http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/exclusivevids/EAAAirVenture2009_AirbusA380_HardLanding_200850-1.html

Anybody see this first hand, was it as bad as it looks?

The plane landed on 36. I was at the far (north) end of the runway. The plane dropped out of sight behind the crowd moments before it touched down. There was a good gust of wind at my end, maybe 25-30 knots and about 90 deg across the runway, when the plane went out of view.

Given the wind conditions I wasn't surprised by the touchdown videos on the web. I saw an AwWeb video where a pilot was talking about the vertical speed component of the landing and when the pilot pulled power, etc. I have no comment on that sort of jumbo jet stuff.

I agree with Ed-didn't see the actual touchdown though present-but considering the conditions the video didn't seem as bad to me as the armchair critics are calling it.

Now the flying around at 105 knts-that was cool!

If I am recalling correctly it seems the A380 pilots failed to align the fuselage with the runway at the end of the crabbed approach. it was a little ugly.

My wife and I were south of Aeroshell center... right up on the flightline. We were watching it with a great deal of interest since we have a flight on a 380 in less than a week.

Yes... It was every bit as ugly as the movies show the landing. We both commented about it at that time. :(

Leldon

Not very pretty, but...

IIRC they had to make the turn into Aeroshell Square otherwise there was no place to turn the thing around. I camped just beyond the end of 36 and they put it wheels down just beyond runway threshold - the 36L aiming point and glideslope tower are well left of the frame of the video. I'm guessing this landing had to be done sort of carrier style by design.

I wonder in those crosswinds how far left of the runway centerline the pilot is sitting in the crab?

Carneal and I saw it leave today--I have to say that although I was not a big fan of it previously, it was very impressive to see it fly around before departing.

I'll post some pictures when we return.

I saw it too and it was probably firmer and smokier than optimum. Remember, large aircraft stopping distances are certified by landing in a crab, rapidly lowering the nose and applying max braking. You are allowed a certain amount of time (maybe 2 minutes) before the brake fire begins. As stated before, they only had about 6000 feet before they got to the only turnoff that could accommodate the airplane and there was nowhere to turn around. Also, the announcer stated that the gross weight was about 850000 lbs. Throw in some gusty crosswinds.

I am not an apologist for Airbus but if it was me, I would have wanted to get it down, do some braking right away, and then see how we were doing in reference to the turnoff point and adjust accordingly. They may have used autobrakes also.

All true. Also, if you can fly it the next day, it was a good landing.

Here is a segment on it:

[youtube]http://youtu.be/-iIG1ZOPLJA[/youtube]

Yes, but we make boats where the front doesn't fall off and planes where the back doesn't fall off.

http://www.break.com/index/the-front-fell-off.html

Yves,


What happened did you become a Frenchman or what....?

Just kiddin