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Supposedly the A380 also has a max weight that would not use all the available volume for cargo. "The A380-F would be able to carry 60% more volume than the 74

• dx034 9y ago
  Is that a restriction? Are cargo planes typically flying at weight capacity? I thought with ecommerce, more lower-weight items are now flown.
  • ubernostrum 9y ago
    The A380's maximum takeoff weight is 575,000kg, compared to 447,700kg for a 747-8 freighter. However, the A380 -- sitting empty on the ground -- weighs 80,000kg more to begin with, and also requires more fuel (because of its greater mass). The result is that the useful payload of an A380 is lower than a 747-8F (about 84,000kg versus 132,000kg). And that's without getting into the other issues, like the A380's structural middle-deck (which can't be removed to turn the interior into a giant cargo hold) or inability to have its nose turned into a large cargo door like a 747 (the A380's flight deck is too low to the ground, in order to maintain training compatibility with the A330 and A340).