巨型客机

Megaplane

The Boeing Corp. and Europe’s Airbus consortium are preparing to offer bigger airplanes to the world’s airlines. Now that talks on a joint project have broken down, Boeing is pushing a stretched version of the 747, and Airbusis designing an all-new aircraft, known as the A3XX.

Seating 550 passengers in the basic model, and 650 in a stretched version, the 1.2 millionpound A3XX will not only be the largest airplane in the world, but it will also be one of the most advanced. The outer wings and the horizontal stabilizer（as big as a smaller jet’s wing）will be made of carbon-fiber composite materials, and will be the largest such structures on any aircraft except the B-2 stealth bomber. Metal skins will be welded together with lasers, eliminating thousands of fasteners.

When a gust strikes the A3XX’S 260-foot wing, movable control surfaces will prevent it from flexing like a giant spring. This will make the ride smoother, and will save weight by reducing the load on the wing spars. A flexible-skinned flap will subtly change the wing’s curvature to match the airplane’s changing weight as it burns fuel on each journey.

The A3XX will carry up to 1,600 meals, filling more than 100 food and beverage carts. To make more room for passengers, Airbus plans to put the carts in the lower hold; automatic conveyors and elevators will deliver them to the two passenger decks. Airlines have asked Airbus to look at extra features ranging from lower-deck sleeper cabins to a children’s playroom.

Airbus expects to offer the A3XX to airlines in 1998, and deliver the fist aircraft in 2003.



?译文：

波音公司与欧洲空中客车国际财团拟向全球航空业推出更大型的客机。因两者合作开发的商谈未果，波音公司正加紧推出747扩展型；而空中客车公司也在设计全新的A3XX型客机。

A3XX空中客车基本型能载550名乘客，扩展型可载650名乘客。A3XX型机重120万磅，不仅是世界上最大的客机，也将是世上最先进的客机之一。这一机型的外翼及与较小的喷气机机翼大小相同的水平稳定翼由碳纤合成材料制成，除B-2隐形轰炸机外，没有任何一种飞机的机翼可与之相比。金属外壳由激光铎成一体，从而免去成千上万个扣钉。

A3XX 260 英尺长的机翼受大风猛击时，活动式控制面象一巨型弹簧加以调节，防止机翼扭曲，从而使飞机更平稳；由于减轻翼梁的负载，飞机重量也得以减轻。飞机在飞行中，由于燃料消耗，机身重量不断变化，可变襟翼则可随机身重量的改变而调整机翼的曲面。

A3XX机能携带一千六百份饭，装于一百多辆饮食推车上。空中客车国际财团为了给乘客提供更多的空间，计划将饮食推车放置底层舱，由自动传送带及升降机将饮食车送至两层乘客舱。航空公司要求空中客车财团为这种飞机提供更多的设施，如底层卧舱，儿童游乐室等。

空中客车财团希望在1998年向航空公司推出A3XX型客机，并于2003年提供首架A3XX机。

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