Largest Passenger Plane is the Airbus A380
I keep getting more information about the biggest and largest in civil aviation, and as it turns out the rest of the world has scored a few important records. While American-made Boeing airliner jets are some of the most famous and iconic aircraft in the skies, it seems that the largest commercial aircraft currently flying is another foreign made design. The Airbus AN380, to be specific. Note: A new largest aircraft is currently in the works.
Our wounded national pride shouldn’t prevent us from appreciating the magnificence of the AN380, however. A double decker cabin gives every passenger more than enough space to fly in style, while the four Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engines provide enough power and range to get any cargo to its destination quickly and effectively. The AN380 has been powering through the skies with up to 544 passengers on board since 2005, and it looks like this bird is going to be part of civil aviation for the long, long haul.
However, Airbus’s AN380 has a downside: it’s a lot more expensive to operate per passenger-hour than most other commercial aircraft. An hourly cost of over $25,000 makes it a much pricier and less-efficient choice than the most comparable designs—certainly less so than the various Boeing jets. So while America many not lead in size, we’re in it for the quality. That has t count for something, right?