 Airbus A340-200 |
 Airbus A340-500 |
| STANDARD DATA: A340-300 Seats 335. Gross wt. 606,275. Empty wt. 287,050. Engines four 32,550-lb. International CFM56-5C3 turbofans. PERFORMANCE: Max speed 494 kts. Economy cruise 475 kts. Ceiling 41,000′. Range 7,450 nm. |
The 330 and 340 Airbus were developed at the same time, and both aircraft have the same flightdeck with side stick controllers and fly-by-wire controls. The shortened A340-200 first flew in April 1992, and trades seating capacity (263-303 passengers) for greater range. The A340 can carry about 330 passengers with a range of 7,100-7,450 nm.
The 500 and 600 series are currently the world’s longest-range airliners. The 500 can travel 8,500 nm, enabling nonstop flights like Los Angeles to Singapore. The A600’s first flight was in April of 2001, and was certified 13 months later.
The A500’s maiden flight was in February of 2002 and received its certification just 10 months later. Both models are direct competition for Boeing’s long range 747-400. The A340-800 is a variant of the 200, but with extra fuel capacity in the cargo holds, which extends the range to a whopping 8,000 nm. All versions are offered with the underfloor passenger sleepers.
