AIRBUS A340

The Airbus A340 is a long-range four-engine wide-body commercial passenger jet airliner. Developed and produced by Airbus Industrie,[Nb 1] a consortium of European aerospace companies, which is now fully owned by EADS, the A340 was assembled at Toulouse, France. It seats up to 375 passengers in the standard variants and 440 in the stretched -600 series. Depending on the model, it has a range of between 6,700 to 9,000 nautical miles (12,400 to 17,000 km). It is similar in design to the twin-engined A330 with which it was concurrently designed. Its distinguishing features are four high-bypass turbofan engines and three-bogie main landing gear.

Airbus manufactured the A340 in four fuselage lengths. The initial variant, A340-300, which entered service in 1993, measured 59.39 metres (194.8 ft). The shorter -200 was developed next, and the A340-600 was a 15.91 metres (52.2 ft) stretch of the -200. The -600 was developed alongside the shorter A340-500, which would become the longest-ranged commercial airliner until the arrival of the Boeing 777-200LR. The two initial models were powered by the CFM56-5C, rated at 151 kilonewtons (34,000 lbf), while Rolls-Royce held exclusive powerplant rights to the extended-ranged and heavier -500 and -600 models, through the 267-kilonewton (60,000 lbf) Rolls-Royce Trent 500. Initial A340 versions share the fuselage and wing of the A330 while the -500/-600 models are longer and have larger wings.

Launch customers Lufthansa and Air France placed the A340 into service in March 1993. As of September 2011, 379 orders had been placed (not including private operators), of which 375 were delivered. The most common type were the A340-300 model, with 218 aircraft delivered. Lufthansa is the biggest operator of the A340, having acquired 59 aircraft. The A340 is used on long-haul, trans-oceanic routes due to its immunity from ETOPS; however, with reliability in engines improving, airlines are progressively phasing out the type in favour of more economical twinjets, such as the A330 and the Boeing 777. Airbus announced on 10 November 2011 that the A340 programme had been terminated due to lack of new orders.

PRODUCTION AND TESTING

In preparations for production of the A330/A340, Airbus's partners invested heavily in new facilities. Filton was the site of BAe's £7 million investment in a three-storey technical centre with an extra 15,000 square metres (160,000 sq ft) of floor area.BAe also spent £5 million expanding the Chester wing production plant by 14,000 m2 (150,000 sq ft) to accommodate a new production line. However, France saw the biggest changes with Aérospatiale starting construction of a new Fr.2.5 billion ($411 million) assembly plant, adjacent to Toulouse-Blagnac Airport, in Colomiers.By November 1988, the first 21 m (69 ft) pillars were erected for the new Clément Ader assembly hall.The assembly process, meanwhile, would feature increased automation with holes for the wing-fuselage mating process drilled by eight robots.The use of automation for this particular process saved Airbus 20% on labour costs and 5% on time.

British Aerospace accepted £450 million funding from the UK government, although it was well short of the £750 million originally requested.Funds from the French and German governments followed thereafter. Airbus also issued subcontracts to companies in Austria, Australia, Canada, China, Greece, Italy, India, Japan, South Korea, Portugal, the United States of America, and the former Yugoslavia.The A330 and A340 programmes were jointly launched on 5 June 1987, just prior to the Paris Air Show. The order book then stood at 130 aircraft from 10 customers, apart from the above-mentioned Lufthansa and International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC). Eighty-nine of the total orders were A340 models.Over at McDonnell Douglas, ongoing tests of the MD-11 revealed a significant shortfall in the aircraft's performance. An important prospective carrier, Singapore Airlines (SIA), required a fully laden aircraft that could fly from Singapore to Paris, against strong headwinds during mid-winter in the northern hemisphere.The MD-11, according to test results, would experience fuel starvation over the Balkans.Due to the less-than-expected performance figures, SIA cancelled its 20-aircraft MD-11 order on 2 August 1991, and ordered 20 A340-300s instead.

