Why the A340 is the World's Unluckiest Plane
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 12 май 2022
- Visit brilliant.org/CobyExplanes/ to get started learning STEM for free, and the first 200 people will get 20% off their annual premium subscription.
Why Norwegian is the World's Unluckiest Airline: • Why Norwegian is the W...
Support me on Patreon: / cobyexplanes
Thanks so much to my "First Class" patrons Sebastian Dimond, and Timothy Franklin!
Thanks so much to my videographer friends for generously providing excellent B-roll for this video. Go check out and subscribe to their channels for more A+ plane spotting content
@FRAproductions
@PlanesWeekly
@BrunoLevionnois
@miraviation
Sources:
1.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airbus_....
2. Inflation adjusted to 2022 dollars
3.books.google.com/booksid=eJwQ...
4. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McDonne...
5.www.boeing.com/commercial/aer....
6. www.google.com/search?q=%22It...
7. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ETOPS
8. See previous source - $7M figured adjusted for inflation (2022 dollars)
9. avgeekery.com/the-boeing-767-...
10. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...
11. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airbus_...
12. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...
___________________________________________________________________________________
The aviation industry can be brutally unforgiving. No matter how exceptional the business model or how well it's executed, airlines frequently collapse due to factors outside of their control. A few years back, I did a deep dive into why Norwegian is the poster child for this phenomenon, and why it is the unluckiest airline of all time. But the thing is, this misfortune can extend beyond airlines - airplane manufacturers can also pull all the right levers and still fall victim to this fickle industry. And there may be no aircraft family that’s suffered worse timing or misfortune than the Airbus A340. Let me explain…
This video was sponsored by Brilliant 
Игры
Visit brilliant.org/CobyExplanes/ to get started learning STEM for free, and the first 200 people will get 20% off their annual premium subscription.
Believe in JESUS today, confess and repent of your sins. No one goes to heaven for doing good but by believing in JESUS who died for our sins. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.(John 3:16)❤️😎❤️😎❤️
Subscribed.
Are you on glue? Or just making it up as you go? Airbus was not "riding high" on a "smash hit" a300. They could literally barely GIVE IT AWAY! Loads of white tails piling up... I don't want to continue beyond the first minute, wondering how it could actually improve.
I am lucky I have flown in A340-600 from Abu Dhabi to Riyadh.. It was lovely flight
Damn I really miss the A340, most especially Virgin Atlantic A340-600s they were classics . I’m glad I’ve flown one twice
The a340 is still one of my absolute favorite wide body to this day. I have flown on the plane in every possible way from the cockpit to the flight attendant cabin with beds downstairs and everything in between. I always remember feeling extremely safe onboard I remember the safety record is impeccable.
Exactly! I flew an Air France A340-300 from Paris (CDG) to KMSP in 2015!
I know you can still take a ride on a 300 and 600 variants on Lufthansa I think Iberia might still have a few Swiss and I think maybe Turkish still has a few of the newer ones still flying Asia routes
@@CHAuto333 same! I did it in.. 2018 I believe
@@atakorkut5110 south Africa has them too, so if you want to visit Jo'burg
@@alunesh12345 Jesus never existed get over it bro. take responsibility for your own problems.
I am a captain on A-340-300
The systems redundancy is on much higher level than any twin jet ever .
It’s not only the engines count
It the related systems , for example you have 4 engine driven electric generators ( plus RAT and APU )
You have 4 engine driven hydraulic pumps ( plus 3 electric and RAT )
This is a maintenance burden and extra expenses but far more safe than anything else up in the sky
Ridiculous. Everything in the sky is extremely safe.
@@accesscrimeasay that to Max
@@joelgeorge6203 😂
What about the a380?
@@joelgeorge6203The Max was only unsafe because Boeing didn't do what they were supposed to do. After it's been recertified the plane is as safe as any other.
The first time I hopped on a plane was at the age of three, and it was indeed the A340-600. At the time it was the longest passenger aircraft ever built. I remember the beautiful roar of those Trent - 500s. After that flight, I went home and started trying to rebuild the A 340 with legos. Fast forward 16 years later, I'm currently pursuing a career in aviation. The A 340-600 remains my favorite aircraft of all time!
My three year old also regularly comments on the engines of the plane when we take her on long flights.
Trent 700 powering the a330 sounds similar, and is much more common
@@Ormodius3751The A340 is such a beauty though !
I make my living flying A340. Have been flying it since 2009. It has always carried my passengers and I safely all over the World. My company now operates them as 'Preighters' with the Economy seats removed. This shows what an amazingly versatile aircraft the A340 really is. Just finished flying 2 different A340 East around the world. The low lease costs offset the higher fuel burn.
Cap
100% cap
100% cap
@@ecpetr0188 why is it cap?
WTF does that even mean?
I've got tons of A340 flights under my belt. I'd guess around 50 flights in A340-300s and A340-600s (also got to sit jump seat several times before 9/11). I also have about 6 hours in the LH A340 sim in Frankfurt. I absolutely LOVE the A340s. Especially the -600 I think was a beautiful airplane and especially nice in LHs config. I will miss the A340s tremendously. There is nothing better than looking out the window and seeing 2 engines hanging out there on a wing.
