The audacious Airbus A380 is the largest airliner in the world, capable of carrying between five hundred and eight hundred passengers, depending on class configuration. The superjumbo is almost 240 feet long, with a wingspan just over 260 feet.  This superbly written and photographed  book follows the Airbus A380 from its birthplace in Toulouse, France, to its first public appearance at the world-famous Paris Air Show . . . and beyond. Airbus A380 gives aviation enthusiasts a VIP tour of the A380’s first two years, a series of tests and air shows spanning the globe. Winging its way through thirty-five events in eighteen countries across six continents, the A380 endures a –45°F deep freeze in Iqaluit, Canada, a scorching 113°F in El Ain, United Arab Emirates, and every testable condition in between. As the A380 is put through its paces, author David Maxwell captures all the action—on the ground, in the air, and behind the scenes—in stunning photography showcasing the state-of-the-art design and sheer size of this outrageous new superjumbo.