The Australian Aviation Galleries: The Airbus A380

The A380 is still the world’s largest passenger airliner and the only full-length double-deck jet in commercial service. The ‘Super Jumbo’ entered service in October 2007 with Singapore Airlines, and more than 200 have been delivered to 15 airlines. The aircraft is powered by four Rolls-Royce Trent 900 or Engine Alliance GP7000 engines, has a range of 15,200 kilometres (8,200 nautical miles) and can carry up to 853 passengers in a typical three-class configuration. However, most airlines take advantage of the extra space for lucrative first and business-class offerings, leaving its actual capacity at just over 500.

Qantas was the third airline to receive one and entered it into service in 2008. That very aircraft, though, was later involved in the Flying Kangaroo’s most serious-ever safety incident when one of its engines exploded shortly after it took off, causing a major fire in November 2010. Despite significant structural and systems damage, Captain de Crespigny and his colleagues in the flight deck returned VH-OQA to Singapore Changi Airport for a safe landing. No passengers or crew were injured, and the aircraft was eventually repaired and returned to operations.