
How many miles can a Airbus A340 fly?
Airbus A340. It seats up to 375 passengers in the standard variants and 440 in the stretched -600 series. Depending on the model, it has a range of 6,700 to 9,000 nautical miles (12,400 to 16,700 km; 7,700 to 10,400 mi ). Its distinguishing features are four high-bypass turbofan engines and three-leg main landing gear .
What happened to Air Canada’s Airbus A340s?
Despite arriving brand-new at the airline, their spell at Air Canada only lasted just over three years. In October 2007, the pair of A340-500s left Air Canada within 18 days of each other. They went on to fly for Brazilian flag carrier TAM.
When did Air France fly the first A340 300?
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. Air France replaced its Boeing 747s with A340s on Paris–Washington D.C., flying four times weekly. Lufthansa intended to replace aging DC-10s with the A340s on Frankfurt–New York services.
How many A340s does Virgin Atlantic still fly?
At this point, it had 14 A340-600 remaining in service, with gradual retirement up to 2025 planned. Virgin Atlantic has used the A340 extensively for its long-haul flights. It took delivery of its first A340-300 in April 1993, named ‘Lady in Red.’

How long can the A340 fly?
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....Airbus A340.A340ManufacturerAirbusFirst flight25 October 1991Introduction15 March 1993 with Lufthansa & Air FranceStatusIn service9 more rows
What is the longest A340 flight?
In 2004, an Airbus A340-500 made history by flying the longest route in the world from Singapore to Los Angeles non-stop. The journey took 14 hours and 40 minutes to complete, flying 14,093 km.
Is the A340 the safest plane?
The A340 is also one of the safest, with no fatalities to the 380 units since its introduction in March 1993. All in all, when it comes to Airbus, the A220, A319neo, A320neo, A321neo, A340, A350, and A380 have a clean record. On Boeing's side, the 717, 747-8, and 787 have clean flight records.
What is the range of an Airbus A340?
Ultra long-haul capabilities Capable of flying 9,000 nautical miles with a maximum passenger payload, the A340-500 is Airbus' longest-range jetliner.
Why is the A340 being retired?
Many airlines scrapped their Boeing 747s and Airbus A340s due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Most aircraft were already earmarked for retirement as four engines use more fuel than two.
Why was the A340 discontinued?
A340 production ended when Airbus realized they could not compete with the 777. Production of the A340 ended in 2011 with Airbus knowing they could no longer compete against the twin-engine Boeing 777.
Do pilots prefer Boeing or Airbus?
Do pilots prefer Boeing or Airbus? Pilots will always differ in opinion. The general feeling is that Airbus aircraft on the narrowbodies (A320 etc) are slightly more comfortable in terms of space in the flight deck than a 737 for example.
What is the smoothest plane to fly on?
The best plane for turbulence: Boeing 787-9 Narrow wings, high flex and automated alleviation.
What is the safest plane in the world?
According to experts, the model (737-800) is considered to be the safest aircraft ever made. The 737-800 belongs to the aviation giant's next-generation aircraft which also includes 600, 700, and 900.
Is A340 underpowered?
The 727 original engines made it very much underpowered. In its later life, retrofitted with new, more powerful engines, it became a real rocket. As for the A340 being underpowered, it has to do with its weight class. It is not big enough to justify 4 widebody engines like the CF-6 or the PW4000 or RB211.
Is A340 bigger than 777?
There's no greater rivalry in the aviation world than between Airbus and Boeing, with the Airbus A-340 and Boeing 777 epitomizing this....Airbus A340-600 vs Boeing 777-300.Aircraft:Airbus A340-600Boeing 777-300Photo:Cabin Width:5.28 metre 17.32 feet5.86 metre 19.23 feetCabin Length:60.98 metre 200.06 feet59.24 metre 194.35 feet32 more rows
Why does A340 have 4 engines?
The A340 at the time of its launch was designed to get around restrictions on twin-engine aircraft. With four engines, it could operate further from a diversion airport, importantly including long overwater routes.
