HAMBURG, which most surprisingly lost out to Leipzig in the former GDR as the German bid city for the 2012 Olympics, did have one cause for celebration last week with the official opening of the Airbus 380 major component assembly hall. This massive building, 228 metres long, 120 metres wide and 23 metres high, will house the forward and complete rear fuselage assemblies for the new aircraft. When the first completed units are ready next year they will start a five day journey by sea to Bordeaux, via Mostyn in North Wales where the wing sections, built at Chester, will be loaded. Our photo was taken in October. http://www.airbus.com