Production begins on A380 freighter
Airbus said it started manufacturing on the freighter version of its A380 superjumbo jet by making the first cut of metal on the main fuselage.
Airbus has 27 firm orders and commitments from four customers, including FedEx and UPS, for the extra-capacity, long-haul freighters. Launch customer FedEx is expected to take delivery of its first A380 freighter in 2008.
The freighter can carry 150 tons of cargo with a range of 5,600 nautical miles. Passenger variants are designed to carry anywhere from 550 to 800 passengers, depending on configuration.
Production begins on A380 freighter