Is A340 bigger than 777?
There's no greater rivalry in the aviation world than between Airbus and Boeing, with the Airbus A-340 and Boeing 777 epitomizing this....Airbus A340-600 vs Boeing 777-300.Aircraft:Airbus A340-600Boeing 777-300Photo:Cabin Width:5.28 metre 17.32 feet5.86 metre 19.23 feetCabin Length:60.98 metre 200.06 feet59.24 metre 194.35 feet32 more rows
Which is bigger A340 vs A350?
As the A340-600 is 75.36 m (247.24 ft) long and the Airbus A350-1000 73.79 m (242.1 ft) long, we could hypothesize that if the A340-600 had been configured for only two classes, it would have carried more passengers.
Which is the longest plane in the world?
Boeing's 777-9 is the world's largest and longest twin-engine commercial aircraft. Once it goes into service, the 251-foot-long aircraft will ferry up to 425 passengers on long-haul flights—spanning up to 7,285 nautical miles—around the world.
Can an A340 fly on two engines?
The A340 at the time of its launch was designed to get around restrictions on twin-engine aircraft. With four engines, it could operate further from a diversion airport, importantly including long overwater routes. In the years that followed, though, restrictions were increasingly lifted on twin-engine aircraft.
What was the A340?
The A340 was a significant development at the time of its launch. It marked Airbus’ entry into the quad jet market and offered healthy competition for other manufacturers.
When did the A330 become the A340?
In 1986 , the development project moved forward and became the A330 and A340. Airbus board-chairman Franz Josef Strauß said at the time:
How many engines does the A340 have?
The main selling point of the A340 was its four engines, not necessarily its increased capacity or range. Airbus would return later to the high capacity model later with the A380. Having four engines enabled it to operate longer over-water flights, something for which the A330 was restricted.
What is the A330 based on?
Airbus also made further savings by using designs from the A300 and A320. The fuselage of the A330/A340 is based on a stretched A300 fuselage. And the fly-by-wire controls and cockpit are inherited from the A320. The A340 cockpit is based on the A320. Photo: Airbus.
What is the difference between an A330 and an A340?
The main differences between the A330 and A340 are, of course, in the two or four-engine setup. The A340 also has a larger wing and an additional middle re ar landing gear. This middle landing gear is unusual; most heavy aircraft use two gears with increased wheels to cope with the extra load.
How many variants of the A340 were made?
This guide takes a look through the history and development of the A340. Four variants were developed, and it was designed alongside the twin-engine A330. This was a smart move by Airbus, lowering costs, and covering the fact that the A340 soon fell out of favor as twins improved.
Why was the A340 designed?
The A340 at the time of its launch was designed to get around restrictions on twin-engine aircraft. With four engines, it could operate further from a diversion airport, importantly including long overwater routes.
What is an A340?
The Airbus A340 aircraft is a low-wing four-engined jet airliner developed and assembled by Airbus Industrie. The A340 was developed alongside the twin-engined A330, as discussed on our A340 history page, Both the A330, A340 200 and A340 300 share the same wide body fuselage and wing design. The A340 500 and A340 600 which were developed later had a larger wing as they were designed for long non-stop flight routes. Coming in four models of varying fuselage length, the A340 was developed for long distance flight at a time when the long distance twin jets of today were yet to make their mark. The variants numbered as; A340 200, A340 300, A340 500 and the A340 600 as shown in the table below all shared a common airframe with slight differences between them.
What is the difference between the A340 200 and A340 300?
The A340 200 and A340 300 had a standard tricycle undercarriage with a 2 wheeled bogie under the nose, a 4 wheeled bogie under each wing and an additional 2 wheeled bogie under the fuselage almost in line with the main under-wing bogies. The A340 500 and A340 600 sported the same centre under fuselage bogie but with 4 wheels instead of 2.
Why did the A340 600 have 4 wheels?
This was to support the significantly higher weights that these two aircraft were capable of lifting.
Which aircraft has a wingspan greater than its fuselage length?
