The Airbus A340 was the first four engined, wide bodied, long haul commercial passenger aircraft introduced by Airbus. This introduction happened in 1987 and it made it's first maiden flight in 1991. However due to problems regarding lack of wing strength and the weight of the engines the A340 entered commercial flight in 1993.
Many of the components of the A340 have been received from other Airbus aircraft.
Both the A330 and the A340 share the same wings and fuselage structure.
Many of the avionics of the A320 have been utilized.
The A340 and the A320 have the same flight deck.
The A320, A330, A340, A350 and the A380 use Fly by Wire flight control systems.
Pilots who fly the A340 can also fly the A320 and the A330.
Construction of both the A330 and the A340 are finalized in Toulouse-Blagnac, France.
Variants of the Airbus A340
There have been four variants of the A340 introduced:-
A340-200
was one of the initial versions of the 200 variants. The wing length of this particular aircraft was longer then the fuselage length and the overall weight made the 200 unpopular with the main airline companies. Production has now ceased for the A340-200.
A340-300
has seen 219 aircraft ordered by several airline companies such as Lufthansa, Swiss International and US Airways. It carries 295 passengers in a three class format and is able to fly up to 7,400nms or 13,700 kms.
A340-500
is the longest range commercial passenger aircraft that exists. It has a flight range of 8,650nms or 16,000kms while carrying approximately 300 passengers in a three class format.
A340-600
is both 10m longer than a A330 and 4m longer than a Boeing 747-400. It has an additional four wheel undercarraige to cope with the aircraft's MTOW (Maximum Take Off Weight). The A340-600HGW (High Gross Weight) has a range of 7,900nms or 14,600 kms has been given a strengthened structure to support extra fuel carrying and heavier more powerful engines.
Customers Who Have Purchased the A340
There have been approximately 350, A340 aircraft delivered to various Airline companies worldwide. Some of these companies are:-
Air France
Lufthansa
Cathay Pacific
South African Airways
Emirates Airlines
Virgin Atlantic
Iberia
The Dimensions of the A340
The dimensions and specifications of the A340 aircraft are as follows:- (figures supplied relate more specifically to the 600 version)
Aircraft Length
75.30m or 247 feet
Aircraft Height
17.3m or 57 feet
Wingspan
63m or 208 feet
Cross Section
5.3m or 17 feet 6 inches
Passengers
380 people
Fuel
Up to 204,500 liters or 54,000 US gallons
Engine Thrust
249 to 260kN ea
Cruising Speed
907 km/h (.83 Mach)
Top Speed
915 km/h (.86 Mach)
Range
Up To 15,900 km or 7,900nm
A340 Airbus Seating
The seating arrangements in the Airbus A340 are:-
Two Class Format
Dynasty Supreme (Business) Class
The seating chart is in a 2 - 2 - 2 format.
Economy Class
The seating chart is in a 2 - 4 - 2 format.
Three Class Format
First Class
The seating chart is in a 2 - 1 - 2 format.
Business Class
The seating chart is in a 2 - 2 - 2 format.
Economy Class
The seating chart is in a 2 - 4 - 2 format.
How to Charter an Airbus A340
To charter an A340 for professional or private use is readily available here.
Obtaining a quotation is also available by clicking on this Airbus A340 link.
