The Airbus A380 is one of the most technically impressive airliners ever made. With two full passenger decks, the largest wings ever attached to a passenger airliner, and an incredibly spacious cabin, it is one of the most recognizable aircraft ever built. It’s also extraordinarily capable, with a range of 8,000 NM (14,800 km), enabling it to be used on ultra-long-haul routes while carrying immense payloads. Naturally, this size and capability require powerful engines.

The Airbus A380 is equipped with either the Rolls-Royce Trent 900 or the Engine Alliance GP7200. These engines are incredibly large and powerful, necessary to lift the enormous double-decker off the ground. For even more lifting power, the Airbus A380 has four of them. However, despite the power and abundance of engines, the Airbus A380 is far from a screecher. In fact, some passengers state that the Airbus A380 is perhaps the quietest airliner ever built. Here’s how this was accomplished.

An Overview Of The Airbus A380

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The A380 is the largest passenger airliner ever built. It entered service in 2007, and Airbus sold 251 units until production ended in 2021. Airbus never made the money that it spent on development, as the A380 had numerous flaws and setbacks that kept it from becoming a true success. Despite its lack of sales, it is an engineering triumph and one of the most technically ambitious aircraft projects of all time. The A380 has also become beloved by passengers.

Airlines have used the A380 to offer large premium cabins, though the age of these planes means some are now outdated. Some carriers, such as Emirates, Etihad Airways, and Qantas, have installed uniquely luxurious amenities for premium passengers. Several airlines have installed onboard lounges, but Emirates and Etihad are also known for offering onboard showers to first class passengers, while Etihad also sells its three-room ‘Residence’ suite on the A380.

The A380 comes with either Rolls-Royce Trent 900 or Engine Alliance GP7200 engines. The Trent 900 has a bypass ratio of 8.5:1 and can produce up to 84,000 lbs of thrust. Meanwhile, the GP7200 is a joint venture between General Electric and Pratt & Whitney, primarily featuring a scaled-down GE90 core and a PW4000 fan. The GP7200 has a two-spool design and a bypass ratio of 8.8:1, with a maximum thrust of 81,500 lbs.

The Interior Noise Of The Airbus A380

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The National Library of Medicine published a study in 2022 comparing the average noise levels of the Airbus A330-300 (the 242-ton gross-weight variant specifically), the A350-900, the A380-800, the Boeing 777-200ER, the 777-300ER, and the 787-9. Regarding initial entry-into-service dates, the A330-300 is the oldest aircraft type, followed by the 777-200ER, the 777-300ER, the A380-800, and the 787-9, while the A350-900 is the newest.

Noise levels were measured using an in-house developed app on Samsung phones. The A330 was found to be slightly quieter than the 777 (with the 777-200ER being marginally quieter than the 777-300ER), while the A350 was found to be largely the same as the Boeing 787. However, the Airbus A380 was found to be the quietest airliner in the study, despite being older than either the A350 or the 787. Several other studies confirm the same findings.

The inflight noise (or lack thereof) is one of the reasons why the A380 is so popular with passengers, as lower noise levels reduce fatigue and make long-haul flights less physically taxing. The noise levels are so low that some have complained that the A380 is too quiet, particularly crew members. Pilots and flight attendants are used to higher ambient noise levels on other airliners, so it’s more difficult to rest, as other noises, like passenger movement, come through louder.

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How Airbus Made The A380 So Quiet On The Inside

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One reason the A380 is so quiet is simply due to its vast size. Passengers (especially on the upper deck) are farther from the engines, which are among the largest contributors to inflight noise. Widebody airliners are also generally quieter than narrowbodies. In addition, the A380’s enormous cross-section means passengers are farther from the ceiling and underfloor, reducing aerodynamic noise in the cabin.

This effect is most pronounced on the A380 due to the size and design of its double-decker fuselage. Beyond the basic shape of the aircraft’s fuselage, the A380 also features heavy use of insulating materials to dampen sound. The aircraft’s aerodynamics were specifically designed with wind noise in mind, as engineers paid close attention to exterior areas that contributed to higher noise and worked to reduce it.

The engines were also designed with noise in mind, featuring a high bypass ratio and rotating more slowly than older designs, such as the PW4000, lowering noise. With the aircraft’s enormous wing, the engines have to produce less power than if the wing were smaller. Airbus also designed new insulating panels and nacelle linings for the aircraft’s engine cowlings, reducing engine noise. This contributes to an overall quieter airliner than even newer widebodies.

The Airbus A380’s Exterior Noise Levels

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While the A380’s interior and aerodynamic design choices contribute to lower noise levels, this doesn’t impact the aircraft’s exterior noise. What contributes to the A380’s exterior noise is the design of the nacelles. While the engines are designed by either Rolls-Royce or Engine Alliance, the nacelles are the responsibility of Airbus, and the manufacturer has taken significant measures to reduce the plane’s exterior noise footprint.

The nacelle features advanced acoustic linings to insulate specific sounds, and the design of the engine inlet is seamless to further reduce exterior noise. The nacelles also extensively feature composite materials, which tend to insulate noise better than traditional aircraft aluminum. In addition, the aircraft’s high-bypass engines reduce noise compared to engines with a lower bypass ratio.

The A380 is ultimately louder than the Airbus A350 or Boeing 787 on the outside. As a whole, however, it remains one of the world’s quietest widebodies, and it’s significantly quieter than older planes such as the 747 or 777. This is notably beneficial at airports such as London Heathrow, which have strict noise regulations and charge fees depending on aircraft noise footprints. As such, flying the A380 to Heathrow and similarly strict airports is more cost-effective than an older airliner.

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Other Unique Benefits Of The Airbus A380’s Design

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Not only is the Airbus A380 incredibly quiet, but the aircraft’s immense size means it handles turbulence and wind gusts better than virtually any other airliner. Take-offs and landings also feel smoother than even a large widebody such as the 777. Furthermore, the aircraft’s size lends itself to an expansive interior. The A380 has exceptionally high cabin ceilings, and its interior width allows airlines to install wider seats while maintaining wider aisles than other widebodies.

The upper deck comfortably fits eight seats per row in economy with storage bins by the sidewalls, while the lower deck is wide enough to install 11-abreast in economy (although every A380 operator goes with 10-abreast). A380s also feature a large ‘crown’ area at the front of the upper deck. This space cannot be used for additional passenger seating, so instead, carriers have to innovate.

Most A380 operators choose to install large premium lavatories in this space, but this is where Emirates installs its famous shower suites. Some carriers, such as Qantas and Korean Air, install lounges instead, while the crown is also where Etihad Airways installs the Residence, a three-room suite with a living room, a lavatory with a shower, and a dedicated bedroom. The A380 also has several practical benefits for airlines.

Despite being larger, it uses less runway than the Boeing 747and has comparable pavement loading due to the increased size of the landing gear. In addition, the A380’s brakes are strong enough that the aircraft requires thrust reversers only on the inner engines. This reduces costs and complexity for the outer engines while lowering the risk of foreign object debris ingestion. It also has cockpit commonality with other modern Airbus types, reducing pilot training costs.