Airbus A340
Airbus A340 | |
---|---|
An A340-300 of Lufthansa, its largest remaining operator. | |
Role | Wide-body jet airliner |
National origin | Multi-national |
Manufacturer | Airbus |
First flight | 25 October 1991 |
Introduction | 15 March 1993Lufthansa & Air France | with
Status | Out of production, in service |
Primary users | SWISS
|
Produced | 1991–2012[1] |
Number built | 380 (377 delivered to airlines)[2] |
Developed from | Airbus A300 |
The Airbus A340 is a
. In the mid-1970s, Airbus conceived several derivatives of theKeeping the eight-abreast economy cross-section of the A300, the early A340-200/300 has a similar
The shortest A340-200 measured 59.4 m (195 ft), and with a 12,400 km range (6,700 nmi; 7,700 mi) with 210–250 seats in 3-class. The most common A340-300 reached 63.7 m (209 ft) to accommodate 250–290 passengers and could cover 13,500 km (7,300 nmi; 8,400 mi). The A340-500 was 67.9 m (223 ft) long to seat 270–310 over 16,670 km (9,000 nmi; 10,360 mi), the longest-range airliner at the time. The longest A340-600 was stretched to 75.4 m (247 ft), then the longest airliner, to accommodate 320–370 passengers over 14,450 km (7,800 nmi; 8,980 mi).
As improving engine reliability allowed ETOPS operations for almost all routes, more economical twinjets have replaced quadjets on many routes. On 10 November 2011, Airbus announced that the production reached its end, after 380 orders had been placed and 377 delivered from Toulouse, France. The A350 is its successor; the McDonnell Douglas MD-11 and the Boeing 777 were its main competitors. By the end of 2021, the global A340 fleet had completed more than 2.5 million flights over 20 million block hours and carried over 600 million passengers with no fatalities. As of March 2023[update], there were 203 A340 aircraft in service with 45 operators worldwide. Lufthansa is the largest A340 operator with 27 aircraft in its fleet.
Development
Background
When Airbus designed the
The A300B11,
To differentiate the programme from the SA studies, the B9 and B11 were redesignated the TA9 and TA11 (SA standing for "single aisle" and TA standing for "twin aisle").[6] In an effort to save development costs, it was decided that the two would share the same wing and airframe; the projected savings were estimated at US$500 million (about £490 million or €495 million).[11] The adoption of a common wing structure also had one technical advantage: the TA11's outboard engines could counteract the weight of the longer-range model by providing bending relief.[7] Another factor was the split preference of those within Airbus and, more importantly, prospective airliner customers. Airbus vice president for strategic planning, Adam Brown, recalled,
North American operators were clearly in favour of a twin[jet], while Asians wanted a quad[jet]. In Europe, opinion was split between the two. The majority of potential customers were in favour of a quad despite the fact, in certain conditions, it is more costly to operate than a twin. They liked that it could be ferried with one engine out, and could fly 'anywhere'— ETOPS (extend-range twin-engine operations) hadn't begun then.[12][13]
Design effort
The first specifications of the TA9 and TA11 were released in 1982.[14] While the TA9 had a range of 3,300 nautical miles (6,100 km; 3,800 mi), the TA11 range was up to 6,830 nautical miles (12,650 km; 7,860 mi).[14] At the same time, Airbus also sketched the TA12, a twin-engine derivative of the TA11, which was optimised for flights of a 2,000 nautical miles (3,700 km; 2,300 mi) lesser range.[14] By the time of the Paris Air Show in June 1985, more refinements had been made to the TA9 and TA11, including the adoption of the A320 flight deck, fly-by-wire (FBW) flight control system and side-stick control.[15] Adopting a common cockpit across the new Airbus series allowed operators to make significant cost savings; flight crews would be able to transition from one to another after one week of training.[16] The TA11 and TA12 would use the front and rear fuselage sections of the A310.[17] Components were modular and also interchangeable with other Airbus aircraft where possible[16] to reduce production, maintenance, and operating costs.
Airbus briefly considered a
Airbus had held discussions with McDonnell Douglas to jointly produce the aircraft, which would have been designated as the AM 300.
