Remember all that fuss about the A380’s never ending delays, and the shame it brought on Airbus? And how Boeing gloated and crowed about it? Well, I have a sense that there’s been a little less coverage of the fact that first flight of the Boeing 787 is nearly three years late. (So far - it’s due tomorrow.)
These two aircraft arguably represent the difference between success and possible failure, and alternative views of the future. The 787, whilst delayed, has an order book stretching for years; the A380 will struggle to break even. But at the end of the day, even a slight airliner geek such as me realises that they’re just buses with wings, and neither has the elegance or character of a nearly forty year old 747.