Believe in JESUS today, confess and repent of your sins. No one goes to heaven for doing good but by believing in JESUS who died for our sins. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.(John 3:16)❤️😎❤️😎❤️
@@alunesh12345 Cool
@@alunesh12345 Jesus, and religion, are a man-made construct.
@@alunesh12345 slightly misplaced comment but... Biggup to you!
@@alunesh12345 bro, well said and 100% agreed 🤜🤛
You can judge success and failure in multiple ways but the A340 never had a fatality in its three decades of operation.
On another note, I flew a Lufthansa A340-300 registration D-AIFA in star alliance livery, later found out it burned down in Frankfurt airport.
To be fair the 777 has had only 3 major accidents and one of those was MH370 and it’s had nearly 6 times the number of planes flying, the A340 was a safe plane but was kinda pointless, it’s design was just kinda ugly, and it was extremely inefficient. But airbus didn’t really learn when making the A380 which ultimately was also a failure, however the A350 has performed much better but still a second place to the 787
@@a_goblue2023 get some glasses
@@a_goblue2023 kinda the exact same thought I had in regards to the safety record of the trip7 vs the 340. I'm amazed as well that airbus even built the 380 while 747s round the world Were being replaced with wide body twins. You'd think they'd at least considered making a cargo variant when designing it but no, they dropped the ball there too. Not saying it would be the most cargo friendly design. They're lucky the 320&330 have done so well in sales.
@@a_goblue2023 the 777 had MH370 and MH17. Simply hard luck for both Boeing and Malaysia Airlines
Well A340 had an accident. Air France Flight 358, 2 August 2005. Although everybody escaped alive it was a hull loss...
One interesting aspect why Airbus went initially for four engines: The initial A340 varieties used CMF56 engines. Thus, Airbus gave airlines the option to use similar engines for short and long haul planes as you can/could order the A320 familiy with CMF56 engines, too. Hence, an airline could save some maintenance costs.
also hence why many pilots thought of the A340 as a lame duck because of its lack of power
@@tramlink8544 Not only pilots think the A340 is a plane with four hairdryers beneath it. ruclips.net/video/F1cKfZatlQ4/видео.html
Ah, but Boeing did do the same with the 757 and 767, did they not? If you went with the Rolls Royce option, they both used RB211 engines. I'm not sure how much commonality there was between the PW2000 (757) and PW4000 (767) engine options, though.
This would also be why the 757 was so overpowered: the smallest RB211 had about 189 kN thrust as compared to the 214-234 kN thrust of the engines used on the 767-200. (The smallest PW-2000 was somewhat less, at 163 kN.)
@@Curt_Sampson - There’s a considerable difference between P&W 2000 and 4000, also between RB211E (757) and G/H variants (767) Essentially the PW4000 was a derivative of the JT9D which powered the early 747s. The PW2000 was a much more modern, improved and fuel efficient design. Similarly the RB211G/H which also powered the 747 was essentially a redesigned variant of the RB211-22B which powered the Tristar. The RB211-535E on the 757 was a new design. These engines have all gone on to create the Trent series, all using the same 3 spool design peculiar to Rolls Royce. The Trent 600 powers the A340-500 and -600.
I've flown on the A340-600 multiple times with Lufthansa and it's an amazing plane, arguably my favorite to travel on.
The longer A340s are my favorite airliners out there. Silent, graceful and comfortable, I had the pleasure of flying them in all 3 classes. Amazing planes that I will miss dearly.
I flew on the South African Airways A340 from Newark to Joburg and it was the smoothest and most comfortable airliner. And yes, 4 engines is always better than 2!
Same here! Flew that route a bunch of times with SAA, as well as to Frankfurt and ATL when SAA served there. Flew the A340-600 on all of those with SAA, beautiful airplane
4 engines are better until you look at fuel and maintenance cost
@@BobRossRightHand ikr 😄 🤣
How is 4 engines better?
L1011 walks into the room. That was a gentleman’s design coupled with race car performance. Lockheed then was like Tesla as a company led by engineers and not bean counters. Aside this was also proof we need competition as the Boeing/Airbus duopoly stifles innovation.
I used to fly Lufthansa A340s between Frankfurt and the U.S. The plane had a bank of rest rooms downstairs from the main cabin in a sort of alcove with several doors leading off of the alcove. On long flights, you could go down there and walk the alcove to get a little exercise. No other aircraft in the fleet had this perk.
A340 was my first transatlantic flight operated by Lufthansa. It was amazing flight, I enjoyed every second of it. The plane is spacious, the flight is smooth and it the size of the wings and looking at two engines swinging under the wing is a sight to see.
same i was 7 and flew the a340 from phl to fra then fra to maa. A340 is such an amazing aircraft. I remember I also had seats near the engines on one of the flights. truly amazing seeing those trent 500s roar was so cool. I remember when i came back i would make paper models of the a340. Life was nice then
I flew the A340 twice & it’s the best jet experience I’ve ever had & roomy even in the economy class. I have found the 777 more cramped due to the fact that some airlines wanted 10 abreast seating. Just personal preference but always feel more comfortable in a quad on long haul than a twin.