As refinements in the A340's design proceeded, a radical new engine option, the
On 27 January 1986, the Airbus Industrie Supervisory Board held a meeting in
Airbus Industrie is now in a position to finalise the detailed technical definition of the TA9, which is now officially designated the A330, and the TA11, now called the A340, with potential launch customer airlines, and to discuss with them the terms and conditions for launch commitments.[15]
The designations were originally reversed and were switched so the quad-jet airliner would have a "4" in its name. On 12 May 1986, Airbus dispatched fresh sale proposals to five prospective airlines including Lufthansa and Swissair.[15]
Production and testing
In preparations for production of the A330/A340, Airbus's partners invested heavily in new facilities.
British Aerospace accepted £450 million funding from the UK government, short of the £750 million originally requested.[26] Funds from the French and West German governments followed thereafter. Airbus also issued subcontracts to companies in Austria, Australia, Canada, China, Greece, Italy, India, Japan, South Korea, Portugal, the United States, and Yugoslavia.[27] The A330 and A340 programmes were jointly launched on 5 June 1987,[28] just prior to the Paris Air Show. The program cost was $3.5 billion with the A330, in 2001 dollars.[29] The order book then stood at 130 aircraft from 10 customers, apart from the above-mentioned Lufthansa and International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC). Eighty-nine of the total orders were A340 models.[26] At McDonnell Douglas, ongoing tests of the MD-11 revealed a significant shortfall in the aircraft's performance. An important carrier, Singapore Airlines (SIA), required a fully laden aircraft that could fly from Singapore to Paris, against strong headwinds during mid-winter in the northern hemisphere.[30] The MD-11, according to test results, would experience fuel starvation over the Balkans.[30] Due to the less-than-expected performance figures, SIA cancelled its 20-aircraft MD-11 order on 2 August 1991, and ordered 20 A340-300s instead.[31] A total of 200 MD-11s were sold, versus 380 A340s.[20]
The
Entry into service and demonstration
The first A340, a −200, was delivered to Lufthansa on 2 February 1993 and entered service on 15 March.[34] The 228-seat airliner was named Nürnberg.[36] The first A340-300, the 1000th Airbus, was delivered to Air France on 26 February, the first of nine it planned to operate by the end of the year.[34] Air France replaced its Boeing 747s with A340s on its Paris–Washington D.C. route, flying four times weekly.[37] Lufthansa intended to replace aging DC-10s with the A340s on Frankfurt–New York services.
On 16 June 1993, an A340-200 dubbed the World Ranger flew from the
Stretch: -500/-600 variants
Formulated in 1991, the A340-400X concept was a simple 12-frame, 20 ft 10 in (6.35 m) stretch of the −300 from 295 to 335 passengers with the MTOW increased to 553,360 to 588,600 lb (251 to 267 t) and the range decreased by 1,390 to 10,930 km (750 to 5,900 nmi).[42] CFM International was then set to develop a new engine for $1–1.5 billion that generated a thrust rating between the 150 kN (34,000 lbf) CFM56 and the 315–400 kN (70–90,000 lbf) GE90.[43] In 1994, Airbus was studying a heavier A340 Advanced with a reinforced wing and a selection of 178 kN (40,000 lbf) engines; these included the Pratt & Whitney advanced ducted propulsor, CFM International CFMXX or Rolls-Royce RB411, to a −300 stretch for 50 more passengers over the same range, a −300 with the −200 range and a −200 with more range. These models were slated to be introduced in 1996.[44] In 1995, the A340-400 was slated for introduction in the year 2000, seating 380 passengers with a 300 t (660,000 lb) take-off weight.[45]
In April 1996,
It was enlarged by 40% to compete with the then in-development 777-300ER/200LR: the wing would be expanded with a tapered wing box insert along the span extension, it would have enlarged horizontal stabilizers and the larger A330-200 fin and it would need 222–267 kN (50–60,000 lbf) of unit thrust. The ultra-long-haul 1.53 m (5.0 ft) -500 stretch would seat 316 passengers, a little more than the −300, over 15,355 km (8,290 nmi; 9,540 mi), while the 10.07 m (33.0 ft) -600 stretch would offer a 25% larger cabin for 372 passengers over a range of 13,700 km (7,400 nmi; 8,500 mi).[48] MTOW was increased to 356 t (785,000 lb).[49]
