With the maiden flight scheduled to take place in less than 12 months, the team in Toulouse knows it must pick up the pace. While they slowly assemble the massive fuselage sections and giant wings, production snags threaten to ground the entire project - and the pressure begins to show.

After months of preparation, the Airbus A380 thundered down the runway and into the air for the very first time - and landed in the record books as the world's biggest airliner. See how the engineers and test pilots made this incredible feat possible.

At nearly 50 per cent biggest than its nearest rival, the Airbus A380 is unlike anything the skies have ever seen. But before this behemoth soars into commercial aviation history, it must undergo rigorous testing and safety checks.

The test-flight crew push the plane to its limits, verifying its performance, safety and airport compatibility - to accommodate its huge wingspan, runways will require adjustments.