It isn't about "some airlines", 3-4-3 is now the standard on 777, while 340 never went beyond 2-4-2 (except for a few 330).
@@maxart3392 Precisely why I’d always prefer the A340 over the 777
Believe in JESUS today, confess and repent of your sins. No one goes to heaven for doing good but by believing in JESUS who died for our sins. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.(John 3:16)❤️😎❤️😎❤️
Some 777's are 9 abreast seating like on Singapore airlines where the seats are slightly wider , compared to Emirates 777 at 10 abreast
@@alunesh12345 Good advice ... but an odd place to bring it up lol
Flown on the -300 variant once with Air France from Lagos to Paris CDG back 6 years ago and it was a very comfortable experience. It was also loud when sitting at back of the aircraft with it's 4 engines powering up when beginning it take off roll. Edelweiss, Lufthansa and Swiss are still operating those planes so there's still enough time for you to fly them.
Believe in JESUS today, confess and repent of your sins. No one goes to heaven for doing good but by believing in JESUS who died for our sins. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.(John 3:16)❤️😎❤️😎❤️
@@alunesh12345 confess my balls
air france a340-300 comfortable? Theirs are shoddy as hell, broken seats, ancient in flight entertainment, ugly cabin lights, shitty windows. Im legit so glad they retired the a340-300 and replaced the a330-200 to lagos with the 777-300ER and a350 during winter
The a300 was actually the first aircraft that received etops certification for 90 minute single engine flight. They were a pioneerfor twinjets
I was lucky enough to fly onboard a Virgin Atlantic A340-600 between Sydney and Hong Kong many years ago, and it quickly became my favourite aircraft. Smooth, quiet, an absolute delight.
Had flown Lufthansa A340-600 back in 2007. No AVOD but Overhead monitors were still acceptable back then. The real surprise was the downstairs lavatory setup, which was a first for me and I was actually searching for restrooms for quite some time before locating them downstairs. Before A380 came in, I guess this was the first double-decker concept tried out by Airbus. The sheer size of the fuselage was gigantic. 2-4-2 economy setup allowed relaxed seating experience too.
Overhead monitors? How was that bearable?
I love the a340. I flew the A340-300 back in 2018 on Lufthansa from Frankfurt to Martinique. I absolutely loved it. Not only does it look absolutely amazing, but it was very spacious and very quiet (compared to the Boeing 777 roaring. don’t get me wrong i love the GE90 sound but it gets annoying on a 10 hour flight not gonna lie)
If you haven’t tried the a340 yet, watch out to book your vacation flight with Lufthansa next time, they are still using some. And btw I loved the video. Keep it up!
I also flew on a Lufthansa A340 from SFO-MUC in 2018. But now Lufthansa uses the A350-900 for this route, not the A340
The 777 engines don't normally pose any issue once you reach altitude.
Loved flying on the A340-600! What a graceful aircraft.. smooth, quiet, powerful. Also Lufthansa had a great layout with restrooms on the lower level.
I flew once from São Paulo, Brazil, to Johannesburg, South Africa on the huge A340-600 and it was an awesome experience. That bird is gorgeous!!
Nice mine was Cathay Pacific A340-600 JFK🇺🇲-HKG🇭🇰 and A340-300 HKG🇭🇰-MNL🇵🇭
That was an excellent history of the A340. Thanks! This was one of my favorite aircraft as a regular frequent flyer. I flew the A340-300 with Cathay Pacific and the A340-500 with Singapore Airlines. The CX flight I was frequently on was between Hong Kong and Toronto. The Hong Kong - Toronto flight was usually a nonstop but on the return leg to Hong Kong it was necessary to refuel in Anchorage, Alaska due to head winds. However, 3 times the flight stopped in Anchorage for fuel on the way to Toronto due to winds. Flying into Anchorage on a clear sunny day was spectacular. The flight from Toronto to Hong Kong was a night flight so you did not see much of Anchorage during the stop. Depending on the time of year you could see the Northern Lights from the starboard side of the aircraft. Wow, that was a sight. CX replaced the B747-400 on this route with the A340. Now they use a B777. The best flights I had were with Singapore Airlines and their A340-500 from Singapore to Newark non-stop. The longest flight in the world at the time. SIA used the A340-500 until 2013. Initially the configuration was a mix of Business Class and about 100 Premium Economy seats on this long flight. After a couple of years the Premium Economy was eliminated and the configuration converted to just 100 Business Class Suites in the entire aircraft. Mostly business travellers. The demand for Business Class was very high and resulted in the reconfiguration of the aircraft. A Business Class return fare to Newark was approximately USD8500. It was a great flight with outstanding Singapore Airlines service. Because the flight was so long, the aircraft was at maximum weight on take off. The roll out from Singapore and Newark used the full allowable length of the runway and with a slow gradual climb out while configuring the aircraft. The A340 was also very quiet and smooth. I truly miss these flights. The A350-LXR are now plying the same routes and also very good aircraft and are my preferred ride these days.