Unwilling to commit to a $1 billion development without good
In 1998, the −600 stretch was stabilised at 20 frames for 10.6 m (35 ft), the MTOW rose to 365 t (805,000 lb) and the unit thrust to 52,000 to 60,000 lbf (230 to 270 kN), keeping the Trent 700 2.47 m (8.1 ft) fan diameter with its scaled IP and HP compressors and the high-speed, low-loading HP and IP turbines of the Trent 800.[53]
Period | 1991[42] | 1994[44] | 1995[45] | 1996[48] | 1998[53] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Unit thrust | 178 kN (40,000 lbf) | 267 kN (60,000 lbf) | 267 kN (60,000 lbf) | ||
Stretch | 12 frames (40 pax) | 50 pax | 20–22 frames, 10.07 m (33.0 ft) | 20 frames, 10.6 m (35 ft) | |
Passengers | 335 | 380 | 375 | 380 | |
Range | 10,900 km (5,900 nmi; 6,800 mi) | same as −300 | 13,700 km (7,400 nmi; 8,500 mi) | 13,900 km (7,500 nmi; 8,600 mi) | |
MTOW | 267.0 t (588,600 lb) | 300 t (660,000 lb) | 356 t (785,000 lb) | 365 t (805,000 lb) |
Despite the −500/600 introduction, sales slowed in the 2000s as the Boeing 777-200LR/-300ER dominated the long-range 300–400 seat market. The A340-500IGW/600HGW high gross weight variants did not arouse much sales interest.[54][55][56] In January 2006, Airbus confirmed it had studied an A340-600E (Enhanced) that was more fuel-efficient than earlier A340s, reducing the per-seat fuel consumption by 8–9% compared to the −600. This model would become more competitive with the Boeing 777-300ER by utilizing new Trent 1500 engines and technologies from the A350 initial design.[54]
At 380 passengers, the advertised three-class
End of production
In 2005, 155 B777s were ordered against 15 A340s: twin engine ETOPS restrictions were overcome by lower operating costs compared to quad jets and the relaxation of ETOPS requirements for the A330, 777, and other twinjets.[58] In 2007, Airbus predicted that another 127 A340 aircraft would likely be produced through 2016, the projected end of production.[59]
In 2011, the unit cost of an A340-300 was US$238.0M ($322.4M today), US$261.8M for an A340-500 ($354.6M today) and US$275.4M for an A340-600 ($373M today).[60] On 10 November 2011, Airbus announced the end of the A340 program. At that time, the company indicated that all firm orders had been delivered.[61] The decision to terminate the program came as A340-500/600 orders came to a halt, with analyst Nick Cunningham pointing out that the A340 "was too heavy and there was a big fuel burn gap between the A340 and Boeing's 777". Bertrand Grabowski, managing director of aircraft financier DVB Bank SE, noted "in an environment where the fuel price is high, the A340 has had no chance to compete against similar twin engines, and the current lease rates and values of this aircraft reflect the deep resistance of any airlines to continue operating it".[54][55][56]
As a sales incentive amid low customer demand during the Great Recession, Airbus had offered buy-back guarantees to airlines that chose to procure the A340. By 2013, the resale value of an A340 declined by 30% over ten years, and both Airbus and Rolls-Royce were incurring related charges amounting to hundreds of millions of euros. Some analysts have expected the price of a flight-worthy, CFM56-powered A340 to drop below $10 million by 2023.[62]
Airbus could offer used A340s to airlines wishing to retire older aircraft such as the Boeing 747-400, claiming that the cost of purchasing and maintaining a second-hand A340 with increased seating and improved engine performance reportedly compared favourably to the procurement costs of a new Boeing 777.[63]
In 2013, as ultra-long range is a niche, the A340 was less attractive with best usage on long, thin routes, from
As an effort to support the A340's resale value, Airbus has proposed reconfiguring the aircraft's interior for a single class of 475 seats. As the Trent 500 engines are half the maintenance cost of the A340, Rolls-Royce proposed a cost-reducing maintenance plan similar to the company's existing program that reduced the cost of maintaining the RB211 engine powering Iberia's Boeing 757 freighters. Key to these programs is the salvaging, repair and reuse of serviceable parts from retired older engines.[65]
Airbus has positioned the larger versions of the A350, specifically the A350-900 and A350-1000, as the successors to the A340-500 and A340-600.
