Airbus A340-600

Type (Muster)
Widebody long-range airliner (Langstrecken-Verkehrsflugzeug mit vier Triebwerken)

Country (Land)
France, Germany, Spain, United Kingdom

Manufacturer (Hersteller)
Airbus Industrie
1, Rond Point Maurice Bellonte
F-31707 Blagnac
France

Phone: 0033-561-933387
Fax: 0033-561-934955, -934834

General (Allgemeine Angaben)
Crew (Besatzung): 2
Passengers (Passagiere): 380 in three-class arrangement (12 first, 54 business, 314 economy) or 485 in all economy layout
Cargo (Fracht): 12 x 96'' pallets or 36 LD3 containers

Power plant (Antrieb): 4 x Rolls-Royce Trent 553/556 turbofan with an 8,5:1 bypass ratio.
Thrust (Schub): 53000 lbs (235 kN) to 56000 lbs (249 kN)

Dimensions (Abmessungen)
Length (Länge): 75,30 m
Height (Höhe): 17,80 m
Span (Spannweite): 63,45 m
Wing area (Flügelfläche): 437 sq m
Wing sweep (Flügelpfeilung): 31,1 degrees

Cabin length (Kabinenlänge): 60,95 m

Weights (Massen)
Operating weight empty (Leermasse): 177000 kg
Fuel (Kraftstoff): ca 195600 litres
Max. zero-fuel weight (max. Masse ohne Kraftstoff): 240000 kg
Max. take-off weight (max. Startmasse): 365010 kg
Max. landing weight (max. Landemasse): 254000 kg

Performance (Flugleistungen)
Optimum cruise speed (optimale Reisegeschwindigkeit): Mach 0.83
Take-off field length, ISA +15 C, sea level (Startstrecke): 3185 m
Time to climb to FL310 (Steigzeit auf FL310): 21 min
Range (Reichweite): 7500 NM (13875 km) with 378 passengers

Costs (Kosten)
Airbus is looking to sell the A340-600 at 140 to 150 million US-Dollars, it was said at the Paris Air Show in June 1997.
Development cost for the A340-500/600 programme was estimated at 2,9 billion US-Dollars in December 1997.

Customers (Kunden)
By February 2000, Airbus claimed "126 firm orders and commitments" for the A340-500/600 versions. Known customers are:

Aerolineas Argentinas: 6 of the -600 (April 1999)
Air Canada: 5 plus 10 options for delivery from 2002 (announced August 1, 1997 and firmed up in April 1998. Covers A340-600 and -500s in numbers still to be decided.)
Emirates: 6 of the -500 version plus 10 options (signed September 1998 and valued at around 2,4 billion US-Dollars. Deliveries to start in the autumn of 2002)
Egypt Air: 2 and two options of the -600 (27. January 1998)
EVA Airlines: up to 12 aircraft from the new series, but this commitment seems to have lapsed
ILFC: 10 (September 1998)
Lufthansa: 10 of the -600 and 10 options (announced in December 1997, but signed in April 1998)
Singapore Airlines: 10 commitments announced in May 1998, but status of the deal is unclear
Swissair: 9 plus 10 options of the -600 (announced December 1997 and confirmed February 1998 for delivery from April 2002 to 2006. Will replace MD-11s)
Virgin Atlantic Airways: 10 of the -600 plus 6 options for delivery from 2002 (announced August 1, 1997 and confirmed in December 1997)
Undisclosed: commitments for 12 claimed in August 1998

Airbus hopes to capture at least half of the 1500 sales projedcted in the 300-400 seat, long-range category through 2010.

Competition (Konkurrenz)
Boeing 777

Remarks (Bemerkungen)
The A340-500 and -600 are the latest versions in the Airbus A330/A340 family. Features are:

a stretched fuselage. The A340-500 adds six frames to the -300 (plus 3,3 metres), while the A340-600 adds 20 frames (plus 10,8 metres).
an enlarged and refined wing. It has a tapered insert an 1,6 m wing extensions prviding 20 per cent greater surface area, and featuring a thermoplastic composite leading edge.
increased design weights
Trent 500 engines replacing the CFM56. The test runs began in June 1999.
a revised undercarriage
a new horizontal stabilizer and the vertical stabilizer of the A330-200

According to Airbus, the new four-engined airliners are "an attractive and efficient replacement for early model Boeing 747s", featuring better direct-operating costs and 15 per cent lower trip costs than a 747-400. The -500/-600 will retain the same A340 type rating as earlier variants.

History (Geschichte)
Concrete studies began in April 1996, when Airbus and General Electric signed an exclusive agreement to study engine requirements for a stretched A340. GE pulled out in February 1997, but Rolls-Royce came in with an offer for the Trent 500, and this engine was confirmed on a non-exclusive basis in June 1997.
The "commercial launch" of the Airbus A340-600 and -500 was announced on June 15, 1997 at the Paris Air Show. On August 1, 1997, Virgin Atlantic Airways and Air Canada announced their intention to become launch customers for the new A340-versions.
In the autumn, more deals worth up to 13 billion US-Dollars followed. This allowed Airbus Industrie's supervisory board to formally authorize go-ahead of the programme in mid December 1997.
First metal on the A340-600 and A340-500 was cut in June 1998 and June 1999 respectively. Flight tests with the Trent are scheduled for mid-2000. Final assembly of the A340-600 is to start by the end of the second quarter of 2000.
First flight of the A340-600 is planned for January 2001, with the A340-500 following by the end of the year. Entry into service is expected by March 2002 for the -600 and by September 2002 for the -500.

Last updated 21. March 2000

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