Editing Airbus A380 (section)

===Background===
In mid-1988, Airbus engineers, led by Jean Roeder, began work in secret on the development of an ultra-high-capacity airliner (UHCA), both to complete its own range of products and to break the dominance that [[Boeing]] had enjoyed in this market segment since the early 1970s with its [[Boeing 747]].<ref name="norris_wagner_book"/>{{rp|7}} [[McDonnell Douglas]] unsuccessfully offered its double-deck [[McDonnell Douglas MD-12|MD-12]] concept for sale.<ref name="MDC_brochure">{{cite web|url=http://md-eleven.net/MD11-MD12-undeveloped-models|title=MDC brochures for undeveloped versions of the MD-11 and MD-12|publisher=md-eleven.net|access-date=30 December 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080511211119/http://md-eleven.net/MD11-MD12-undeveloped-models|archive-date=11 May 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.boeing.com/news/releases/mdc/96-221.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111106191654/http://www.boeing.com/news/releases/mdc/96-221.html|archive-date=6 November 2011|title=McDonnell Douglas Unveils New MD-XX Trijet Design|publisher=McDonnell Douglas|date=4 September 1996|access-date=30 December 2011}}</ref> Lockheed was exploring the possibility for a Very Large Subsonic Transport.<ref>{{cite journal |url= https://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19960023624.pdf |title= the future of very large subsonic transports |journal= NASA Transportation Beyond 2000 |author= Lockheed Martin |date= 1 February 1996}}</ref> Roeder was given approval for further evaluations of the UHCA after a formal presentation to the President and CEO in June 1990.

The [[megaproject]] was announced at the 1990 [[Farnborough Airshow]], with the stated goal of 15% lower operating costs than the Boeing 747-400.<ref name="norris_wagner_book"/>{{rp|16–17}} Airbus organised four teams of designers, one from each of its partners ([[Aérospatiale]], [[British Aerospace]], [[Deutsche Aerospace AG]], [[EADS CASA|CASA]]) to propose new technologies for its future aircraft designs. The designs were presented in 1992 and the most competitive designs were used.<ref name="norris_wagner_book"/>{{rp|17–18}} In January 1993, Boeing and several companies in the Airbus consortium started a joint feasibility study of a Very Large Commercial Transport (VLCT), aiming to form a partnership to share the limited market.<ref name="norris_wagner_book"/>{{rp|31}}<ref>{{Cite news|first=Guy|last=Norris|title=Creating A Titan|work=Flight International|date=14 June 2005|url=http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/creating-a-titan-199071/}}</ref>

In June 1994, Airbus announced its plan to develop its own very large airliner, designated as A3XX.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Bowen|first=David|title=Airbus will reveal plan for super-jumbo: Aircraft would seat at least 600 people and cost dollars 8bn to develop|work=The Independent|location=UK|date=4 June 1994|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/airbus-will-reveal-plan-for-superjumbo-aircraft-would-seat-at-least-600-people-and-cost-dollars-8bn-to-develop-1420367.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100928050035/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/airbus-will-reveal-plan-for-superjumbo-aircraft-would-seat-at-least-600-people-and-cost-dollars-8bn-to-develop-1420367.html |archive-date=2010-09-28 |url-access=limited |url-status=live|access-date=30 December 2011}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|first=Bill|last=Sweetman|title=Airbus hits the road with A3XX|publisher=Interavia Business & Technology|date=1 October 1994|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-16444324.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106060040/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-16444324.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=6 November 2012|access-date=30 December 2011}}</ref> Airbus considered several designs, including an unusual side-by-side combination of two fuselages from its [[Airbus A340|A340]], the largest Airbus jet at the time.<ref name="norris_wagner_book">{{Cite book |last1=Norris |first1=Guy |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KcaYjPhRnWUC |title=Airbus A380: Superjumbo of the 21st Century |last2=Wagner |first2=Mark |publisher=Zenith Press |year=2005 |isbn=978-0-7603-2218-5}}</ref>{{rp|19}} The A3XX was pitted against the VLCT study and Boeing's own [[Boeing NLA|New Large Aircraft]] successor to the 747.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Aviation giants have Super-jumbo task|work=Orlando Sentinel|date=27 November 1994|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/orlandosentinel/access/77995305.html?dids=77995305:77995305&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Nov+27%2C+1994&author=Karen+West+Seattle+Post-Intelligencer&pub=Orlando+Sentinel&desc=AVIATION+GIANTS+HAVE+SUPER-JUMBO+TASK+ENORMOUS+COMMERCIAL+JET+JUST+PAPER+AIRPLANE+FOR+NOW&pqatl=google|access-date=30 December 2011|archive-date=3 November 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103155803/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/orlandosentinel/access/77995305.html?dids=77995305:77995305&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Nov+27,+1994&author=Karen+West+Seattle+Post-Intelligencer&pub=Orlando+Sentinel&desc=AVIATION+GIANTS+HAVE+SUPER-JUMBO+TASK+ENORMOUS+COMMERCIAL+JET+JUST+PAPER+AIRPLANE+FOR+NOW&pqatl=google|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=Boeing looks again at plans for NLA|work=Flight International|first=Guy|last=Norris|date=10 September 1997 |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/1997/09/10/20640/boeing-looks-again-at-plans-for-nla.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110601074352/http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/1997/09/10/20640/boeing-looks-again-at-plans-for-nla.html |archive-date=1 June 2011 |access-date=6 March 2012}}</ref> In July 1995, the joint study with Boeing was abandoned, as Boeing's interest had declined due to analysis that such a product was unlikely to cover the projected $15&nbsp;billion development cost. Despite the fact that only two airlines had expressed public interest in purchasing such a plane, Airbus was already pursuing its own large-plane project. Analysts suggested that Boeing would instead pursue stretching its 747 design, and that air travel was already moving away from the [[Spoke-hub distribution paradigm|hub-and-spoke]] system that consolidated traffic into large planes, and toward more non-stop routes that could be served by smaller planes.<ref name=Reuters10jul1995>{{Cite news|title=Boeing, partners expected to scrap Super-Jet study|via=Los Angeles Times|date=10 July 1995|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-07-10-fi-22333-story.html|agency=Reuters}}</ref>

