Airbus A380

The Airbus A380 made its first test flight on April 27, 2005. The double-deck, four-engine wide-body was the largest commercial airliner ever built, capable of carrying more passengers than any previous jetliner. Even when flying empty during its maiden flight it set a record as the heaviest commercial aircraft to take to the air.

Airbus developed the A380 to serve high-demand routes between major international hub airports, betting that future air travel growth would be concentrated on dense long-haul corridors. Boeing chose not to build a competing very-large airliner, instead pursuing a strategy centered on more efficient twin-engine aircraft and point-to-point routes.

The A380 entered commercial service in the years following its first flight and became a flagship aircraft for several international carriers. Despite its impressive size and passenger comfort, demand for such a large aircraft proved more limited than Airbus had hoped, and production was eventually wound down, making it a remarkable but relatively short-lived chapter in aviation history.