World's largest jetliner

Flight Journal, Apr 2001 by Pace, Steve

In December: 15, 2000, Airbus Industries announced that the British company Virgin Atlantic's order for six Super Jumbojet jetliners brings its orders to the 50-plane quota it needs to produce the world's largest airliner-the colossal A380 Airbus.

Five other airlines: Emirates Airlines (Dubai); Air France; U.S.-based Intl. Lease Finance Corp.; Singapore Airlines; and Qantas (Australia) have also committed to the A380 program. Most, including Virgin Atlantic, have also taken options for future A380s.

Scheduled to fly in 2005, the A380 will unseat the Boeing 747 as the world's largest jetliner-a position the 747 will have had for some 35 years. If all goes as planned, the A380 will literally be an airbus.