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Flying Sardine Can Fully Loaded

An Airbus A-380, fully loaded with 474 Airbus employees has taken off in a 7 hour test flight from Toulouse. The human guinea pigs are helping put the enormous double-decker aircraft through internal system testing.

During the seven-hour flight, which left from Toulouse, in southwest France, 474 Airbus employees aboard the plane will be putting the superjumbo's seating, kitchens and cabin systems such as air conditioning and in-flight entertainment through their paces, Airbus said.

Up to 30 Airbus cabin experts and equipment manufacturers are on the plane, with two test pilots at the controls.

Yet to be certified for commercial service, the A380 is entering the final stages of its test program with 1,900 hours of flying time already logged by its team of test pilots. The first finished plane is due to be delivered to Singapore by the end of the year.

The program has been plagued by delays and there has been a complete management shakeup at Airbus as a result. We only link to stories about the A-380 because it gives us a chance to revisit this particular illustration of the aircraft's seating arrangements.