The Big Boy ....
Europe is celebrating … they have given birth to their big boy in the French backyard. The boy has been declared healthy, though further care would be taken to make sure he doesn’t get the parents in any kind of trouble. The boy is said to be the biggest, the fastest and most accommodating... and has been christened... A380.
Well... as you would have guessed... the big boy is Airbus-A380... “the largest, most advanced and efficient commercial airliner ever conceived”. The maiden test flight of A380 was an absolute success. The long-awaited test lasted almost four hours, with the A380 circling the Bay of Biscay before returning to base.
The flight... certainly the most eagerly awaited flight of the year... was well attended. With some 50,000 enthusiasts watching the show, there were chief executives of the 14 airlines who have already ordered some 154 of these big boys. Infact to quote BBC ...
“It was reminiscent of opening ceremonies for Olympic Games, complete with dancers resembling angels, floating through blue smoke clouds; towering over them a tall, god-like figure, exhorting the audience to "remind yourself that everything is possible".
And there was Richard Branson... who promised a gym... a beauty parlour... large bars... a casino... and double-beds... For you to have "two ways of getting lucky" on a Virgin A380 flight.
Amidst all this pomp and show, there is a deeper... much greater unrest. If you are following the big corporate war between Airbus vs Boeing, you will find that the battle field is much bigger than meets the eyes. The players backing these pawns have much more to play for, than to rule the sky. With that... on stake is Europe’s desire to be accounted for…. to stop US in its monocratic ways...to play an active and decisive role in world politics...to unite Europe into a much stronger communion so that the power returns to the first world. (not to mention...Germany and France are still fighting on who is going to be the next king-pawn at the Airbus)
Well... the bigger battle needs a bigger post... and a lot of journalistic diligence. But pardon me... I digress.
Airbus is hoping that the travelers will like to travel through big hubs making it an attractive business... Boeing feels that there is more juice in small hubs, long range business... I think that flights should be cheaper, more comfortable, and more accessible... If I don’t live in London and I don’t go home to Delhi, I will never sit in a direct to home flight on A380. On the other hand... I could actually fly on a Boeing “dreamliner”.
Both the giants are betting on different horses... the first one is on... lets wait for the second horse ...
Well... as you would have guessed... the big boy is Airbus-A380... “the largest, most advanced and efficient commercial airliner ever conceived”. The maiden test flight of A380 was an absolute success. The long-awaited test lasted almost four hours, with the A380 circling the Bay of Biscay before returning to base.
The flight... certainly the most eagerly awaited flight of the year... was well attended. With some 50,000 enthusiasts watching the show, there were chief executives of the 14 airlines who have already ordered some 154 of these big boys. Infact to quote BBC ...
“It was reminiscent of opening ceremonies for Olympic Games, complete with dancers resembling angels, floating through blue smoke clouds; towering over them a tall, god-like figure, exhorting the audience to "remind yourself that everything is possible".
And there was Richard Branson... who promised a gym... a beauty parlour... large bars... a casino... and double-beds... For you to have "two ways of getting lucky" on a Virgin A380 flight.
Amidst all this pomp and show, there is a deeper... much greater unrest. If you are following the big corporate war between Airbus vs Boeing, you will find that the battle field is much bigger than meets the eyes. The players backing these pawns have much more to play for, than to rule the sky. With that... on stake is Europe’s desire to be accounted for…. to stop US in its monocratic ways...to play an active and decisive role in world politics...to unite Europe into a much stronger communion so that the power returns to the first world. (not to mention...Germany and France are still fighting on who is going to be the next king-pawn at the Airbus)
Well... the bigger battle needs a bigger post... and a lot of journalistic diligence. But pardon me... I digress.
Airbus is hoping that the travelers will like to travel through big hubs making it an attractive business... Boeing feels that there is more juice in small hubs, long range business... I think that flights should be cheaper, more comfortable, and more accessible... If I don’t live in London and I don’t go home to Delhi, I will never sit in a direct to home flight on A380. On the other hand... I could actually fly on a Boeing “dreamliner”.
Both the giants are betting on different horses... the first one is on... lets wait for the second horse ...
posted by Ash at 12:40 AM
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