Billion Air
Published in Wired
What's eight stories tall, weighs 361 tons, and is two years overdue? The A380 passenger jet. Airbus says it'll fill orders from 14 foreign customers for 156 of the double-deckers. Number 157 is reserved for an undisclosed billionaire, a civilian who'll pay $475 million for the plane—that's the $325 million price tag, plus $150 million in custom upgrades—making it one of the most expensive mobile homes in the world. Though he usually works on land, New York-based industrial designer Edése Doret was happy to outfit the personalized aircraft, dubbed Project Trinity, with everything from a massive formal dining room to a whirlpool tub. Doret's design is ready for takeoff, but Airbus may not be; the continued financial troubles for the French company might ground the airborne Xanadu. Maybe the mystery buyer wants a couple dozen?
Entry Lounge
The first thing you see when you walk in: luxury. Two plush couches, four captain's chairs, and a cocktail table are the ideal setup for a pre-takeoff beverage. And no, you don't have to chug your champagne—the seats are all approved for flight.
Cockpit
Two pilots (plus two more crew) keep your head in the clouds for up to 16 hours. But freedom has a price: Their wages, plus fuel and landing fees, bring each hour of flight to about $24,000.
Master Bedroom
A self-leveling king-size bed is key for turbulent overnight flights. Water sensors detect the angle of the jet, and electric linear actuators respond with a nudge in the opposite direction to keep things stable. Only passengers can rock this bed.
Crew Quarters
Even the flying Titanic has a steerage section. Here, the 18 crew members sleep in shifts on eight bunk beds and share a standard-issue airline bathroom.
Grand Lounge
The lamps, reclining seats, and sleeper sofas are bolted to the floor and rated to withstand forces in excess of 16 g's. Together, this “room” and the entry lounge accommodate 25 passengers (commercial A380s pack in 853).
Master Bath
This flying palace boasts a luxurious whirlpool. The round two-person tub is made of Lexan, a shatterproof plastic used in race-car windshields. In case of rapid cabin decompression (which could cause the enclosure to explode), the tub drains into a 60-gallon tank in the cargo hold within seconds.
Family Dining Area
Used for eating casual meals sans entourage: It seats only eight.
Oasis Lounge
Lavishly decorated with a hand-painted mural, pillowed floor seating, and Persian rugs, this linen-draped lounge doesn't dispel the rumor that the plane's mystery buyer is some Middle Eastern oil magnate.
Staff Seating Area
Accommodates 25 valets, paparazzi, brothers-in-law, sycophants, and other mutants not fit to sit in the Oasis Lounge. Still, the digs are on par with commercial first class.
Dining Area
Forget seat-back trays. This is a table for 14, with swiveling pop-up flatscreens on each side and a 70-inch LCD panel at the end. Nobody has to miss the in-flight movie during their 10-course dinner.
Office and Guest Suites
If it's too dark to enjoy the view, guests can watch Survivor via satellite on 42-inch flatscreen TVs. Or use the hookup to make calls and send faxes.
Passenger Galleys
Flight attendants prepare gourmet meals with that old airborne standby: the microwave. (Open flame + portable oxygen = bad idea.) Kitchen staff also have a sink, refrigerator, freezer, electric hot plate, dishwasher, and espresso machine at their disposal. Oh—and two wine fridges that hold 30 bottles apiece.