I was working on the ramp in Anchorage in the late 90s when the CX A340s were coming through. I was in love with that elegant plane, and always wanted so bad to be on it heading off to Hong Kong. I never got to, but later ended up traveling on South African (-600), Emirates (-300), and Turkish (-300) A340s. All lovely.
I flew on an SIA A340 from Singapore to LAX or SF (can't remember which), in 2007. In 1996 I flew the same route on a B747 via Seoul and as it was December time nearly froze to death when then they kicked us off the plane to refuel and I was dressed for the temperatures of Singapore and Houston (ultimate destination).
You are missing the other route for Cathay Pacific A340 operations JFK Airport A340-600. If you are coming towards Hong Kong from New York it's a heavy takeoff due to the people needed and cargo for the connecting flights to Taipei and Manila.
@@EpicThe112I also flew CX A340’s between Hong Kong and Toronto very often. Eastbound out of Hong Kong it was for the most part a nonstop flight. However, on the return the A340 had to make a technical refueling stop in Anchorage due to headwinds flying westbound
Back in early 2019, my high school senior class and I flew on a South African A340 (a Star Alliance one at that) from New York John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to Johannesburg OR Tambo International Airport (JNB). That was the bulk of our flying (3 flights one-way from Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) to JFK to Maun Airport, 6 flights round trip) but we were bound for Botswana out of JNB. It was a 14 hour flight, 28 hours both ways but to this day, that has been my favorite flight thus far. My group was towards the mid-rear of the aircraft and I sat specifically behind the wings on the left side with a window seat. It was a long but comfortable flight, the food that was served was fairly nice compared to what I’ve had in the past. Just from my experience flying on two A340’s in a combined 28-30 hours, it’s definitely a very capable aircraft and I’m glad to have been lucky enough to fly on it. It’s still one of my favorite aircraft’s to see flying overhead at cruising altitude or taking off/landing at airports. Despite its impending future and its failure due to the time it was developed and released in a ETOPS driven market, there’s no doubt in my mind of the capability of the A340 and that it was likely even ahead of its time when it came out. If I ever have the chance to fly on one again, I’ll gladly take it with zero hesitation.
I have done this exact flight 3 times in my life. The A340 is such a nice plane, and was one of the few planes that were capable of doing such a long flight. It's a shame to see that it is pretty much dead (SAA is pretty much dead too).
A 340 is still my preffered aircraft. Many times flying from Atlanta to Paris I was looking for the A 340 operated by Air France even if my ticket had a Delta Flight number. The aircraft is very silent, the seats are more comfortable, there is more space and I just loved the feet support. The last time I flew an A 340 was in 2019 from Paris to Cairo (operated by Joon Airlines just before they merged with Air France). I miss A 340!
One of my favorite aircraft. Probably has been mentioned but LH has/had the bathrooms downstairs in their a346. Great idea for passenger comfort and fairly unique I believe.
I flew the A343 from SAN to FRA a while back. Nice to have that experience but my A380 flight from FRA to LAX a few days before was definitely better from a comfort perspective
I flew on the a340 a couple of times between Chicago and Amman and I loved it, the seating was comfortable and had plenty of leg space. The airplane was replaced by the 787 Dreamliner and Even though I love the 787, I wish I could have flown on the a340 a couple more times
I have flown the A340-600 for years with SAA. I don’t remember if they still use it but it helped me reunite with my family in Johannesburg. A truly wonderful plane!
The A340, even more the A340-600 is absolutely and by far the most amazing aircraft! And that wingview of it is breathtaking!
I've flown on an A340 on Philippine Airlines (PAL) a handful of times on a domestic route that's also covered by an A330.
The flight never seems that full, so I imagine they're using the added payload capacity of the A340 for carrying domestic cargo.
I’ve flown on the emirates a340-500 and that was an amazing experience very nice aircraft but also was a very rare experience considering the -500 wasn’t that common definitely would recommend if you can catch a flight on one I know there is a few a340-300s still flying out there
Absolute badass design, had a privilege to fly as a passenger a couple of times, needs a comeback ❤
As a frequent flyer, I can say that I really like the A-340. Exceptionally comfortable aircraft. Roomy - even in economy class. Comfortable in turbulence. And the full suite of downstairs toilets is an added benefit. I fully recognize the economic downside as compared to the A-330 or Boeing 777. But flying on an A-340 is a lovely passenger experience.
I once flew in the A340-600 between New York and Madrid with Iberia and it was the best transatlantic flight I have ever done, and the window view of 4 engines was very special despite 3 out of the 6 transatlantic flight I have ever done were on quad jets
Iberia flew over 40 A340 (300 and 600 series) for many years. Probably one of the major A340 fleets in Europe. They operated difficult airfields in South America without a single passenger injured. Only a runway excursion in Quito...
I love the A340s, particularly the 500s (ULR) and the 600s (which remind me of a widebody version of the old DC-8 stretch), which are super long bodied. Fortunately, I've flown on both the -300 (Norwegian from New York to Stockholm) and the -500 series (from Bangkok to Los Angeles, one of the world's longest flights). Great plane and it's a shame it didn't sell better or be a competitive option in today's airline industry.
