Production of Airbus A340 ended.

[onyx39]

Apparently the Production line of the A340 has now closed..

Very pretty Aircraft, (particulary in Virgin Colours) but I guess it was getting on a bit now...

http://www.flightstory.net/20111111/end-of-airbus-...

[Eric Mc]

Not that old at all. Look at the 737 - still in production after 44 years. Lack of orders is what normally kills off a design.

[bobthemonkey]

Of course, it would be quite easy to turn production back on. The fundamental airframe is still being produced as the far more sucsessfull A330. Common fuselage and wing, with the main difference being two big engines on the A330 as opposed to 4 smaller donkeys on the A340.

[Chuck328]

I think it would have been a very successful aircraft.....had it not been for the Triple 7. Bye Bye 340, hello 350.

[anonymous-user]

Rising fuel costs on the thirstier A340 and longer ETOPS for the big twins haven't helped.

[bob1179]

It really only seems like yesterday that these aircraft first went into service, I can't believe it was 1993!

Lovely aircraft, I always think four engines look better than two...

[onyx39]

bob1179 said:

Lovely aircraft, I always think four engines look better than two...

[Eric Mc]

A lex said:

Speaking purely as an Air Traffic Controller this is probably my most hated 'everyday' aircraft. Absolutely shocking climb performance, it might have 4 engines but they dont seem to do much!

I bet you're glad you weren't an air trafic controller prior to around 1980. Have you ver seen a BAC 1-11 climb out?

[LotusOmega375D]

...double post...

Edited by LotusOmega375D on Wednesday 16th November 15:42

[LotusOmega375D]

My first trip in a 747 was with BA from Gatwick out to Barbados in the early 1990s. I distinctly remember looking out of the window and thinking that we were barely clearing the trees until we passed the coast down Devon/Cornwall way.

It still gives me bad dreams 20 years later!

[Eric Mc]

Earlier jets were very slow climbers compared to more modern designs. The first really sprightly "modern" airliner was the 757, which climbed like a rocket.

[hidetheelephants]

Yes, they do have a rep for gaining height by virtue of the curvature of the earth rather than climbing don't they?

[motomk]

Watching a 5 and a 600 take off, it looks they are not even trying, sort of like they are using about 50% power.
Watching a 300 take off....they look they are giving it everything!
500 and 600 in the cruise are not too bad as they get above a lot of similar ranging stuff when they feel like it!

[Nickyboy]

Agree with the above posts, lovely looking planes

[onyx39]

Eric Mc said:

I bet you're glad you weren't an air trafic controller prior to around 1980. Have you ver seen a BAC 1-11 climb out?

Reminds me of this Russian heavy lifter take off from (I think Canberra)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5coMjTwQYpk&fea...

[Cheeky Jim]

I'm sure I flew on these to San Fran with Virgin a few years back.. very comfy..

[ccr32]

I’ve always aspired to one day fly an A340-5/6 – by far the prettiest things in the sky as far as commercial airliners go IMO. Hey ho…

[Talksteer]

A lex said:

Speaking purely as an Air Traffic Controller this is probably my most hated 'everyday' aircraft. Absolutely shocking climb performance, it might have 4 engines but they dont seem to do much!

4 engined aircraft only have to be able to take off on 3 aircraft where as 2 engined aircraft need to take off on 1. Hence 4 engined aircraft can get by with a lower thrust to weight. Engine companies like them though because you get to make twice as many engines!

The 500 and 600s should have been able to climb a hell of a lot better!

The production line for the A330 and A340 is shared so very little changes will be required for the Airbus factories.

[Mojocvh]

CMF's




Rollers






"Merde"



and finally any good excuse to drag this oldie out, the sheer size of the A340-6 becomes apparent from 5:05 onwards...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATAMJgRhTNc

Edited to say how bad was that mis-copy/paste??

Edited by Mojocvh on Saturday 19th November 01:54

[Justin Cyder]

Wasn't the old joke about the A340 that they used to suffer from birdstrikes...from behind?