The story behind the innovative widebody jet's "troubled but also path-breaking development," with hundreds of photos ( Airways).With the launch of its superjumbo, the A380, Airbus made what looked like an unbeatable bid for commercial aviation supremacy. But archrival Boeing responded: Not so fast.Boeing's 787 Dreamliner would generate more excitement—and more orders—than any commercial airplane in the company's history. This book offers a fascinati...

Poised for takeoff on that hot morning in April 2005, the Airbus A380 had the purposeful, powerful presence of a giant predatory bird. With its enormous gulled wings, imperiously tall tail, and broad, domed forepeak, it looked ready to take on the world. And along the way, it has had plenty of supporters-and critics. No civil airliner since the supersonic Concorde has aroused such emotion, such fascination, and such cause célèbre. To a confident Airbus and the thousands of awestruck worker...