Believe in JESUS today, confess and repent of your sins. No one goes to heaven for doing good but by believing in JESUS who died for our sins. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.(John 3:16)❤️😎❤️😎❤️
@@alunesh12345 Young man, life is too short to spend so much time thinking about saving strangers.
@@B-kl8vj
He still gave good advice and life is never too short for that. You’ll need that advice if your favourite aircraft goes down with you in it. 😊
Very interesting video! I was lucky to fly on a Virgin Atlantic A340-600 (very looong plane) from MIA to LHR in late 2017. Absolutely loved the experience.
Flew it 3X…twice in 2003 and once last month. And it was a struggle to find a flight with a -300 in 2022. Plane takes off like a bowling ball, but the satisfaction of looking out and seeing 2 engines on a single deck in ‘22 is worth the sacrifice. Even got to sit up front once we arrived!
I flew A340 SWISS from Zurich to Bangkok in March. Every thing about the flight was superb. 🙂
I actually flew across Canada in the A340. . . In the cockpit, back in 1999. The Captain wanted to see my Garmin 195. Airlines were still pre-GPS
Believe in JESUS today, confess and repent of your sins. No one goes to heaven for doing good but by believing in JESUS who died for our sins. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.(John 3:16)❤️😎❤️😎❤️
@@alunesh12345 what about Thor? You see? Repent and you'll get his winged helmet and be rewarded. You see, anyone can point to fairy tales. Are you repenting yet, please repent, Hurry up and repent.
@@alunesh12345 K
I’ve flown the SAS A340 tons of times between Copenhagen and Tokyo, and a couple of times to Beijing as well. There was always something special about the view over the wings when there was 2 engines there instead of 1. Made the flight feel a bit more long-haul (although I love the 777 and A350 as well) than with a twin-engine.
All my great long haul flight been on 777, 747 not bad either. Suffered in A340 above 40,000 ft, too low cabin pressure, noone could sleep and just felt exhausted. People who saw us disembarking must have thought we had a great flight because everyone was so happy to get out of there. People who had a great flight are sad its over, thats why 777 passengers dont look quite as happy. BUT worst flights are in 787's, when meals are pre-made months ahead and microwaved onboard instead of fresh made and kept warm onboard, thats a recipe for horror, and when you think it cannot get worse they serve microwaved sandwiches for late night snacks, almost threw up from the smell alone but managed to read the label of production date and expiry date, they were 3 months apart.
ive been on an Thai a340 back in 2018 when I was going from london-bangkok, really great experience and honestly I love the a340
Yeah. The DC-10 wasn’t unlucky. Just the passengers flying on it. . .
As a former single-engine pilot, with the knowledge that transitioning to multi-engine was “just” about learning how to fly a twin on one engine. With that in mind, I’ve always felt that, if you’re going to have more than one engine, go for as many as you can get. Unfortunately, I’ve had a hard time getting my hands on a B52😀
The DC-10 actually had a pretty good safety record overall compared to other planes. The problem was the crashes were horrific and high profile.
I flew on a Virgin Atlantic A340 from LHR to PVG a couple of times around 2007 or 2008, and I did notice how quiet it was. Aside from that it was as comfortable as anything else..,well, as comfortable as it gets in Economy on a long haul flight 😖
Used to travel a lot to Europe f/latin america and always preferred flying with Lufthansa as they were servicing my route CCS-FRA with an A340. Loved this plane and always felt safe flying over night over the Atlantic with those four engines rocking. Nice plane and airline BTW 😃
There is just something sexy about 4 engines, in particular the larger diameters of the 500 and 600. I really like the 2-4-2 layout in economy.
Yes, the -200 and -300 variants with the smaller engines sorta feel like a bigger 707, the engines seem too small for the plane. The monsters of the -500 and -600 ones make it really imposing and seem as big as it is.
lol
Only had the privilege of flying on the a340 once, but it was a flight I'd never forget. It's so gracefully long, and the interior is white and bright. The most modern feeling plane, and so smooth despite its size
I've flown on the A340-600 several times. Absolute smooth experience....great aircraft
Enjoyed this. Thanks. I flew Lufthansa from Munich to Newark last summer on a 340. Really enjoyed the flight and have been into them ever since. Very comfortable ride. Loved the lower deck layout of the restrooms. Hadn't realized it was a multi decked aircraft. Truly a victim of poor timing but happy to have been able to take one.
I'm proud to wear an A340 pin on my uniform jacket as it was an A340 that started my CC career and my dad was an engineer on TAP's old fleet. I have the honour of flying them from time to time, although mostly in cargo nowadays. They're the most beautiful, elegant birds in the sky!
I'm a veteran of the times when Iberia used to fly Airbus A340s from Madrid to the USA, particularly between 2006 and 2007 when I would fly the MIA-MAD route (and reverse) constantly
It was a good plane for the time although looking back the cabin could have been better but Iberia was slow in implementing the modern cabins we enjoy today.
Overall I think the A330 is the better plane overall and I hope to get on the A350 next month.
