a door, with the cockpit moving to the side to allow cargo loading. This was a slow process because lots of cables had to be disconnected first, and reconnected after loading. Airbus wanted to be able to open the cargo hold door without removing these electrical cables, so they built the Beluga with a very high cargo storage area (7.7m), and moved the cockpit down a little. As a result, the Beluga’s cockpit doesn’t move during loading and unloading, and everything is faster because cables don’t need to be connected or disconnected.
Today, Airbus uses five Belugas to transport its parts from its manufacturing facilities to its assembly plant. In January 2014, CNN released a report saying that Airbus plans to build a larger Beluga in the future, called the Beluga XL and based on the A330, whether redesigned or not, it seems likely that this plane’s important function will continue well into the future.

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3D printed plane

Here’s an interesting TED talk about Airbus’ concept for the future of the plane and how it could be designed and built.

Suggested ICAO level: 5+

Have a great weekend!!

Bastian Schaefer: A 3D-printed jumbo jet?

Designer Bastian Schaefer shows off a speculative design for the future of jet planes, with a skeleton inspired by strong, flexible, natural forms and by the needs of the world's, ahem, growing population. Imagine an airplane that's full of light and space -- and built up from generative parts in a 3D printer.

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Airbus’ voice recognition

Here’s an interesting video of Airbus voice recognition in the cockpit, this new software listens to ATC instructions and provides what is being said in text on a pilot’s screen in real time.

Suggested ICAO level: 5+

Have a great weekend!!

Airbus innovation – Voice recognition: Speaking the right language

Innovative voice recognition software is being developed by Airbus’ Corporate Innovation Team — working in collaboration with Indian software company Uniphore — for improved pilot communication with air traffic controllers. A prototype of this programme has already received enthusiastic responses from flight test crews and customer airline pilots.