Airbus A380 Takes Off for Second Test Flight

May 5, 2005
Hundreds of onlookers flocked to Blagnac airport, near the southwestern city of Toulouse, to watch the world's largest passenger plane zoom skyward at about 2:30 p.m. local time.

TOULOUSE, France (AP) -- Airbus' giant A380 airliner took off Wednesday for its second test flight, drawing a considerably smaller crowd than for its debut last week.

Hundreds of onlookers flocked to Blagnac airport, near the southwestern city of Toulouse, to watch the world's largest passenger plane zoom skyward at about 2:30 p.m. local time (1230GMT).

Airbus has delayed the first delivery of the A380 to initial customer Singapore Airlines until the second half of 2006, spokesman David Voskuhl said Wednesday, confirming similar comments from CEO Noel Forgeard last week.

Voskuhl said there was not ''any single reason'' for the delay. Airbus already had postponed the planned delivery of 10 A380s to the Asian carrier by about three months.

''We are expecting the entry into service in the second half of 2006,'' he said.

For the double-decker plane's maiden flight last week, more than 30,000 spectators congregated at the same airport, according to police.