I love the Boeing 777 but I am usually flying an airbus when it comes to long haul
Arguably the most elegant modern airliner, those evenly spaced Trent 500s on the later variants gave the A430 a balanced and purposeful look. My last trip on the type was with Lufthansa in economy class, reasonable comfort in economy thanks to the 2-4-2 layout.
I was finally able to experience a flight on an A340 last year with Swiss. It was only an hour and a half flight from ZRH to LHR but it was a great experience on a very nice aircraft. The best part of the flight was the crew, they offered fantastic and very friendly service on our short hop.
Nice! I've the that route quite a few times to visit family back in Switzerland. Only ever got the A320 though. A couple times I went to LCY instead and enjoyed the smaller 220 (I don't think larger planes can land at London City).
flown A340 few times on the longest route: Singapore - Newark, which use to cross north pole I think. Really smooth, comfortable 17-18hrs and enjoyed it!
Hey Coby! So nice you see you got a sponsor! Keep it up!
Also please stream more, it was super fun!
I plan on it ◡̈
I simply adore the A340-600. Especially in the 80s/90s Iberia livery.👌🏻
I remember when I was a kid I was at a waterpark near Madrid Spain, my home city, when I heard a deafening sound coming from the sky and then I looked up and I saw that beautiful beast on that old-school Iberia livery roaring through the clouds. I guess it had just taken off from Madrid Barajas Airport given the location of the waterpark near the airport but I still noticed back then that it was flying much lower than most planes usually do a few minutes after takeoff.
Totally distinguishable plane. Caught my attention like no other plane for a few seconds. Crazy proportions and just a beautiful piece of engineering despite its bad luck. 4-engine planes will always look better than twinjets.
Hello Coby. Good evening. Great analysis. I have flown the dash 300 in Air France CDG to BOG, the dash 500 EWR-SIN-EWR and the dash 600 JFK-MAD. The throttle up has the bouncy 4 engine heavy feel. Slats retract only after several minutes contrary to its twin brother the A330. During cruise and landing I didnt notice much difference . The front rows render the view of the two engines a perspective nothing shy than imposing. Regards. -JC
I love the look of the A340-300, but the -600 might be the most beautiful aircraft ever. Love the huge engines and the long fuselage
Agreed, it's not just a passenger airliner, it's a work of art.
The plane I flew was like any other. A big boy with 4 engines under the wings. The plane was smooth, quiet, and it was an okay experience between Copenhagen and Shanghai.
Coming home, though, the A340 I flew had a weird little quirk. While taxiing, something that sounded a pump sounded every few seconds.
If anything, it sounded like a pump being uncompressed.
These are hydraulic pumps for actuators. Many moving parts on those wings.
Officially the A340 lacks a PTU (Power Transfer Unit - AKA the Airbus barking dog) but I've seen one cockpit manual that shows a PTU switch. It might have been a prototype thing.
My grandfather was the Captain on TWA’s first-ever 767 extended ETOPS flight and I LOVE that you made that shout out. He sadly passed away a couple years ago and this just makes me so happy
I flew a VS A340-600 from LHR - Shanghai Pudong in Upper Class.. Was lovely.
Once saw one a 340-600 in Airbus colours doing some manoeuvres over Bristol Filton airfield once, really throwing it around the sky
A330 has been developed into a successful tanker. The wings already have the hardpoints and fuel lines available (due to the missing 2 engines) to mount the refuelling equipment. Presently at work near Ukraine, along with Boeing KC135s and KC10s
My experience on an a340 was a quiet widebody, despite the 4 engines. It was also very comfortable.
Exactly what I came here to write, they were exceptionally quiet and very comfortable. In the late 90's early 2000's I did a lot of flying between NZ and Europe via Singapore and enjoyed the Lufthansa A340 as I could always get a good nights sleep. Of course in the days before noise cancelling headphones.
Flew Icelandic Air A340 from Seattle to Reykjavik a few years back, it was great.
flew the 340 back in the early 2010's with VS. It was a last minute equipment change from an a330 to the a340, and managed to get a free upgrade (to upper class). I think the previous flight may have been cancelled so they had a lot of pax being rebooked onto later flights (hence the need for a bigger aircraft and upgrades).
I used to fly Etihad’s A340s from JFK to Abu Dhabi. At that time Etihad was the best airline in the world and the experience was just fantastic. The pilots would take it to its service ceiling over Mosul to try to help avoid the SAMs. I knew e wer getting close to Abu Dhabi when I heard the engines scream as we did a steep climb. Good times.
The only complaint I ever heard about this plane from the industry, though maybe there were others, was fuel ineffeciency. Why was that never addressed and modifications made? I assume the ineffeciency was engine based, not stuctural in nature. Flew this plane on the Singapore long haul from Newark to Singapore and once Virgin Atlantic JFK to LHR. Beautiful plane.
Even using todays most efficient turbofans like the Trent 7000 wouldn’t make a big difference. More engines means way more weight and more maintenance. So upgrading it once etops was introduced wouldn’t make much sense
The most effective way to reduce fuel consumption (without making a new aircraft) on the A340 was to make it a twin, so essentially: make an A330, which is what happened. Doesn't have the same capability, but it doesn't really need to.