The A340 200 was the only model to have its wing-span greater than its’ fuselage length. The A340 200 was the only model to have its wingspan greater than its’ fuselage length. Air Canada Airbus A340-313X. The wings of the A340, like the A330, look long and narrow. Almost flimsy looking it gives both aircraft a look of grace.
Is the A340 500 a tanker?
At the time of the doubling of fuel prices in 2008, the Chief Executive of Air France – KLM was reported to have described the A340 500 as a flying tanker with a few people on board. Check our table of A340 specs below. An Airbus A340 300 of Swiss International Air Lines taking off.
What is the range of the A340-300?
A versatile airliner with a plentitude of options. Economy Class. With a service range of 7.400 nautical miles, Airbus’ A340-300 is tailored to meet the needs of the long-range market – offering direct point-to-point services.
What is hi fly?
Hi Fly is an airline specialized in the supply of commercial aircraft on wet lease, this means with crew, maintenance and insurance included. Inside the aircraft. airbus A340-300.
How long did Air Canada operate the A340?
One of Air Canada’s two A340-500s, which it operated from 2004 to 2007. Photo: BriYYZ via Flickr
How long did the A340-500 stay at Air Canada?
In October 2007, the pair of A340-500s left Air Canada within 18 days of each other. They went on to fly for Brazilian flag carrier TAM.
How many A340s does Air Canada have?
A penchant for the A340-300. According to ch-aviation, 13 of the 15 A340s that Air Canada used to operate belonged to the type’s -300 variant. Of these, all but one arrived at the airline in the mid to late 1990s.
How many seats does the A340 have?
The airline configured the cabins of these aircraft with 42 business class seats, and a 225-seat economy class section.
What became of the A340-300s that joined Air Canada in the 1990s?
But what became of the A340-300s that joined Air Canada in the 1990s? For the most part, these aircraft served the airline for somewhat longer than the final 2005 arrival. They left the fleet between January 2002 and November 2008. Airlines that they flew for after Air Canada included AirAsia X, Air Jamaica, BWIA West Indies Airways, Iberia, and SWISS.
What aircraft does Air Canada fly?
Canadian flag carrier Air Canada presently operates various Airbus designs, from the ex-Bombardier A220 to the twin-aisle A330. However, did you know that, previously, it has also flown the four-engine Airbus A340? A total of 15 of these aircraft graced the airline’s fleet between 1995 and 2008. Let’s explore their story further.
When did the A340-300 join Air Canada?
The final A340-300 to join Air Canada ( C-FDRO )arrived second-hand on lease from ILFC in June 2005. After just over two years at the carrier, its lease ended, and it joined Aerolineas Argentinas before being broken up Goodyear, Arizona in 2014.
How long is the A340?from en.wikipedia.org
The most common A340-300 reached 63.7 m (209 ft) to accommodate 250–290 passengers and had a 13,500 km / 7,300 nmi range. The A340-500 was 67.9 m (223 ft) long to seat 270–310 over 16,670 km / 9,000 nmi, 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.
When did the A340 start flying?from en.wikipedia.org
The first A340, a -200, was delivered to Lufthansa on 2 February 1993 and entered service on 15 March. The 228-seat airliner was named Nürnberg. 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. Air France replaced its Boeing 747s with A340s on Paris–Washington D.C., flying four times weekly. Lufthansa intended to replace aging DC-10s with the A340s on Frankfurt–New York services.
What is the A340 used for?from en.wikipedia.org
The A340 was typically used by airlines as a medium-sized long-haul aircraft, and was often a replacement for older Boeing 747s as it was more likely profitable. Airbus produced a number of A340s as large private jets for VIP customers, often to replace aging Boeing 747s in this same role. In 2008, Airbus launched a dedicated corporate jetliner version of the A340-200: one key selling point of this aircraft was a range of up to 8,000 nautical miles (15,000 km). Airbus had built up to nine different customized versions of the A340 to private customer's specific demands prior to 2008.
