16 Years Ago Today The Airbus A380 Made Its First Visit To The United States
Reception was mixed: despite not a single US commercial airliner showing solid interest in the type, the Super Jumbo almost became Air Force One
On March 19, 2007, the world’s largest commercial aircraft, the Airbus A380, made its first visit to the United States. Two Super Jumbos landed on American soil simultaneously: one on the East Coast and the other on the West.
John F. Kennedy International Airport
A380 development aircraft MSN7 flew from Frankfurt to New York with around 500 passengers onboard. The flight was part of a Commercial Route Proving exercise and demonstration flight for airline executives, government officials, and journalists, as Airbus sought to promote the massive aircraft’s capabilities and secure orders from US airlines.
MSN7 was commandeered by Airbus test pilots and experienced Lufthansa pilots, with in-flight service provided by the German flag carrier’s cabin crew. The flight crew ceremoniously waved an American flag upon landing and was met with much anticipation from crowds of aviation enthusiasts and media representatives, who gathered alongside industry executives to witness the aircraft’s landing.
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The goal of the Route Proving exercise was to test the aircraft’s interior systems under realistic operational conditions on a number of scheduled flights, in preparation for its entry into service.
Los Angeles International Airport
Elsewhere, on the West Coast, another Super Jumbo was being welcomed at Los Angeles International Airport. Test aircraft MSN1 arrived at the fifth-busiest passenger airport in the world for airport compatibility tests.
The flight was operated in collaboration with Australian flag carrier Qantas, whose first US destination on the A380 was slated to be Los Angeles. Present at the arrival of MSN1 was the then-mayor of Los Angeles, Antonio Villaraigosa. Tests performed at the airport included airfield maneuvering, docking at the terminal gate and ground handling services, such as fueling.
Fleeting excitement
In the same week, MSN7 and MSN1 also made appearances at Washington Dulles International Airport and Chicago O’Hare International Airport. However, unlike the A300 whose similar tour around the US in 1973 landed orders from Eastern Air Lines (albeit some years later), no commercial airline in the US signed up for the A380.
In October 2007, the Super Jumbo toured the US again, visiting airports such as Bradley International Airport and San Francisco International Airport. While the A380 had already generated considerable interest around the world – with major airlines including Emirates, Qantas, and Singapore Airlines placing orders – the second US tour yielded no promising leads. And the manufacturer’s hope of seeing an A380 bearing the American flag never became a reality.
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Interestingly, technologically advanced aircraft did attract the attention of one significant American party: the White House! While on the search to replace its aging VC 25A Boeing 747s, the United States Air Force eyed the A380 as a potential candidate for transporting the president.
Unfortunately, this, too, never came to be. Not only was the Super Jumbo deemed too large and fuel inefficient, but it was also not manufactured in the US. Historically, US presidents have always been transported in American-built planes, so Boeing aircraft seemed the more suitable choice.
While its commercial fortunes may have been mixed, the A380 will always be remembered as a testament to the power of innovation and human ingenuity, and as a symbol of the limitless possibilities of flight.
Source: Airbus [archive]