The first flight of the A340 occurred on 21 October 1991,marking the start of a 2,000-hour test flight programme involving six aircraft.From the start, 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[36] and to add stiffness. European JAA certification was obtained on 22 December 1992; FAA followed on 27 May 1993.

A340 FAMILY: COVERING THE WORLD

The four-engine A340 has greater range at lower cost than other long-range widebody commercial jetliners. Its market-matched capacity and unique economics make it a pathfinder to profitability on some of the world’s longest, most demanding airline routes. The aircraft’s extended reach and spacious interior also tailors it for VVIP and government use with highly discerning customers.

Four versions of the A340 were produced by Airbus: the A340-200, A340-300, A340-500 and A340-600. With their different fuselage lengths, this product line accommodates from 240 to 359 passengers in highly comfortable two-class cabin configurations, providing extended operating ranges of up to 9,000 nautical miles.

A340-300
The quietest mid-size airliner in the sky offers a unique match to evolving competitive environments

A340-500
Ultra-long range is combined with excellent comfort and in-flight services on the most extended routes

A340-600
As one of the longest-fuselage airliners, this global performer is renowned for its interior comfort

RANGE AND PERFORMANCE

Utilising the same basic fuselage and wing as Airbus’ twin-engine A330, the A340 shares similar airframe structures, components and systems – providing a true aircraft family with different versions to meet operators’ varied requirements. This commonality is shared across the Airbus product line of widebody and single-aisle aircraft through the use of fly-by-wire controls and cockpits with similar layouts.
The A340 is free of long-range operating restrictions that apply to twin-engine jetliners, and is able to operate at “hot and high” airports that would be off-limits to other aircraft. These capabilities give A340 customers the ability to eliminate unproductive stops, open new routes and match service standards to targeted market needs on very long-haul segments.

CONTINUED IMPROVEMENT

To further enhance the A340 Family’s operating range and payload, Airbus has introduced performance improvement packages, increases in operating weights, greater fuel capacity, new manufacturing techniques and more powerful engines on the aircraft. 
More than 370 A340s have been ordered by customers around the globe.

ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY

The A340 brings together advanced materials, a centre of gravity management system, modern cabin systems, a highly-efficient wing, and state-of-the-art avionics to create one of the world’s most capable jetliners.   
Its airframe incorporates more than 10 tonnes of composites and ultra-light alloys, resulting in reduced aircraft weight, easier maintenance and an increased airframe lifetime.  Advanced manufacturing processes applied in the A340’s production include laser beam welding, superplastic forming and diffusion bonding.   
The A340 Family’s modern wing incorporates excellent aerodynamics and high-lift devices for greater efficiency, while the use of a fuel tank in the horizontal stabiliser allows for active centre-of-gravity control during flight – reducing drag and lowering fuel consumption. 

FLYING SMARTER

In the cockpit, the A340’s advanced flight deck incorporates Airbus’ fly-by-wire controls, along with an optimised instrument panel for pilots’ rapid assimilation of data.  It benefits from continual upgrades to meet market requirements and to keep up with the evolution of technology, including the introduction of improved navigation and surveillance functions, and the use of “electronic flight bags” – the portable information management devices that reduce, or replace, paper-based manuals, charts and other reference material carried by pilots.

CABIN INNOVATION

The A340’s passenger cabin also reflects Airbus creativity.  Choices of overhead bins and ceiling designs offer optimised solutions for an improved on-board experience, while the innovative use of cabin space can include bar and social areas, as well as multi-purpose storage zones. 
Airbus’ state-of-the-art Cabin Intercommunication Data System uses a touch-screen panel for rapid and simple control of cabin lighting, heating, pre-recorded messages and other cabin-related tasks.  
For cabin and flight crews on long-haul routes, Airbus has developed rest area concepts, with these facilities located either on the main deck or in the cargo hold.  

