I’m back from vacation, tanned, rested, and ready. Thanks to Tyler Colman, a.k.a. Dr. Vino, for minding the store in my absence, and for guest-posting earlier today. (And, as an aside, congrats to him for his James Beard Award nomination!)
I returned to Chicago just in time to catch a glimpse of the behemoth Airbus A380 at O’Hare. Airbus and Lufthansa have been taking it on tour. Sadly, I arrived at 4:30pm and was unable to get the interior tour, but I snapped a few exterior photos. They’re not the greatest pictures, but what the heck.
The photo above was taken from my seat onboard a comparatively wimpy little Boeing 737, right after landing. We taxied right past the mega-jet after touching down. I have to admit, it’s really impressive when you see the plane in person. There was a 747 nearby, and it looked small.
And yes, being a dork, I took the train to the long-term parking lot and back to the terminal to try to get another glimpse.
More photos after the jump. Click “more” to see them.
View from the inter-terminal ATS
Another view from my flight
I like this shot to give perspective on just how HUGE this plane is. Look at the size of that tail, all that distance away. Those rental cars look tiny in comparison…
Media and VIP buses parked at the plane.
It’s a big tail.
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March 21st, 2007 at 8:57 am
[...] Stories:· Airbus A380 Coverage [Jaunted]· Airbus at O’Hare [...]
March 23rd, 2007 at 1:42 pm
I saw the same aircraft from the runway on Monday morning in FRA during a 3 hr layover. Impressive. Unfortunately they wouldn’t let me on the viewing deck right above the parked plane (private party), so I took the train between terminals 1 and 2 back and forth hoping to get a glimpse of the departing aircraft. Alas, I missed it somehow.
April 15th, 2007 at 4:06 pm
They’re making a big deal of this coming to LAX and JFK this monday, and we already had the sucker here a month ago. Wish I coulda seen it, though. I didn’t even know that O’Hare was capable of handling the A380, wonder when we will see regular passenger service of it over here…
May 25th, 2007 at 9:38 pm
[...] Upgrade: Travel Better HQ. People are clearly awed by the size of the A380 — I was awed, too, when I saw it back in March. Others are wary of getting on a plane that big, especially in case of an emergency. [...]
May 31st, 2007 at 6:17 pm
Wow!!!!
What a majestic bird!!! What I would do to fly on a A380 Airbus. I was so amaized that it could even take off the ground. Sure I understand that the A380 holds more passengers but if it ever crashed… my God my God. That is the only thing that concernes me.
May the A380 never have a bad day. If it ever did, my God have mercy on the souls that built it. The new bird may be amazing in all it’s glory but lets not forget that human life is more valuble.
So when can I have a try out on the metal eagle that moves me so? I want to fly first class all the way to any were.
God speed!!!
August 3rd, 2007 at 12:23 am
[...] Airbus A380 at Chicago O’Hare Any aviation (or Chicago) nerds out there might dig this–the new world’s biggest airplane at O’Hare. (I still have the bug from back at BAX Global when I used to fuel aircraft during undergrad.) [...]
October 15th, 2007 at 10:03 am
[...] saw the A380 when it made a pit stop at Chicago O’Hare in March 2007, and it was impressive. A behemoth, just absurdly large next [...]
December 20th, 2011 at 7:45 pm
when will the airbus a380 start flying out of Ohara airport in chicago
December 20th, 2011 at 7:54 pm
I saw the a380 when it came to Chicago once before, I would like see it at the next air show , please let me know when it will be shon again : Thank you Verry Much .