Anchorage is ready to receive the world's largest flying machines, when they actually start flying.
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The new Airbus A380 was unveiled near Toulouse, France, Jan.18, before a crowd of Airbus employees and dignitaries. FedEx says it will use the double-deck superjumbo for cargo routes that include landings in Anchorage.
AP Photo/Christophe Ena
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In France on Jan. 18, Airbus lavishly revealed its giant A380, the superjumbo jet that promises to revolutionize long-haul flying for both passengers and cargo. Test flights for the $280 Million aircraft are scheduled to begin in March. Airbus is considering Anchorage as part of a program to test the route structure of the aircraft, perhaps coming to town this fall.
In August 2008, FedEx is to become the first cargo carrier to take possession of the giant Airbus. It will be the first to deploy the plane for cargo customer use and will likely be the first to land the plane in Anchorage on official business.
FedEx has ordered 10 A380s to be received through 2011, with an option to buy 10 more. By the end of 2008, FedEx plans to have three A380s flying between hubs in Asia and North America.
Not to be outdone, UPS this month announced it has ordered 10 A380s as well. UPS is scheduled to get its first aircraft in 2009.
A UPS spokesman said it's too early to determine where its planes will stop. UPS is based in Louisville, Ky.
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The new Airbus A380 was unveiled near Toulouse, France, Jan.18, before a crowd of Airbus employees and dignitaries. FedEx says it will use the double-deck superjumbo for cargo routes that include landings in Anchorage.
AP Photo/Christophe Ena
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A FedEx spokesman said that Anchorage would serve as one of only two U.S. airports the company will use initially for the giant planes. The other is Memphis, Tenn., where the company is based.
Both companies said the new planes would be central in their North America to Asia business. And both companies rely heavily on their Anchorage hubs for these routes.
Anchorage serves as a central gathering point for the UPS and FedEx. UPS, for example, sends packages heading overseas from the East and West coasts to Anchorage. Here, the packages are consolidated onto aircraft scheduled for Europe or Asia.
While UPS has not officially declared where the planes will stop, Mort Plumb, director of the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, said he believes UPS won't overlook the importance of the city's facilities and location.
UPS recently put in an application to expand its Anchorage operations for two more aircraft parking positions and has made an application for an area that could accommodate up to three A380s, according to an airport press release.
The airport has already taken steps to prepare for the Airbus craft. And while the Federal Aviation Administration hasn't officially announced specific requirements to accommodate the aircraft, the Anchorage airport has already begun runway and taxiway upgrades along with expansions to prepare for the planes.
The airport has already reconstructed one taxiway to accommodate the larger, heavier aircraft and in the next few years will bring more taxiways and another runway up to specifications, Plumb said.
Big plane has yet to fly
The Airbus A380s have yet to get off the ground. Airbus plans the first test flight of the 308-ton plane sometime before March 31. The aircraft can carry more than 330,000 pounds of cargo - the weight of nearly 40 Hummer H2s, those fancy four-wheel drives you see on the streets. The A380's wingspan is 262 feet, only 15 yards shy of a football field. And at 79 feet, it is nearly as tall as Anchorage's City Hall building.
The fuel tank capacity is 82,000 gallons. It can travel up to 6,000 nautical miles, about the distance between Minneapolis and Tokyo. Despite its size, it's supposed to be quieter than its smaller counterparts, Plumb said.
There are some concerns that with the larger aircraft, FedEx and UPS may reduce the number of flights into and out of Anchorage. Plumb said that's not likely considering the impressive growth the cargo industry has experienced in recent years.
The airport is expected to see some 62 new cargo flights a week this year, after U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta signed a trade agreement with China in the fall.
A380 could carry up to 800 passengers
The passenger version of the A380 was shown off in France Jan. 18. In a three-cabin layout, the A380 can carry 555 passengers. Low-cost carriers could operate the A380 with a single economy-class configuration accommodating as many as 800 passengers.
Plumb said he doubted the passenger version of the A380s would visit Anchorage on a scheduled basis any time soon. But if the aircraft had to land - either through a diversion or a charter - the airport could handle it. The only drawback, the international terminal only has one jet bridge for which passengers could offload the plane. That could take a while.
Airbus has already taken 149 orders for the $280 million plane and companies have options for dozens more, according to an Associated Press report. Airbus spent $13 billion to develop the plane and should break even after 250 sales.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
