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| Sky Leviathans |
Does Size Matter?
Michelle Seaton
11/01/2005
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Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, owner of London’s Chelsea Football Club,
reportedly tired of his 737 a few years ago and gave it to his wife, Irina. Now
he flies a Boeing 767-300 nicknamed “The Bandit.” Widely discussed in the
British tabloids, the plane is rumored to contain a two-level bedroom, multiple
bedrooms for guests and security guards, two offices, seating for 36 passengers,
separate galleys for passengers and crew, and a missile deflection
system.
Should Abramovich decide to trade up again, there is only one place
to go: the new Airbus 380. While a “green” or unfinished wide-body Boeing 767 or
Airbus A319 would cost about $100 million, a brand new A380—Airbus’ newly
designed answer to the Boeing 747—will cost a staggering $280 million when it
enters service in 2006.
 | | (Photograph courtesy Airbus.) |
Although the A380 can fly farther on less fuel than
the 747, the market for this behemoth is small: Already airport managers around
the world are grumbling about the bridges, tarmac areas and taxiways that must
be reinforced to support its 1.2 million pounds. The wide swath of its 262-foot
wingspan will just squeeze into crowded taxiways and docking areas. Few runways
can land it; no hangars will hold it.
Although it comes as no surprise that
no one has yet purchased one of these super carriers as a personal jet,
Lufthansa Technik, the Hamburg-based company known for its extravagant overhauls
of wide-body interiors, holds out hope. With Airbus’ permission, Lufthansa
Technik has laid claim to an A380 delivery position early in 2008. At this
month’s National Business Aviation Association meeting, the company will unveil
a scale model of this aircraft, 4 meters long, showcasing a proposed use of the
6,400 square feet of space inside. This plan includes multiple bedrooms with
baths, fitting rooms and a sauna, gym and a wellness area upstairs. The
downstairs features multiple lounges and dining areas, a bar area, offices and
entertainment centers.
An interior of this sort would take 18 months to
create and cost close to $100 million. But Aage Dunhaupt, representative for
Airbus, is quick to point out that more modest interiors are also possible. “For
not such a high-class interior, with not so many amenities, you could spend just
$15 million to $20 million,” he says.
Although there are no takers yet,
Dunhaupt says that Lufthansa expects the market will support at least five A380
conversions for private owners. “People are starting to ask for the drawings,”
he says. After all, there are between 20 and 25 Boeing 747 wide-bodies (and 15
of the 767s) currently flying around as private jets. Surely some of their
owners must be looking for extra room. “At a certain level, you travel with
family, business associates, perhaps a personal doctor. You need space, and this
gives the feeling of going somewhere else, going to a lounge to be with friends,
then to a bedroom area to be alone, sharing a meal with a few people while
others dine elsewhere.”
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Leviathans
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