Difference Between Airbus A380 and Boeing 747

Table of Contents

Airbus A380 vs Boeing 747
 

In their race for dominance in the commercial airliner market, Boeing and Airbus produced two very large aircrafts, revolutionizing the commercial aviation. They are able to carry more than 400 passenger and able to fly Trans-Atlantic without refueling.

The development costs are enormous (six billion dollars for A380) both companies laid down the future and success of the company on these projects. However, Boeing produced it 40 years before Airbus, then only a beginner in aviation.

More about Boeing 747

Boeing 747, officially the Queen in the Skies, more commonly known by its nickname, the ” Jumbo Jet ” rolled out of production at Seattle in 1969. It remained the world’s largest operating passenger aircraft until A380 was introduced by the Airbus.

The aircraft revolutionized the commercial aviation form engineering aspects to the logistics. It became the ideal carrier for the intercontinental flight and anything was possible to be transported from air with its unprecedented cargo capacity. For example, the Space Shuttle can be transported on top of a B-747. In its tenure of more than 40 years, many variants of Boeing 747 were produced; Boeing 747 -100, -200 and -300 series are out of production and known as the Classics. Boeing -400 and the Boeing 747-8 intercontinental are the newer variants of the aircrafts, but -400 series being brought to end of production, 747-8 intercontinental is the only aircraft currently under production. However, 747 -400, 400ER (Extended Range) and 747-8 are still operational.

More about Airbus A380

The Airbus A380 is the largest passenger carrier which has a seating capacity of 555 in a standard configuration. The unprecedented cabin space provided by the airplane allows revolutionary interior design additions for customers such as bars, restaurants, beauty salons, and duty-free shops to improve passenger flight experience.

Even the aircraft is larger than most of the aircrafts, and the cabin noise level is 50% lower, and it has lower emissions than the aircrafts of the same class (ex. Boeing 747-400). The A380 has a state of the art Fly-by-wire flight control system, and it is the first commercial aircraft to use Integrated Modular Avionics (IMA), which is an advanced military fighter jet avionics system developed by Thales Group used in F-22 and Dassault Rafale

Aircraft’s logistics are of enormous complexity; it’s worthwhile noting. A380 components are produced in countries all over Europe (Great Britain, Germany, France and Spain) and assembled in the main airbus factory at Toulouse, France. Aircraft components are transported from air, ship, barge, and finally by lorry to arrive at the Toulouse factory. 

Comparison Between A380 and Boeing 747 Specification

 

Airbus A380

Boeing 747

  Variant

A380-800

747-8 Intercontinental

747-400

747-400ER

General

  Manufacturer

Airbus

Boeing commercial Airplanes

  Type

Wide body Jet airliner

Wide body Jet airliner

  Configuration

Double deck, Double aisle

Main Deck :

twin Aisle

stretched upper deck (SUD): single aisle

Main Deck :

twin Aisle

stretched upper deck (SUD): single aisle

Main Deck :

twin Aisle

stretched upper deck (SUD): single aisle

  Number Built

80

6

442

6

  Orders

  (in July 2012)

257

36

442

6

  Unit Cost

  (in 2012)

US $389.9 million

US $ 351.4

Production terminated

Production terminated

Capacity

  Cockpit Crew

2

2

  Passengers

  Capacity

Typical Configuration : 555

Max Possible : 853 (all tourist class)

Typical

3-class: 467

Typical

3-class : 416

2-class : 524 

Typical

3-class : 416

2-class : 524 

  Maximum

  Cargo Volume

176 m3 

161.5 m

170.5 m or

151 m

158.6 m

137 m

Performance

  Maximum

  taxi/ramp weight

562,000 kg

443,613 kg

398,254 kg

414,130 kg

  Maximum

  take-off

  weight (MTOW)

560,000 kg

447,696 kg

396,893 kg

412,769 kg

  Maximum

  landing weight 

386,000 kg

309,350 kg

295,742 kg

263,537/295,742 kg

  Maximum

  zero fuel

  weight        

361,000 kg

291,206 kg

251,744 kg

245,847/251,744 kg

  Typical

  operating empty

  weight   

276,800 kg

 

178,800 kg

184,570 kg

  Maximum

  structural

  payload               

149,800 kg

76,702 kg

70,851

62,006/67,177 kg

  Maximum

  operating speed

  at cruise altitude

Mach 0.89

(945 km/h,  510 knots)

Mach 0.855

913 km/h

Mach 0.85

 913 km/h

Mach  0.855

913 km/h

  Maximum

  design speed

  at cruise altitude       

Mach 0.96

(1020 km/h, 551 knots)

Mach 0.92

 988 km/h

Mach 0.92

988 km/h

Mach 0.92

988 km/h

  Take off run

  at MTOW /

  SL ISA   

2,750 m

2,900 m

 

 

  Range at

  design load      

15,400 km,

8,300 nmi

14,815 km

8,000 nmi

13,450 km

7260 nmi

14,205 km

7,670 nmi

  Service Ceiling

13,115 m

13,000 m

 

 

Dimensions

  Length

72.727 m

76.3 m

70.6 m

70.6 m

  Wing span

79.750 m

68.5 m

64.4 m

64.4 m

  Height

24.09m

19.4 m

19.4 m

19.4 m

  Outside

  fuselage width

7.14 m

 

 

 

  Outside

  fuselage height

8.41 m

 

 

 

  Maximum

  cabin width

Main Deck: 6.54 m

Upper deck: 5.80 m

6.1 m

6.1 m

6.1 m

  Cabin length

Main Deck: 49.9 m

Upper deck: 44.93 m

 

 

 

  Wing area

845 m2

560 m²

560 m²

560 m²

  Aspect ratio

7.5

7.4

7.4

7.4

  Wing sweep      

33.5°

 

 

 

  Wheelbase

33.58 m and 36.85 m

29.7m

25.6m

25.6

  Wheel Track

12.46 m

11m

11m

11m

Engines and Fuel

  Max. fuel

  capacity               

320,000 L

242,470 L

216,014 L

 240,544

  No. of Engines

4

4

4

4

  Engines

Rolls-Royce

Trent 970  & 972

GEnx-2B67 (x4)

Pratt & Whitney PW4062

 

Engine Alliance

GP  7270

Rolls-Royce RB211-524H2-T

 

General Electric CF6-80C2B5F

 

  Maximum

  Engine Thrust

Trent-970 : 310 kN

Trent-972 :320 kN

GP 7270 : 363 kN

(296 kn)

PW4062 : 281.57 kN

RB211 : 264.67 kN

CF6 : 276.23 kN

 

What is the difference between Airbus A380 and Boeing 747?

• Boeing 747 first developed in 1970’s while, Airbus A380 was developed during the last decade, but more advanced variants built on the 747-100 still continues to fly.

• In a typical 3-class configuration seating capacity, B-747 is 416 and A380 is 555.

• Both A380 and B-747 have two decks, but B-747 upper deck is short while A380 upper deck runs the whole length of the aircraft

• Boeing 747-8 has 50.0% of its weight as composite materials, while A380 has only 20%.

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