Airbus 'disagrees' with ICAO 'unreality' on A380 wake vortex
Airbus 'disagrees' with ICAO 'unreality' on A380 wake vortex
Thursday June 15, 2006
Airbus said yesterday that it "disagrees" with ICAO's interim recommendation that there be 10 nm. of separation between the A380 and aircraft landing behind it.Speaking at the company's annual technical press briefing in Toulouse, Senior VP-Flight Division Claude Lelaie described the ICAO position as "not reality." He said Airbus's own extensive testing reveals that heavy aircraft need to be separated from the A380 by just 6 nm. on approach to avoid complications from its wake vortex, or 1 nm. more than currently is required for aircraft flying behind 747s on approach.
He added that the Airbus recommendation is "interim and conservative" and that the manufacturer will "continue to work on the subject" by conducting further flight tests. He conceded that not enough data exist to recommend modifying ICAO's 10 nm. regulation for aircraft flying behind A380s during cruise.
Lelaie insisted, however, that the ICAO interim policy "is based on...computations which had not been validated by flight test measurements." He said Airbus testing showed that "the A380 wake is slightly stronger than that of the 747."
The airframer is recommending that based on current data, aircraft categorized as medium should be 7 nm. behind A380s on approach and light aircraft should be 9 nm. behind. Lelaie said further testing is needed before making a recommendation regarding takeoff separation. He added that flight tests will continue to be conducted by Airbus to prove that ICAO's interim recommendation is unnecessary.
Separately, A380 customers began to examine their options following Monday's announcement that deliveries will run 6-7 months behind and that just nine aircraft will arrive next year, down from the 20 Airbus had planned to deliver (ATWOnline, June 14). Singapore Airlines spokesperson Stephen Forshaw told the Associated Press that SIA "was not happy with the delay," but that "the focus right now is working with Airbus to minimize it."
Qantas CEO Geoff Dixon said in a statement that the carrier will hold discussions with Airbus in the next two weeks after "a thorough internal review of the implications of the delay for Qantas." It will discuss the new timetable for deliveries, competitive issues, "compensation and possible short-term replacement aircraft," Dixon said. It hopes to alleviate some of the difficulties by "deferring the retirement of aircraft, redirecting capacity and securing replacement capacity."
Emirates, the largest customer for the A380, said it is "considering its position," according to Bloomberg News.
