Every 7 minutes, an A380 takes off or lands somewhere in the world...The Airbus was initially designed and developed in order to provide a contender to the Boeing's growing monopoly of the skies in the biggest large-aircraft market in the world. Ambitious in design, the undertaking seemed mammoth. Yet scores of aviation engineers and pilots worked to get the design off the ground and the Airbus in our skies. This double-decker, wide-body, 4 engine jet airliner promised to redefine expectations when it came to commercial flight. Five years on from its launch, Graham Simons provides us with this, an impressively illustrated narrative history of the craft, its achievements, and the legacy it looks set to provide to a new generation of aviation engineers, enthusiasts and passengers. Operated by airlines such as Emirates, Singapore Airlines, Qantas and Lufthansa, the story of the A380 could be said to represent the story of modern-day travel itself, characterised by major technological advances across the world that constantly push the boundaries of expectation. Sure to appeal broadly across the market, this is very much a commemorative volume, preserving the history of this iconic craft in words and images. AUTHOR: Graham Simons is a highly regarded aviation historian with extensive contacts within the field. He is the author of 'Mosquito: The Original Multi-Role Combat Aircraft' (2011), 'B-17 - The Fifteen Ton Flying Fortress' (2011), and 'Valkyrie: The North American XB-70' (also 2011), all published by Pen and Sword Books. b/w images