How many Airbus A340 aircraft are in commercial service?
Set out below is a list of former and current commercial operators of the Airbus A340 airliner. There were 214 Airbus A340 aircraft in commercial service as of June 2022. [1] Retired in 2022 and replaced by Airbus A330-900. [2] ^ "Orders & Deliveries". Airbus. 30 June 2021. Archived from the original on 10 February 2019.
How many A340-600s have been built?
A total of 97 A340-600s were built. The largest A340 operator is Lufthansa with 50 planes, followed by Iberia, Virgin Atlantic Airways and South African Airways. To date, the A340 has never been part of a fatal incident, however there have been five hull-losses.
What was the first published study on the A340?
The first published studies for the A340 were as the TA11 in 1981, as shown in the November issue of Air International Magazine (coinciding with the display of the A300 at that year's Farnborough Airshow).
How many A340 are in service?
There were 214 Airbus A340 aircraft in commercial service as of August 2022....Airline operators.LegendNotes*Current*FormerOrders
How many A340 are left?
Thus, the Boeing 777 took a lot of market share from the A340 as it offered a competitive range and capacity with better economics. According to Planespotters.net, there are 79 A340s listed as active with another 35 or so quad-jets listed as parked and another 87 or so listed as stored.
Is A340 bigger than 777?
Boeings' 777 can accommodate a typical three-class arrangement, with an up to ten abreast seating layout. It has a capacity of between 301 to 368 passengers. Keeping an eight-abreast economy cross-section, the A340-200/300 accommodates between 250 to 290 passengers.
When was the last A340 built?
Airbus has already halted production of the A340, which came out in 1993 just before changes in engine design and regulations allowed Boeing to develop its rival 777 with two engines instead of four, allowing airlines to fly many routes at a lower cost.
How many A340 have crashed?
The plane is part of the A330/A340 family of six related aircraft, all sharing the same airframe. The A340 has never crashed since it was introduced for commercial service in 1992, the spokeswoman, Barbara Kracht, said, speaking by telephone from Toulouse, France.
Is A340 bigger than 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.
Why did A340 fail?
Why it failed. The fuel consumption of the A340 was its Achilles heel. The upgrading of ETOPS for 180 minutes meant the A340 was competing against the behemoth that was the Boeing 777 for market share.
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.
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.
Is A340 obsolete?
However, in recent years, the A340 has become obsolete and is quickly fading into history.
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.
How many A380 have been built?
254As of December 2021, the global A380 fleet had completed more than 800,000 flights over 7.3 million block hours with no fatalities and no hull losses. As of June 2022, there were 239 aircraft in service with 16 operators worldwide....Airbus A380Number built254 (including three test aircraft)11 more rows
Are any A340 still flying?
Moving up to the A340s, the carrier has 17 A340-300s with an average age of 22 and a half years, and also five A340-600s, which average 15 years of age. While many airlines around the world have since retired their A340s, Lufthansa- and fellow group airline SWISS- have continued to operate the type.
Is the A340 still in production?
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....Airbus A340.A340Developed fromAirbus A30012 more rows
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 did A340 fail?
Why it failed. The fuel consumption of the A340 was its Achilles heel. The upgrading of ETOPS for 180 minutes meant the A340 was competing against the behemoth that was the Boeing 777 for market share.
How many versions of the A340 were made?
Four versions of the A340 were produced by Airbus: the A340-200, A340-300, A340-500 and A340-600.
How many hulls have been lost on the A340?
To date, the A340 has never been part of a fatal incident, however there have been five hull-losses.
Is the A340 still in production?
Twenty years after its maiden flight, Airbus announced the final end of A340 production! While new A340 aircraft are no longer to be built, Airbus will continue to fully support the current global fleet of A340s, as long as they are in operation.
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.
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.
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.
How many passengers can an A330 carry?
A330-200 can carry 246 passengers in two classes to a range of 7,250 nautical miles. A340-500 can carry 293 passengers in three classes to a range of 9,000 nautical miles. A330-300 can carry 300 passengers in two classes to a range of 6,350 nautical miles.
How many orders did the A340-600 have?
The A340-600 went on to be the second most ordered variant, with 97 orders. The A340-500 played an important niche role but only had 32 orders.
