Specifically, the A380 is much larger than other  aircraft, with a wingspan of about 262 feet, a tail fin reaching almost 80  feet high, a maximum takeoff weight in excess of 1.2 million pounds, and  seating between 555 and 853 passengers. Due to the size of the A380, it is subject to the FAA’s design  standards for the largest aircraft (Airplane Design Group VI standards). A380 Poses a Number of Potential Safety Challenges at Airports

The A380 will be the first of a new category of large passenger aircraft  introduced into the national airspace system in the coming years. As a result, airports expecting A380 service need to  modify their infrastructure or impose operating restrictions on the A380  and other aircraft to assure that safety is maintained. In addition, research  data suggests that the wake turbulence created by the A380 is stronger  than any aircraft in use today and would require greater separation from  other aircraft during landing and takeoff. Although the A380 is equipped  with some safety enhancements, such as new internal and exterior  materials designed to reduce flammability and an external taxiing camera  system to enhance pilot vision on the ground, the A380 poses safety  challenges for fire and rescue officials due to its larger size, upper deck,  fuel capacity, and the number of passengers. FAA, ICAO, Airbus, and  airports have taken several steps to mitigate these challenges. U.S. A380’s Impact on Capacity at U.S. The extent of disruptions and delays caused  by possible operating restrictions, increased separation requirements, and  gate restrictions would depend on the time of day, the number of A380  operations, and the volume of overall traffic. Potential operating  restrictions and the increased separation requirements imposed to ensure  the safety of the A380 and other aircraft at airports and during flight could  result in a reduction in the number of flights that airports can  accommodate. Operating Restrictions on the A380 at U.S. Foreign Airports Have Taken Different Approaches to Prepare for the A380

Selected foreign airports we visited have taken different approaches to  prepare for the introduction of the A380. These differences reflect the age  and the expected level of A380 traffic at the airports—and, in some cases,  the anticipated economic benefits of the A380 flights. The different  approaches include adopting alternative airport design standards to  accommodate new large aircraft, making significant investment in existing  infrastructure, and designing airports that allow for new large aircraft. By  implementing these approaches, officials from the foreign airports we  visited do not anticipate that the introduction of the A380 will result in  delays or disruptions at their airports, despite higher levels of expected  A380 traffic compared to most U.S. airports because these airports will not  have to impose operating restrictions on the A380 to the extent of U.S.  airports. The A380  was designed, in part, to help alleviate these capacity constraints. However, the impact of its arrival on airport capacity in the United States  is uncertain. FAA officials generally agreed with the report’s  findings. The report includes information on the potential impact of the A380 on  passenger throughput—specifically, that the A380 could accommodate  more passengers and freight on each flight than any other aircraft in use  today. Airbus  also provided technical comments, which were incorporated, as  appropriate. In May 2006, we issued a report that estimated the costs of  infrastructure changes that U.S. airports plan to make to accommodate the  A380. This report discusses (1) the safety issues associated with the  introduction of the A380, and how U.S. airports are addressing them, (2)  the potential impact of A380 operations on the capacity of U.S. airports,  and (3) how selected foreign airports are addressing these safety and  capacity issues. We also conducted site visits to 11 Asian, Canadian, and European airports  that will be receiving the A380.
Why GAO Did This Study

Airbus S.A.S. (Airbus), a European aircraft manufacturer, is introducing a new aircraft designated as the A380, which is expected to enter service in late 2007. The A380 will be the largest passenger aircraft in the world, with a wingspan of about 262 feet, a tail fin reaching 80 feet high, and a maximum takeoff weight of 1.2 million pounds. The A380 has a double deck and could seat up to 853 passengers. GAO was asked to examine the impact of the A380 on U.S. airports. In May 2006, GAO issued a report that estimated the costs of infrastructure changes at U.S. airports to accommodate the A380. This report discusses (1) the safety issues associated with introducing the A380 at U.S. airports, (2) the potential impact of A380 operations on the capacity of U.S. airports, and (3) how selected foreign airports are preparing to accommodate the A380. To address these issues, GAO reviewed studies on operational and safety issues related to the A380 and conducted site visits to the 18 U.S. airports and 11 Asian, Canadian, and European airports preparing to receive the A380. GAO provided the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Airbus a copy of the draft report for review. Both generally agreed with the report's findings. FAA and Airbus also provided technical clarifications, which were incorporated as appropriate.

What GAO Found

The A380 will be the first of a new category of large passenger aircraft introduced into the national airspace system in the coming years. The size of the A380 poses some potential safety challenges for U.S. airports. As a result, airports expecting A380 service may need to modify their infrastructure or impose operating restrictions, such as restrictions on runway use, on the A380 and other aircraft to ensure an acceptable level of safety. In addition, increased separation between the A380 and other aircraft during landing and departure is also required because research data indicate that the air turbulence created by the A380's wake is stronger than the largest aircraft in use today. The A380 also poses challenges for fire and rescue officials due to its larger size, upper deck, fuel capacity, and the number of passengers. FAA, Airbus, airports, and other organizations have taken several steps to mitigate these safety challenges. For example, the A380 is equipped with some safety enhancements, such as materials designed to reduce flammability and an external camera taxiing system to enhance pilot vision on the ground. The impact of A380 operations on capacity is uncertain. The A380 was designed, in part, to help alleviate capacity constraints faced by many large airports in the United States and around the world by accommodating more passengers and freight on each flight than any aircraft currently in use. However, potential operating restrictions and the increased separation requirements imposed to ensure the safety of the A380 and other aircraft at airports and during flight could reduce the number of flights that airports can accommodate. The extent to which possible operating restrictions, increased separation, and gate utilization impact capacity would depend on the time of day, the number of A380 operations, and the volume of overall airport traffic. Selected foreign airports that GAO visited have taken different approaches than U.S. airports in preparing for the introduction of the A380. These differences reflect the expected level of A380 traffic at the airports--and in some cases, the anticipated economic benefits of the A380 flights. The different approaches include adopting alternative airport design standards, making significant investment in existing infrastructure, and designing airports that allow for new large aircraft. By implementing these approaches, officials from the foreign airports that GAO visited do not anticipate that the introduction of the A380 will result in delays or disruptions at their airports, despite higher levels of expected A380 traffic compared to most U.S. airports.