OPTIMISED CABIN
Offering one of the most comfortable and quiet cabins in the long-haul and ultra-long haul markets
Airbus’ proven 222-inch fuselage cross-section on the A340 offers one of the most comfortable and quiet cabins in the long-haul and ultra-long haul markets.  Contributing to its cleaner and purer environment is a cabin air flow management system with uniform, draft-free air circulation, along with the use of High Efficiency Particulate Air filters (HEPAs) and converters for Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs).   
The A340’s widebody cabin provides a highly efficient balance between economic efficiency and comfort for demanding passengers.  Seating options range from four- and six-abreast seating in first and business classes to choices of seven-, eight- and nine-abreast layouts in economy.   
Features of its light, bright and spacious interior include state-of-the-art lighting with LEDs (light emitting diodes); lateral, indirect and mood styles of lighting; along with smooth contours incorporating softened lines in interior fittings.  Multipurpose stowage zones and bar/social areas add to the cabin creativity offered for A340 operators.   
Additional flexibility is available with Airbus’ innovative approach for use of available space in the jetliner’s lower deck, enabling the installation of lavatories, galleys and crew rest modules. 

FINGER-TOUCH CONTROL

The A340 incorporates a state-of-the-art digital cabin management system for the control of cabin lighting, heating, passenger announcements and other cabin-related tasks.  A touch-screen panel on this Cabin Intercommunication Data System enables rapid, simple and intuitive, control, which maximises aircraft utilisation and contributes to fast airport turnarounds.  

COCKPIT
EFFICIENCY AND FLEXIBILITY
The A340 brings all of the operational advantages of Airbus’ aircraft commonality to the very-long range and ultra-long range market segments.  Nearly identical cockpits are used in the fly-by-wire A340 and its twin-engine A330 variant, with both aircraft types sharing highly similar flying qualities. 
As a result, both the A340 and A340 can be operated by a common pool of pilots, resulting in more efficient operations and flexible scheduling for airlines, along with increased flying opportunities for pilots.  
Flight crews can transition from the A340 to the A330 in only one day, while a move from the A330 to A340 takes just three days.  This compares to 25 days for a full type rating training course required with competing aircraft, thereby lower training costs for airlines and increasing the productivity of crews.

MIXED FLEET FLYING ADVANTAGES
 By taking the commonality concept another step further, pilots can keep their flight currency on more than one Airbus fly-by-wire aircraft type at a time. Known as Mixed Fleet Flying, it enables a pilot rated on an A340 or A330 to effortlessly move from very long-haul operations to the A320 Family for short- and medium-haul flights.  This opens new crew scheduling possibilities and provides a mix of flying opportunities that is welcomed, and highly appreciated, by pilots.   
The A340 also benefits from the industry-leading Airbus cockpit design, which evolves with the latest the latest technology.  A similar cockpit philosophy applied across the Airbus product line, which builds on proven fly-by-wire systems whose digital electronic flight controls improve handling and stability while reducing pilot workload. 

BOOSTING EARNING POWER
The excellent underfloor cargo-carrying capabilities of A340 Family aircraft boost their revenue-earning power on daily operations with airlines around the world.
 Thanks to Airbus’ trademark 222-inch fuselage cross-section, the front and rear cargo holds on A340 jetliners accept a full range of underfloor cargo containers and pallets – including the LD-3, which is the most common container in the world with more than 200,000 in use worldwide. 
 With volume for 60-100 per cent more freight than the largest competing aircraft on the market, the A340 Family’s unrivalled operating economics mean its aircraft can even operate profitable cargo flights without a single passenger on board. 

HIGH CAPACITY

The A340-300, A340-500 and A340-600 all are able to accommodate significantly more cargo on passenger services than their closest rivals. For example, the A340-600 can carry up to 19,700 kg. of freight – with a full load of passengers and baggage – compared to just 11,400 kg. of freight carried by its competitor.

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Monika Singh [B.Tech ] 

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