The ACJ340 is listed on the Airbus Corporate Jets website, as Airbus can convert retired A340 airliners to VIP transport configuration.[66]
Design
The Airbus A340 is a
The A340 has a low
The wing is swept back at 30 degrees, allowing a maximum operating
The A340 uses a modified A320
The aircraft monitors various sensors and automatically alerts the crew to any parameters outside of their normal range; pilots can also inspect individual systems. Electronic manuals are used instead of paper ones, with optional web-based updates. Maintenance difficulty and cost were reduced to half of that of the earlier and smaller Airbus A310.[82] Improved engine control and monitoring improved time on wing. The centralised maintenance computer can transmit real-time information to ground facilities via the onboard satellite-based ACARS datalink.[68][82] Heavy maintenance like structural changes remained unchanged, while cabin sophistications, like the in-flight entertainment, were increased over preceding airliners.[82]
-
The A340-200/300/8000 is powered by fourCFM56-5Cs with exhaust mixers
-
The A340-500/600 is powered by four larger Rolls-Royce Trent 500s with separate flows
Operational history
The first variant of the A340 to be introduced, the A340-200, entered service with the launch customer, Lufthansa, in 1993. It was followed shortly thereafter by the A340-300 with its operator, Air France. Lufthansa's first A340, which had been dubbed Nürnberg (D-AIBA),
Singapore Airlines ordered 17 A340-300s and operated them until October 2003. The A340-300s were purchased by Boeing as part of an order for
The A340 was typically used by airlines as a medium-sized long-haul aircraft and was often a replacement for older
The A340 has frequently been operated as a dedicated transport for
In 2008,
By 2014, Singapore Airlines had phased out the type, discontinuing
In 2013,
In January 2021, Lufthansa, which was the largest remaining operator by then, announced that their entire Airbus A340-600 fleet will be retired with immediate effect and not return to service in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.[105] Ultimately, Lufthansa reactivated their A340-600s in late 2021,[106] while remaining committed to operating the smaller Airbus A340-300.[107][108] Later in 2021, a Portuguese charter carrier landed an A340 in Antarctica for the first time in history.[109]
As of December 2021, the global A340 fleet had carried over 600 million passengers and completed more than 2.5 million flights over 20 million block hours since its entry into service with 99 percent operational reliability[110] and zero fatal accidents.[111]
Variants
ICAO code[112] | Model(s) |
---|---|
A342 | A340-200 |
A343 | A340-300 |
A345 | A340-500 |
A346 | A340-600 |
There are four variants of the A340. The A340-200 and A340-300 were launched in 1987 with introduction into service in March 1993 for the −200. The A340-500 and A340-600 were launched in 1997 with introduction into service in 2002. All variants were available in a corporate version.
A340-200
The −200 is one of two initial versions of the A340; it has seating for 261 passengers in a three-class cabin layout with a
One version of this type (referred to by Airbus as the A340-8000) was ordered by the prince
As of March 2024, all but two of the active remaining A340-200s still flying were VIP or government planes. Conviasa and Mahan Air are the only remaining commercial operators of the type.[115]
A340-300
The A340-300 flies 295 passengers in a typical three-class cabin layout over 6,700 nautical miles (12,400 km; 7,700 mi). This is the initial version, having flown on 25 October 1991, and it entered service with Lufthansa and Air France in March 1993. It is powered by four CFMI CFM56-5C engines and uses the Honeywell 331–350[A] APU,[114] similar to the version used on the −200. The A340-300 was superseded by the A350-900.[116] Its closest competitor was the Boeing 777-200ER.[117] A total of 218 -300s were delivered.
The A340-300E, often mislabelled as A340-300X, has an increased
As of March 2024, there were 61 Airbus A340-300s in airline service.[118]
A340-500
When the A340-500 was introduced, it was the world's longest-range commercial airliner. It first flew on 11 February 2002 and was certified on 3 December 2002.
