Airfrance A380 at JHB International at 11:00 This

[DesertConvert]

Wikipedia(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upington_Airport) says:

 

History

With the fall of the Portuguese regime in Angola, South African Airways lost its landing rights in Luanda.

In addition to restrictions to overflying African states, there was

concern that the country would lose its landing rights at the Ivory Coast and Ilha do Sal (Cape Verde).

Upington Airport's runway was built to accommodate a Boeing 747

with a full load of passengers, cargo and fuel, so that it could take

off for Europe without having to stop along the way. Upington was

chosen because of its strategic position, availability of land and

comparatively lower height above sea level than Johannesburg.

Upington Airport was opened in 1968 as Pierre van Ryneveld

Airport. In 1974 a corrugated iron fire station was erected but this

structure was converted into administrative offices for airport

management and other administrative staff in 1996 and the fire station

was relocated.

From August 1976 to December 1996, South African Airways made use of Upington as a refuelling station for two weekly scheduled Boeing 747 flights to London and Zurich.

The Concorde did flight testing at Upington Airport in June of 1976

 

[Willehond]

 

 

Wow, I know cyclists are nerds, but this thread takes the cake!  Imagine, plane spotting...

 

No, I don't care what plane I'm in and bigger isn't always better.   So now you can queue even longer to get into/out of the plan and toilets?  Sorry, but I don't see the benefit TO THE PASSENGERS.  All I care about is having a big seat and lots of choice on the seat-back tv.

 

Plus not having the Concorde is cool too.  Man, that thing used to wake my kids up when it landed.  Bloody nuisance

[BrendonMyb]

I heard that the runway at OR Tambo (and most other international airports) wasn't long enough to handle these planes.

 

 

 

Talking of runways' date=' did you know we have a runway in SA (in mafikeng) thats almost 5km long? Heard somewhere that its a alternate landing strip for the space shuttle if they miss their entry point.

 

We had a skydiving boogie there once, that thing is huge, cool to see from the air

[/quote']

not sure about Mafikeng but upington runway is also +-6 or 7 KM long & also an alternate shuttle landing facility

 

sorry seen its been discussed already

BumpNgrind2010-02-19 01:32:50

[DesertConvert]

 

 

 

Talking of runways' date=' did you know we have a runway in SA (in mafikeng) thats almost 5km long? Heard somewhere that its a alternate landing strip for the space shuttle if they miss their entry point.

 

We had a skydiving boogie there once, that thing is huge, cool to see from the air

[/quote']

not sure about Mafikeng but upington runway is also +-6 or 7 KM long & also an alternate shuttle landing facility

 

People, please read the thread before posting...the length of Upingtons runway has been determined (4900m and not +-6 or 7 KM). <-- I see this has also been edited

 

I heard that the runway at OR Tambo (and most other

international airports) wasn't long enough to handle these planes.

 

 

The length of the runway wasn't an issue. As per the Operations Manager of ACSA (interviewed on 702): parking facilities had to be modified to take the massive weight of the plane into account, and the shoulder of the runway had to be extended (I'm assuming to reduce the potential dustcloud from the jetwash - since the wingspan is also huge).

 

DesertConvert2010-02-19 01:36:56

[sr2106]

Has the A380 left Jhb International yet ?

[GoLefty!!]

 

 

I heard that the runway at OR Tambo (and most other international airports) wasn't long enough to handle these planes.

 

 

 

Talking of runways' date=' did you know we have a runway in SA (in mafikeng) thats almost 5km long? Heard somewhere that its a alternate landing strip for the space shuttle if they miss their entry point.

 

We had a skydiving boogie there once, that thing is huge, cool to see from the air

[/quote']

 

You're correct on the above, longest in the southern hemisphere that one. Think there's one in Langebaan thats also extra long.

 

 

The runway in Uptington is the alternate landing area for the US Space Transport System vehicles (commonly know as the Shuttles).

Its nearly 5km long

GoLefty!!2010-02-19 01:41:32

[Sammajoor]

 

Has the A380 left Jhb International yet ?

 

I would guess so... turn around time on a flight is roughly 3 hours.  refeuled cleaned and new pax.

 

[Regard]

No body reading full threads this morning

[scotty]

Has the A380 left Jhb International yet ?

Left but is scheduled to land again this weekend,

[AndreZA]

There's gonna be 2 flights a week to SA and they want to make daily. So we will see that plain quite a few more times.

[techguy]

I know many a test vehicle is brought in via the airport at Upington' date=' though I'm not sure which runway they would be using. I surmise that vehicles are flown in on 747's.

Also, I believe the Concorde visited the OR Tambo International, the airport previously known as JHB International, previously known as Jan Smuts International, in '92 or '93.
[/quote']

 

Anyone look that the Harare Int'nl airport has the 7th longest runway? Even longer than Edwards Aiforce base where they developed the U2 spy plane and the SR71 Blackbird....

 

Concord also visited Zim then, I went to see it, it was frikken loud...

[Thug]

Edwards Air Force base runway is 4.5km's (without having to turn the Shuttle/Plane around) a whopping 11.9 km's. Harare is 4.75km's.

 

 

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_longest_runways

 

 

 

 

 

The Thug2010-02-19 03:13:22

[b-rad]

some quick facts (possibly boring and useless to some!?):

 

Seating can be provided for 525 people in standard three-class configuration or up to 853 people in all economy class configuration.

 

The A380-800 has a design range of 15,200 kilometres (8,200 nmi).

 

The new La Mercy (King Shaka) Airport in Durban will be able to accomodate the A380. (3.7km runway).

[Paulm]

[Paulm]

Some internal pictures.

[Paulm]