[[File:Airbus A380 cross section.svg|thumb|upright|The [[double-deck aircraft|double-deck]] cross-section]]
From 1997 to 2000, as the [[1997 Asian financial crisis]] darkened the market outlook, Airbus refined its design, targeting a 15–20% reduction in operating costs over the existing Boeing 747-400. The A3XX design converged on a double-decker layout that provided more passenger volume than a traditional single-deck design.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Superjumbo or white elephant?|work=Flight International|date=1 August 1995|url=http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/superjumbo-or-white-elephant-16420/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121102135556/http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/superjumbo-or-white-elephant-16420/|archive-date=2 November 2012|access-date=30 December 2011}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=Lehman puts $18bn price tag on Airbus float|work=The Independent|location=UK|first=Michael|last=Harrison|date=23 October 1996|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/lehman-puts-18bn-price-tag-on-airbus-float-1359754.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121108214732/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/lehman-puts-18bn-price-tag-on-airbus-float-1359754.html |archive-date=2012-11-08 |url-access=limited |url-status=live|access-date=30 December 2011}}</ref> Airbus did so in line with traditional hub-and-spoke theory, as opposed to the [[Point-to-point transit|point-to-point theory]] with the [[Boeing 777]],<ref name="Aerlines">{{cite web|last=Cannegieter|first=Roger|url=http://www.aerlines.nl/issue_31/31_Cannegieter_Ranging_Capabilities.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111124091229/http://www.aerlines.nl/issue_31/31_Cannegieter_Ranging_Capabilities.pdf|archive-date=24 November 2011|title=Long Range vs. Ultra High Capacity|publisher=aerlines.nl|access-date=30 December 2011}}</ref> after conducting an extensive [[market analysis]] with over 200 [[focus group]]s.<ref name="ms_a380_debate_20060905"/><ref name="LeehamLawler">{{cite web|last=Lawler|first=Anthony|url=http://www.leeham.net/filelib/A380_Lawler.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723180709/http://www.leeham.net/filelib/A380_Lawler.pdf|archive-date=23 July 2011|title=Point-To-Point, Hub-To-Hub: the need for an A380 size aircraft|publisher=Leeham.net|date=4 April 2006|access-date=9 April 2010}}</ref> Although early marketing of the huge cross-section touted the possibility of duty-free shops, restaurant-like dining, gyms, casinos and beauty parlours on board, the realities of airline economics have kept such dreams grounded.

On 19 December 2000, the supervisory board of newly restructured Airbus voted to launch a €{{#expr:10.7/1.1222round1}} billion ($10.7 billion) project to build the A3XX, re-designated as A380, with 50 firm orders from six launch customers.<ref name=CNN19dec2000>{{Cite news |title= Airbus jumbo on runway |work= CNN |date= 19 December 2000 |url= https://money.cnn.com/2000/12/19/europe/airbus/}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-dec-20-mn-2453-story.html|title=Airbus Giant-Jet Gamble OKd in Challenge to Boeing|last=Pae|first=Peter|date=20 December 2000|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=30 December 2011|issn=0458-3035}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=The Casino in the Sky|agency=Associated Press|date=19 December 2000|url=https://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2000/12/40748|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121105114815/http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2000/12/40748|archive-date=5 November 2012|access-date=30 December 2011|magazine=Wired}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=Virgin orders six A3XX aircraft, allowing Airbus to meet its goal|work=The Wall Street Journal|date=15 December 2000|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB976882107200789994|access-date=30 December 2011}}</ref> The A380 designation was a break from previous Airbus families, which had progressed sequentially from A300 to A340. It was chosen because the number 8 resembles the double-deck cross section, and is a [[Numbers in Chinese culture#Eight|lucky number]] in many East Asian countries where the aircraft was being marketed.<ref name="norris_wagner_book"/> The aircraft configuration was finalised in early 2001, and manufacturing of the first A380 wing-box component started on 23 January 2002. The development cost of the A380 had grown to €11–14<ref name=esar>{{cite web|url=http://ukspaceagency.bis.gov.uk/assets/ukspaceagency/docs/skylon-assessment-report-pub.pdf |title=Skylon Assessment Report |page=18 |date=April 2011 |publisher=[[UK Space Agency]] |access-date=26 April 2015}} {{dead link|date=April 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes}}</ref>&nbsp;billion when the first aircraft was completed.