The mega-sized Airbus A380 -- the largest passenger airliner in the world (beating out the Boeing 747) -- makes its inaugural landing in Los Angeles on Monday morning.
So far no U.S. passenger carrier has purchased the plane, which can hold 555 passengers -- or, holy crap, 853 people, if entirely in economy class mode.
Qantas is conducting the test, in conjunction with LA World Airports and Airbus, to "test airport function and compatibility in anticipation of Qantas' A380 passenger service at LAX, which is scheduled to begin in 2008," according to this press release.
The landing will take place Monday at 9:30 a.m. on Runway 24R; another A380 is also slated to land at JFK in New York the same day.
Will Campbell writes at blogging.la that he plans to wing it over to LAX on Monday morning to witness the A380's U.S. debut:
I'm usually not one to get all ga-ga over stuff like this, but in this case I'm actually uber-goober enough to plan on being stationed on a small knoll along Sepulveda, the better for the thing to pass a hundred feet or so directly over my head on its way to landing on Runway 24R...
The Airbus 380 has a wingspan of 261 feet and a length of 239 feet. The phrase "big ass jet airliner" comes to mind, and just I can't shake the urge I have to see her come to town.
A ceremony will follow the landing -- featuring speeches from the likes of Mayor Villaraigosa. The A380 will then depart on Tuesday morning.
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