How much did the A340 cost in 2011?from en.wikipedia.org
In 2011, the unit cost of an A340-300 was US$238.0M ($273.8M today), US$261.8M for an A340-500 ($301.2M today) and US$275.4M for an A340-600 ($316.8M today). 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.
What engine did the A340 use?from en.wikipedia.org
However, talks were terminated as McDonnell Douglas insisted on the continuation of its trijet heritage. Although from the start it was intended that the A340 would be powered by four CFM56 -5 turbo fan engines, each capable of 25,000 pounds-force (110 kN), Airbus had also considered developing the aircraft as a trijet due to the limited power of engines available at the time, namely the Rolls-Royce RB211 -535 and Pratt & Whitney JT10D -232 (redesignated PW2000 in December 1980).
What is the range of an A340-8000?from en.wikipedia.org
One version of this type (referred to by Airbus as the A340-8000) was ordered by the prince Jefri Bolkiah requesting a non-stop range of 15,000 kilometres (8,100 nmi). This A340-8000, in the Royal Brunei Airlines livery had an increased fuel capacity, an MTOW of 275 tonnes (606,000 lb), similar to the A340-300, and minor reinforcements to the undercarriage. It is powered by the 150 kilonewtons (34,000 lbf) thrust CFM56-5C4s similar to the −300E. Only one A340-8000 was produced. Besides the −8000, some A340-200s are used for VIP or military use; users include Royal Brunei Airlines, Qatar Amiri Flight, Arab Republic of Egypt Government, Royal Saudi Air Force, Jordan and the French Air and Space Force. Following the −8000, other A340-200s were later given performance improvement packages (PIPs) that helped them achieve similar gains in capability as to the A340-8000. Those aircraft are labeled A340-213X. The range for this version is 15,000 kilometres (8,100 nmi).
What was the range of the TA9?from en.wikipedia.org
The first specifications of the TA9 and TA11 were released in 1982. While the TA9 had a range of 6,100 kilometres (3,300 nmi), the TA11 range was up to 12,650 kilometres (6,830 nmi). At the same time, Airbus also sketched the TA12, a twin-engine derivative of the TA11, which was optimised for flights of a 3,700 kilometres (2,000 nmi) lesser range. 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. 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. The TA11 and TA12 would use the front and rear fuselage sections of the A310. Components were modular and also interchangeable with other Airbus aircraft where possible to reduce production, maintenance and operating costs.

Development of The A340
- Airbus and the A300 project
The story of the A340 starts with the A300 and A320. The A300 was Airbus' first aircraft, in 1972. It was atwin-engine, twin-aisle aircraft,with a shortened variant, the A310. Following initial success with this, Airbus went on in the early 1980s to create a new twin-engine, single-aisle aircraft. The… - Developed alongside the A330
In 1986, the development project moved forward and became the A330 and A340. Airbus board-chairman Franz Josef Strauß said at the time: Developing the two aircraft together brought many advantages. They shared the same basic fuselage and wing design, and many structural compo…
A340 Orders and Deliveries, and Leading Operators
- Beating the competition
One of the aims of the A340 was to replace aging quadjets, including the Boeing 707 and Douglas DC-8. This was a market Airbus had not yet entered but saw an opportunity to offer a more efficient competitor, using updated technology. The A340 also got an early boost when problem… - A340 operating airlines
In all, 377 A340 aircraft have been delivered to 48 airlines. The largest operators of the A340 have included the following airlines. This is based on orders and deliveries data from Airbus, some airlines have operated more aircraft through leases or second-hand purchases (some of this is n…
Competition and Decline of The A340
- Improvement in ETOPS ratings
The A340 at the time of its launch was designed toget around restrictions on twin-engine aircraft. With four engines, it could operate further from a diversion airport, importantly including long overwater routes. In the years that followed, though, restrictions were increasingly lifted on twin-… - Switching to twin engines
With these improvements, airlines have moved to twin engines. Increasing engine power has helped too. Two engines are cheaper to buy, maintain, and, critically, to operate. The Boeing 777 soon became the main competitor to the A340.If, of course, offered the efficiency improvement o…