Designed for
The A340-500IGW (Increased Gross Weight) version has a range of 17,000 km (9,200 nmi; 11,000 mi) and a
The A340-500 proved to be unpopular with customers.[128] This was primarily attributed to its perceived inefficiency, as it carried a relatively low number of passengers while still retaining most of the heavy structural elements of its larger sibling, the A340-600, from which it was derived. Furthermore, operating in the specialized ultra long-haul market proved challenging, given the substantial fuel load required for such extended flights, making it a segment where profitability was hard to achieve.[citation needed]
As of August 2022, there are no longer any commercial A340-500 routes.[129] However, Azerbaijan Airlines later put both of its aircraft back in service later in 2022, but removed them from service as of January 2023.
A340-600
Designed to replace early-generation Boeing 747-200/300 airliners, the A340-600 is capable of carrying 379 passengers in a three-class cabin layout for 13,900 km (7,500 nmi; 8,600 mi). It provides similar passenger capacity to a 747 but with 25 percent more cargo volume and with lower trip and seat costs. The first flight of the A340-600 was made on 23 April 2001.[130] Virgin Atlantic began commercial services in August 2002.[131][132] The variant's main competitor is the 777-300ER. The A340-600 was replaced by the A350-1000.
The A340-600 is 12 m (39 ft 4.4 in) longer than a −300, more than 4 m (13 ft 1.5 in) longer than the
The A340-600HGW (High Gross Weight) version first flew on 18 November 2005
As of March 2024, there were 33 A340-600s in service with nine airlines worldwide.[139]
Operators
Over the duration of the programme, a total of 377 A340 family aircraft were delivered, of which 202 were in service as of January 2024[update]. The largest scheduled airline operators were Lufthansa (34), Mahan Air (12), European Cargo (8), South African Airways (7), Swiss International Air Lines (4), and amongst other airlines, governments, charter and private operators with fewer aircraft of the type.[140]
Deliveries
Deliveries | |||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Type | Total | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 | 1999 | 1998 | 1997 | 1996 | 1995 | 1994 | 1993 |
A340-200 | 28 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 12 |
A340-300 | 218 | - | - | - | - | 3 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 10 | 8 | 22 | 19 | 20 | 23 | 30 | 25 | 14 | 21 | 10 |
A340-500 | 34 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 7 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
A340-600 | 97 | 2 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 18 | 15 | 14 | 16 | 8 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
A340 family | 377 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 25 | 28 | 26 | 28 | 16 | 22 | 19 | 20 | 24 | 33 | 28 | 19 | 25 | 22 |
'Note: The total number of deliveries corresponds to the Airbus O&D file,[2] while the details are given in the ABCD list..[141]
Accidents and incidents
The A340 has never been involved in a fatal accident, although there have been six hull losses:[142][143]
Accidents
- Landing phase
- 5 November 1997 – Virgin Atlantic Flight 024, an Airbus A340-311 registered as G-VSKY China Girl, conducted an emergency landing on Runway 27L at London Heathrow Airport with the aircraft's left-main landing gear partially extended. The aircraft was repaired and returned to service.[144][145]
- 29 August 1998 – a Sabena Airbus A340-200 registered as OO-SCW was severely damaged while landing on Runway 25L at Brussels Airport. The right main gear collapsed; the right engines and wingtip hit the runway and slid to the right in soft ground. The 248 passengers and 11 crew were safely evacuated. The cause of the gear failure was found to be a fatigue crack. Although severely damaged, the aircraft was repaired and returned to service for 16 years until it was stored.[146]
- 2 August 2005 – Air France Flight 358, an Airbus A340-313E registered as F-GLZQ, was destroyed by a crash and subsequent fire after it overran runway 24L at Toronto Pearson International Airport while landing in a thunderstorm. The aircraft slid into Etobicoke Creek and caught fire. All 297 passengers and 12 crew survived; 43 people were injured, 12 seriously.[147][148]
- 9 November 2007 – Iberia Airlines Flight 6463, an Airbus A340-642 registered as EC-JOH, was badly damaged after sliding off the runway at Ecuador's Mariscal Sucre International Airport. The landing gear collapsed and two engines broke off. All 345 passengers and 14 crew members were evacuated by inflatable slides, and there were no serious injuries. The aircraft was scrapped.[149]
- Take-off phase
- 20 March 2009 – Emirates Flight 407, an Airbus A340-541 registered as A6-ERG, failed to take off properly from Melbourne Airport, hitting several structures at the end of the runway before eventually climbing enough to return to the airport for a safe landing. The occurrence was severe enough to be classified an accident by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau.[150][151] The plane was subsequently repaired, and returned to service for five years before it was scrapped.[152]
Incidents
- Fire related
- 20 January 1994 – an Air France Airbus A340-200 registered as F-GNIA was destroyed by fire during servicing at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport.[153] This marks the first hull-loss of an A340.