I'm glad to have subscribed to your channel... being a big A340 admirer I have enjoyed watching your eye informative videos.
In deed I did flight the A340, operated by LAN in 2008 from Auckland (NZ) and Santiago de Chile. It was a long, about 14 hours, but very nice and comfortable trip. I'm aware of it's "lack of power", but I think it doesn't affect passengers that get a nice smooth experience in a spacious great cabin.
Thanks and I look forward to seeing more of your videos...
Regards
I flew with the A340 two weeks ago from O'Hare to Frankfurt (Lufthansa). It was a very comfortable flight and a great flying experience in general, including a butter landing. It was also way more quiet than the 747 that I flew to USA with the week before. The engines also has that satisfying humming noise when it spools up that you can also hear on the A330. The interesting thing is that the plane was almost empty, maybe only 20-30 passengers onboard.
The A340 is one of my absolute favorite wide-body jets
2-4-2 on a A330/340 unbeatable. Many A340 flights, 4 engines 😁 on KU and LH. A340-500 best looking 😍
its cramped as hell. I mean I'm a big guy 6'1 180lbs but still. It was really tight.
I’ve flown many times on the a340. To me, it felt sluggish, with a weak takeoff. Then I started getting placed on the new a350 for the same routes. That plane is a powerhouse. I love it.
I have flown on the all black Hi-Fly A340 from Antalya, Turkey to Eindhoven in The Netherlands. It was probably the most exciting flight of my life. The plane itself was a beauty. It was the first time ever for me seeing the A340. I hope I get the chance again to fly on one in the near future. 🙏🏽
I flew Lufthansa A340-300. In a way, it was exactly the same as A330-300, size, passenger capacity, etc. However, it was very quiet and smooth compared to the A330. Probably with the 4 engines it means that each of them can operate at a much lower output and therefore it is much more quieter. A340-600 though is one of the most beautiful plane imo.
Quadri-jets are more comfortable than twins because of the four engines. The flight is smoother.
@@ederss7 probably because of the 4 engine, the truth is reduced and also made for more quit. That is why the 340-600, the 747, and the 380 are so good. But again, the world is changing and 2 engine are better doe economics and the environment and whit the 321xlr even smaller coming, aviation is getting down( in a way)
Just love the A340 flew on a Virgin 340 some years ago from DC to LHR, I think only 60+ passengers on board, a stunning aircraft and yet another Airbus not operated by any American carriers. Lufthansa are still flying them from Germany to I think Boston but only until next year. Personally the 2nd best looking passenger aircraft of all time (Concorde being number 1)
Nah, I think both the A350, B787 and B757 have an edge in looks
@@Musikur your opinion but the A340 is a proper looking aircraft with 4 engines none of the wimpy 2 engine jets :)
@@r12004rewy wimpy? the a350 and 787 look stocky compared to the a340. But i agree the a340 looks quite beautiful
Thanks for a well thought out analysis. I was on a Lufthansa flight between FRA and JFK in the late 80's I think. It was a nice plane that felt very spacious and I was happy for the four engines across Atlantic. The flight captain was so proud of the technology of the new plane. The only discordant note, so to speak, was the squeaky sounds it made either while retracting the gear or deployment of Flaps (like the links were not properly lubricated). Didn't seem to bother the crew one bit! I wonder if they all did that?
I flew the Iberia's 340-600 for almos a decade MAD-MEX and loved every time. For the time was very quiet and comfortable. It was always a good feeling knowing you have 4 engines in the middle of the Atlantic.
Nobody at Airbus would blame the A340's underperformance on "luck". They need to design a plane not for the current environment but for the future one, which they of course did; Unfortunately, their prediction for the future regarding ETOPS regulations was wrong, resulting in poor sales.
Just another way of saying luck while strangely refusing to call it luck.
It was more sabotaged
Retired airline EVP (Technic)... Years ago when visiting the Paris Air Show, I was stunned when treated to my first sight of the A340-600. I will never forget my first impression. I said to my friends,
"That is the most beautiful aircraft I have ever seen!". 50 years of following aircraft, that's quite a statement. Long, beautiful, graceful and clean, i remember the demonstration pilots during professional days giving the assembled multitude their shows. Fantastic! Even thinking of it today brings a smile to my face.
I bought our airline fleet from Boeing and Douglas. Douglas will always have a special place in my heart as I had an office in Long Beach for many years. Even before my time, stretch
DC-8's are still a wonder to behold. Following the Boeing/Douglas merger, my favorite plane I would want for myself, if I could afford it, would be the B-717(MD-95). Yes, that's a Douglas plane,
but Boeing refined the assembly process even further. I met the professor who designed the RR/BMW engines, and saw the aircraft produced on the line that was innovative, clean and impressive.
With 100 pax capacity, in my view, with extra tanks this would be the perfect personal and corporate jet! Like everyone else, if I only had the money!
Flew on the A340-300 and 600 many times and once on the 500. Remembered the first time on the 340 and noticed how quiet the cabin was. The 600 variant is my favourite aircraft with the 4 engines and the extra long fuselage.
A340-600 Has one of the best safety records in history!