How many A340s does Iran have?
Next up is the Iranian airline Mahan Air. It still has a fleet of 11 A340s (five A340-300s and six A340-600s). With sanctions making new aircraft purchases difficult, airlines in Iran hold on to older fleets for longer. Mahan Air also still operates the A300 and A310.
What aircraft were developed alongside each other?
The A330 and A340 were developed alongside each other. Photo: Getty Images
Which airline has replaced the A340-500?
Singapore Airlines has replaced its A340-500s with the A350ULR. Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying.
Who is the A340 customer?
Lufthansa was the launch customer for the A340, initially ordering it to replace its aging DC-10s on its New York services. It went on to be the type’s largest operator, ordering a total of 62 aircraft – including eight A340-200, 30 A340-300, and 24 A340-600 aircraft.
Is the A340 the most popular aircraft?
The A340 was never the most popular or more ordered aircraft. Still, it has been well used by several airlines – especially Lufthansa. Feel free to share your thoughts on the aircraft or your experience flying on it in the comments.
When did the A340-500 enter service?
Higher capacity and longer range variants were developed during the late 1990s. The A340-500 entered service in 2001 with Emirates. It offers a range of 9,000 nautical miles (16,670 kilometers) – the highest range of any aircraft until beaten by the A350ULR. And the highest capacity A340-600 entered service in 2002 with Virgin Atlantic.
How many orders are there for the A318?
The A318 is the smallest member of the family, with just 80 orders. Photo: Getty Images
When was the A321LR launched?
The A321LR was launched in 2015 and added auxiliary fuel tanks to increase range. It so far has 192 orders from 18 airlines.
How far does the A321XLR range?
The A321XLR will take things even further, though. It adds an additional rear central tank and has a range of 4,700 NM (8,700 kilometers). This will open up many new route possibilities for airlines with narrowbody aircraft. So far, there are 449 orders from 19 airlines for the A321XLR (according to data from ch-aviation.com ). It remains on track to enter service in 2023.
When did the 737 MAX come out?
Both Boeing and Airbus have seen great success with their narrowbody aircraft. The Boeing 737 first flew in 1967 and remains well in production with the 737 MAX. Airbus came later with the A320, first flying in 1988 with Air France, and has likewise continued to improve with the A320neo family. To date, 9,930 A320 family aircraft have been delivered (with over 15,000 total orders). Boeing still leads with over 10,500 deliveries – but has had a lot longer to reach this.
When will the A320ceo be the most active aircraft?
The A320ceo was planned to be the most active aircraft over summer 2021. Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying.
When did Airbus come together?
Airbus came together in the 1970s with several European manufacturers joining to take on US competition. Offering larger jets for European airlines worked well – and of course, Airbus won US and international clients as well.
Will the A321XLR replace the 757?
Boeing did have plans for a new mid-sized aircraft (dubbed the NMA, or 797) but dropped this in 2020 – partly due to the new A321XLR offering. We have yet to see what it offers as a replacement, but until it does, Airbus has a distinct advantage with the A321neo.
When was the A340 made?