- 11 June 2018 – A Lufthansa Airbus A340-300 registered as D-AIFA was being towed with maintenance staff on board to the departure gate at Frankfurt Airport's terminal when the tow truck caught fire. The flames substantially damaged the aircraft front section, and 10 people on the ground received minor injuries.[154] The damage was assessed to be beyond economical repair and the aircraft was written off.[152]
- Test related
- 15 November 2007 – an Airbus A340-600 with the test registration F-WWCJ was damaged beyond repair during ground testing at Airbus' facilities at written off and was later used at Virgin Atlantic's cabin crew training facility in Crawley, England.[157] It had been due to be delivered to Etihad Airways.[158]
- War related
- 24 July 2001 – a SriLankan Airlines Airbus A340-300 registered as 4R-ADD was destroyed on the ground at Bandaranaike International Airport; being one of 26 aircraft which were damaged or destroyed during a major attack upon the airport by Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam militants.[159][160]
Specifications
Variant | A340-200[161] | A340-300[161] | A340-500[162] | A340-600[162] |
---|---|---|---|---|
Cockpit crew | Two | |||
3-class seats[163] | 210–250 | 250–290 | 270–310 | 320–370 |
typ. layout | 303 (30F + 273Y) | 335 (30F + 305Y) | 313 (12F + 36J + 265Y) | 380 (12F + 54J + 314Y) |
Exit limit[164] | 420[c][d]/375[e] | 375[e]/440[c][d] | 375[e] | 440[e] |
Length[163] | 59.4 m / 195 ft 0 in | 63.69 m / 208 ft 11 in | 67.93 m / 220 ft 10 in | 75.36 m / 247 ft 3 in |
Wingspan | 60.3 m (197.83 ft) | 63.45 m (208.17 ft) | ||
Wing[165] | 363.1 m2 (3,908 sq ft), 29.7° sweep, 10 AR
|
437.3 m2 (4,707 sq ft), 31.1° sweep, 9.2 AR
| ||
Height | 17.03 m (55.86 ft) | 16.99 m (55.72 ft) | 17.53 m (57.51 ft) | 17.93 m (58.84 ft) |
Fuselage | 5.287 m (208.15 in) cabin width, 5.64 m (18.5 ft) outside width | |||
Cargo volume | 132.4 m3 (4,680 cu ft) | 158.4 m3 (5,590 cu ft) | 149.7 m3 (5,290 cu ft) | 201.7 m3 (7,120 cu ft) |
MTOW | 275 t (606,000 lb) | 276.5 t (610,000 lb) | 380 t (840,000 lb) | |
Max. PL | 51 t (112,000 lb) | 52 t (115,000 lb) | 54 t (119,000 lb) | 66 t (146,000 lb) |
OEW | 118 t (260,000 lb) | 131 t (289,000 lb) | 168 t (370,000 lb) | 174 t (384,000 lb) |
Max. Fuel | 110.4 t (243,395 lb) | 175.2 t (386,292 lb) | 155.5 t (342,905 lb)[f] | |
Engines (×4) | CFM International CFM56-5C | RR Trent 553 | RR Trent 556 | |
Thrust (×4)[164] | 138.78–151.24 kN (31,200–34,000 lbf) | 248.12–275.35 kN (55,780–61,902 lbf) | ||
Speed | Max.: Mach 0.86 (493 kn; 914 km/h; 568 mph) at 12,000 m (39,000 ft)[163] Cruise: Mach 0.82 (470 kn; 871 km/h; 541 mph) at 12,000 m (39,000 ft) | |||
Range, 3-class[163] | 12,400 km (6,700 nmi; 7,700 mi)[unreliable source?] | 13,500 km (7,300 nmi; 8,400 mi) | 16,670 km (9,000 nmi; 10,360 mi) | 14,450 km (7,800 nmi; 8,980 mi) |
Take off[g] | 2,900 m (9,500 ft) | 3,000 m (10,000 ft) | 3,350 m (10,990 ft) | 3,400 m (11,200 ft) |