Thats why im confused on why it's the most unlucky plane. I can name many planes that are more unlucky than this.
actually, it has an accident. Take a look at Iberia flight IB6463.
To put it simply, the B767 flies a bit too soon and ETOPS extension kicks in
TBF Airbus was very proficient at ETOPS as well, the 310 got ETOPS 120 just a few months after the 767, and the A330 was the first type to get cleared for ETOPS 240.
As the video says, the A340 was really unlucky, but since most of the program was shared between 330 and 340 (to the extent that as A330 gained better ETOPS certs Airbus told operators they were interchangeable) it wasn't a deadly loss (unlike Flight 129) it was largely a matter of prioritization: early on the A340 was prioritized, but in the end they entered service less than a year apart.
Also A340 broke a bunch of world records which did a lot for Airbus' image, even if it wasn't that great a seller.
@@Bob-nc5hz indeed, I mean, the A340's existence looking at the timeline meant that it was already pointless to even sell it
We flew from LAX to Tahiti on the A340, it took a long take off roll but the 8 hour trip did not seem arduous. We were way at he back in coach but the seats reclined well and were more comfortable than on a recent American Airlines flight in first class. AA have adopted hard plastic seats for business/first seat, which set a new low bar for passenger comfort.
Another insightful and well thought out program Colby.
You forgot about the 2nd Generation A340s, also flops that got crushed by the 2nd Gen 777s. The first A340s shared the same engine with the A321, this was also a reason why they did go for 4 engines, but the main reason obviously was the lack of ETOPS as you said.
By the way from the very beginning Airbus worked on both the A330 and A340. Initial project names were TA9 and TA11.
If you flew a A330 you’d have an idea how the -40 feels. To this day the smoothest flight I’ve ever had was on board an A340
I flew the A340 on Sabena (the old Belgian airline) in the mid/late 90's from Brussels to Cincinnati and in the early 2000s from Amsterdam to Hong Kong on Cathay Pacific. Smooth and silent were my memories of the flights on it.
Flew A340-600 on Virgin from Heathrow to Shanghai in 2007. Strange cabin design but a very comfortable flying experience. I am so pleased I got to fly on one of these rare birds.
I flew on the -600 many years ago and it’s still one of my favourites. It was a beautiful, smooth and quiet way to spend 20+ hours. Twice!
The way some operators used the -500 & -600 has always irked me, especially the middle eastern carriers. You can’t primarily deploy such a capable aircraft on 7 hour trips to Europe and 10 hour trips to Asia and then complain that the aircraft is uneconomical.
A340, the five APU aircraft
5 APUs?
@@cobyexplanes 4 under the wings
Good video. Informative. I’ve never flown an A340, but have watched them around Frankfurt and Munich airports a bit. I personally think that the A340-600 is a beautiful airplane-especially in the Lufthansa livery.
Subscribed to your channel!
I have flown the A345s of Singapore airlines between Singapore and Jakarta and also SASs A343 from Tokyo to Copenhagen. I truly liked the 2. Always felt safe knowing it was 4 holer than a 2 especially on longer trips. These days I fly on JALs 767s, which I have truly come to appreciate as well as their 788/9 on longer trips. I love them all but my favorite is still the Queen (747s). Hope to try the A380 some time in the future. Nice video by the way.
I've flown a South African Airways A340. It was very rattly. That might have more to do with the airline rather than the A340 itself.
Yeah that makes sense. it's like flying Aeroflot and then wondering why there's loose bolts all over your runway.
Great aircraft very smooth and an excellent safety record, I think it is actually the best. Great video thank you!
I just discovered your channel. I remember flying a A340 a few years ago. It was a good experience from what I remember. And that always feels special to fly a 4-engine aircraft in a market dominated by 2-engine planes.
I got to fly the a340 from lax to tahitian, on Air tahitian nui. It was a very nice plane, but as I remember the air conditioning with the coldest we had ever experienced in our life. We were freezing from departure to touchdown and so were other passengers around us.
As of today, the only thing I have not flown on is the Airbus a330.
Finally flew on an Airbus a350 with Delta a few weeks ago. That was the last on my flight aircraft bucket list.
A funny side note : the A330 and A340 shared the same wing. So, the wings of the A330 could, structurally, receive two more engines.
This was valuable for the A330 MRTT : the two unused engine spots were used for aerial refueling points.
I practically grew up on LH A343s. They're my favorite type to fly, partly for nostalgia and partly because of the 2-4-2 seating. I prefer that over 3-3-3 any day. Started back in the day when cabin crew would ask if I wanted to see the cockpit while we were cruising over the Atlantic. Those were the days!
I have only flown on the A340 twice. We flew an A340 from Atlanta to Paris in 2005. The originating flight was fine, but the return flight had mechanical issues and we waited over 8 hours in Paris. They finally brought a different A340 for the return flight to ATL.
I remember the actual flights were very nice and quite comfortable.
I´ve flown once on Lufthansa A340-600 Munich-Los Angeles-Munich back in 2007. Was a fantastic experience, albeit being seated in the middle row (3-4-3) and no IFE in the seats...! Lavatories below the cabin was a new feature to me.