Airbus 'superjumbo' undergoes testing in Shannon

The world's largest passenger aircraft, the Airbus A380 'superjumbo' underwent testing exercises in Shannon Airport today.

The aircraft touched down at around 11.50am today before spending a number of hours performing "cross-wind training".

A spokeswoman for the airport said winds at Shannon provided the testers with the exact conditions they were looking for.

She said the plane performed aborted take-offs and a number touch-and-goes - where the aircraft touches the runway before taking-off again.

The A380 also underwernt a series of instrument tests before returning to Toulouse shortly before 3pm.

The massive jet has a wingspan of 262ft and is capable of carrying 555 people in three classes or more than 800 in all-economy seating.

Shannon's 3.2 kilometre main runway is the longest in the country and the airport hosts 8 or 9 training sessions per month.

Last week Airbus's parent company EADS confirmed new delays to its A380 programme.

The €12-billion programme to produce the new plane is already up to a year overdue and sparked an EADS profit warning and management shake-up in June.