Story: Backstage Aboard an Airbus A380

After several embarrassing delays and expensive cost overruns, the new Airbus A380 superjumbo passenger jet is here at last. The four-engine aircraft is designed for long-distance international travel, and features upper and lower decks that each span the entire length of the aircraft. All that floor space means the A380 could carry more than 800 passengers in sardine mode, but most airlines have chosen to give passengers a little more stretching room by configuring their planes to seat around 550. Singapore Airlines became the first carrier to put the A380 into passenger service this fall, and in the months ahead Emirates and Qantas will start flying A380s as well. There are some parts of the plane that passengers will rarely get to see — and that's too bad, because an airline seat looks like an airline seat, but the anatomy of the A380 is what really makes it unique. I recently had the opportunity to tour the ninth A380 to roll off the Airbus assembly line. This aircraft was configured for test flights, not passenger service, which means the interior was hollow — but for a few seats, some electronic equipment, and dozens of enormous water jugs installed to simulate the weight of a passenger load. I was also able to walk around the giant plane to check it out from a variety of angles that one never gets to see from the jetway. Bigger isn't always better, but when you're standing underneath an A380, bigger sure as hell makes a strong impression.