United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 2006-05-19 monographic deposited born digital 97 p. GA 1.13:GAO-06-571 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-06-571 P0b002ee18039452b f:d06571 DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-28 GAOREPORTS-GAO-06-571 machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-GAO-06-571 GAO-06-571 Aircraft Airports Commercial aviation Construction costs Cost analysis Financial analysis Funds management Future budget projections Standards Cost estimates Airbus 380 Aircraft Other Written Product A54362 Airbus S.A.S (Airbus), a European aircraft manufacturer, introduced a new aircraft, the A380 that will be the largest passenger aircraft in the world with expected delivery to its first customers in late 2006. The A380 has a double deck and is expected to seat between 555 and 853 passengers. The A380 is much larger than its competitors with a wingspan of 262 feet, a tail fin about 80 feet high, and a maximum takeoff weight of over 1.2 million pounds. A freight version of the A380 is scheduled for delivery in 2008. Because of the size of the A380, U.S. airports have to make changes to accommodate the aircraft. This may include widening runways and taxiways, or restructuring gate areas to accommodate the additional passengers. This report examines (1) the costs and nature of the changes U.S. airports are making to their infrastructure to accommodate the A380, (2) the funding sources being used to finance these changes, and (3) the major factors influencing the changes being made. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Airbus provided technical comments on the report. Airbus also commented on the 18 airports' cost estimates of the changes being made for the A380 and estimated $720 million for these changes. Based on the costs airports reported initially and our subsequent reconfirmation efforts, we did not change the cost estimates provided by the airports. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-06-571/html/GAOREPORTS-GAO-06-571.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-06-571/pdf/GAOREPORTS-GAO-06-571.pdf GAO-06-571 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-06-571 Other Written Product GAO-06-571; Commercial Aviation: Costs and Major Factors Influencing Infrastructure Changes at U.S. Airports to Accomodate the New A380 Aircraft; Aircraft Airports Commercial aviation Construction costs Cost analysis Financial analysis Funds management Future budget projections Standards Cost estimates Airbus 380 Aircraft