Concept drawings of the A320 (SA 9) and A330 (TA9) were also published, along with estimated performance figures by Airbus Industrie.The A340 was launched in June 1987 as a long-range complement to the short-range A320 and the medium-range A300. At the time, Airbus's twinjets were at a disadvantage against aircraft such as the Boeing 747 because of the ETOPS problem as defined by the then-current regulations: two-engined aircraft had to stay within 60 minutes' flying distance of a suitable diversion airport, which prevented them from competing on long over water routes. Furthermore, the existing ETOPS immune wide-bodies in the 250-300 seat range, the trijet DC-10 and L-1011, were aging, as they had been in service since the early 1970s.The A340 was designed in parallel with the twin-engined A330: both aircraft share the same wing and similar fuselage structure, and borrow heavily from the advanced avionics and composite structure technology developed for the A320. Both the A330 and A340 are assembled on the same final assembly line at Toulouse-Blagnac, France. The four-engined A340 is able to fly long over-water routes. Because of its ETOPS immunity, Virgin Atlantic Airways used the motto "4 Engines 4 Long Haul" on its A340 fleet.The A340 was originally intended to use the new superfan engines of International Aero Engines, but they decided to stop the engine's development. The engine nacelles of the superfan engine consisted of provisions to allow a large fan near the rear of the engine. As a result of the superfan cancellation by IAE, the CFM International CFM56-5C4 was used as the sole engine choice instead of being an alternate choice as originally envisioned. The longer-range versions, the A340-500 and -600, are powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 500 engines. When the A340 first flew in 1991, engineers noticed that the wings were not strong enough to carry the outboard engines at cruising speed without warping and fluttering. To alleviate this, an underwing bulge called a plastron was developed to correct airflow problems around the engine pylons and to add stiffness. The modified A340 began commercial service in 1993 with Lufthansa and Air France. Template:Fix The A340 incorporates high-technology features such as fully digital fly-by-wire flight control system. It also uses joysticks instead of yokes, with one joystick to the left of the pilot and one to the right of the co-pilot. The A340's flight deck is highly similar to the A320's, and employs a common pilot rating with the A330. This enables A330/A340 flight crews to fly A320s and vice-versa with minimal extra training. This saves costs for airlines that operate both aircraft families. The cockpit also features CRT-based glass cockpit displays on the A340-200 and A340-300 and LCD-based on -500 and -600. Some composite primary structures are also used.An A340 was used as first commercial jet that enables the use of mobile phones during flight. In March 2008 Emirates Airlines introduced a system allowing passengers to make outgoing calls with their handset. Incoming calls are not possible and the system is not available at night or during landing and take-off.
How many A340s were ordered in 2008?
By the end of August 2008 a total of 386 A340s had been ordered (246 A340-200/300, 38 A340-500 and 102 A340-600) and 354 delivered (241 A340-200/300, 27 A340-500 and 81 A340-600).
Why did the A340 have a plastron?
To alleviate this, an underwing bulge called a plastron was developed to correct airflow problems around the engine pylons and to add stiffness.
How many passengers does an A340-300 carry?
The A340-300 flies 295 passengers in a typical three-class cabin layout over 6,700 nautical miles (12,400 km). This is the initial version, having flown on 25 October 1991, and entered service with Lufthansa and Air France in March 1993. It is powered by four CFMI CFM56-5C engines, similar to the -200. Its two closest competitors are the Boeing 777-200ER and, formerly, the McDonnell-Douglas MD-11, which is no longer in production. The A340-313X is a heavyweight version of the A340, and was first delivered to Singapore Airlines in April 1996, though Singapore Airlines no longer operates this model. The A340-313E is the latest version of this type and was first delivered to Swiss International Air Lines in 2003. It has a maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) of 276.5 tonnes with typical range with 295 passengers of between 7,200 and 7,400 nautical miles (13,300 km and 13,700 km). It is powered by the more powerful 34,000 lb f (151 kN) thrust CFMI CFM56-5C4s. The largest operator of this type is Lufthansa with 30. The A340-300 is no longer in commercial production with the last of 245 -300s being delivered to Finnair in July 2008 (there is still one ACJ A340-300 on backlog).
How many people were on the plane that crashed in 2005?
2 August 2005 - Air France Flight 358, all 297 passengers and 12 crew survived a crash and fire after their A340-300 ( F-GLZQ) overshot runway 24L at Toronto Pearson International Airport in a thunderstorm. The aircraft slid into Etobicoke Creek and broke up. Forty-three were injured, 1 seriously, some passengers jumped nearly 20 ft (6 m) to the ground.
What happened to the A340-600?
15 November 2007 - An A340-600 was damaged during ground engine testing at Airbus' facilities at Toulouse Blagnac International Airport. Six days prior to the airplane's planned delivery to Etihad Airways, the plane pushed itself up a sloped concrete wall, suffering severe fuselage damage. The cockpit section was severed and fell to the ground from a height of about 15m atop the wall. Five people on board were injured, three of them seriously. The aircraft was written off.
When was the A340-300 launched?
There are four variants of the A340 and launched on two separate occasions. The A340-200 and A340-300 were launched in 1987 with introduction into service in March 1993. The A340-500 and A340-600 were launched in 1997 with introduction into service in 2002.