Ceiling[164] | 12,527 m (41,100 ft) | 12,634 m (41,450 ft) |
- Line drawings
-
A340-200/300
-
A340-500/600
Engines
Model | Certification date | Engines[164] |
---|---|---|
A340-211 | 22 December 1992 | CFM 56-5C2 |
A340-212 | 14 March 1994 | CFM 56-5C3 |
A340-213 | 19 December 1995 | CFM 56-5C4 |
A340-311 | 22 December 1992 | CFM 56-5C2 |
A340-312 | 14 March 1994 | CFM 56-5C3 |
A340-313 | 16 March 1995 | CFM 56-5C4 |
A340-541 | 3 December 2002 | RR Trent 553-61 / 553A2-61 |
A340-542 | 15 February 2007 | RR Trent 556A2-61 |
A340-642 | 21 May 2002 | RR Trent 556-61 / 556A2-61 |
A340-643 | 11 April 2006 | RR Trent 560A2-61 |
See also
- Competition between Airbus and Boeing
- Deli Mike, an Airbus A340-300 notable for its strange unreliability
Related development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
Related lists
- List of jet airliners
- List of civil aircraft
References
- Notes
- ^ The higher the aspect ratio, the greater the aerodynamic efficiency: A higher aspect ratio wing has a lower drag and a slightly higher lift than a lower aspect ratio wing.[72]
- ^ This is the thickness to chord ratio of the early Airbus A340 variants, which share the same wing with the A330
- ^ a b 4 Type A doors
- ^ a b 9-abreast
- ^ a b c d 8-abreast
- ^ no aux. tank, 164 t (361,595 lb) with 1 aux. tank
- ISA
- References
- ^ "Completion of production marks new chapter in the A340 success story" (Press release). Airbus. 10 November 2011.
- ^ a b "Airbus orders and deliveries". Airbus. 31 July 2017. Archived from the original on 10 October 2017. Retrieved 6 August 2017.
- ^ Wensveen 2007, p. 63.
- ^ Gunston 2009, p. [page needed].
- ^ a b Norris & Wagner 2001, p. 18.
- ^ a b c Eden 2008, p. 30
- ^ a b c d e f Norris & Wagner 2001, p. 23.
- ^ Norris & Wagner 1999, p. 59.
- ^ Maynard, Micheline (11 June 2008). "To Save Fuel, Airlines Find No Speck Too Small". The New York Times.
- ^ "Commercial Aircraft of the World part 2". Flight International. 17 October 1981. Retrieved 23 January 2011.
- ^ Norris & Wagner 2001, p. 22.
- ^ Kingsley-Jones, Max (4 November 1997). "Airbus A330/A340". Flight International. Retrieved 26 January 2011.
- ^ Norris & Wagner 2001, pp. 22–23.
- ^ a b c Norris & Wagner 1999, p. 24.
- ^ a b c Norris & Wagner 2001, p. 27.
- ^ a b c Lawrence & Thornton 2005, p. 73.
- ^ Norris & Wagner 2001, p. 24.
- ^ Norris & Wagner 2001, p. 26.
- ^ a b Norris & Wagner 2001, p. 28.
- ^ a b c Norris & Wagner 1999, p. 67.
- ^ Gunston 2009, p. 201.
- ^ Norris & Wagner 2001, p. 36.
- ^ a b Norris & Wagner 2001, p. 51.
- ^ a b Norris & Wagner 2001, p. 52.
- ^ a b Norris & Wagner 2001, p. 53.
- ^ a b Norris & Wagner 2001, p. 32.
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- Bibliography
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External links
- Official Airbus A330 and A340 airliners web page
- Airbus A340-200/300 page on airliners.net
- Airbus A340 production list
- "Airbus A340 Report". Forecast International. April 2007.