(This bit of memory about the A340-600 is triggered from my previous post of flight with A340-300). First of all, here is a most remarkable (modern) aircraft, 4-engined too, that we don't talk (or mention) much about, here, primarily because there is limited availability of this a/c SIM from the payware developers (there have been a few, though), and in the pecking order of popularity of Airbus a/c for our SIMs, this is the one that's most likely to be bypassed (or overflown so-to-speak...🙂...) ...This is because, once we're past the A320/A321/A319/A318 series, there are the A330s, noting that, the A320/A330 come in both ceo/neo variants, then there are, of course, the most modern A350s, and then the A380 would be probably the next one up on the list...So, somewhere between A330 and A380, the inconspicuous but remarkable workhorse "A340" is side-stepped in our priority...

In the RW, I have had chance to cross the Atlantic as many times on the A340 (all on the -600 variant, see pictures, below), as on the other (more well-known and much more extensively simulated) also 4-engined type, the B747-400. The A340 is also the only large plane, I'd chance to board a couple of times off-site from the jetway, i.e., off the tarmac with stairway leading up aboard, after been shuttled near the a/c. The first time I'd seen the thin and long -600 at close sight, lengthwise right in front of me, I could not but be astounded by the sheer length of it. Watching it so near, was as exciting as my very first encounter with that huge and bulbous nose of the B747-400, I'd seen, directly in front me, just across the glass windows of the (airport) waiting lobby...

Consider these data, the A340-600, at ~247 ft, is longer than each of these following (highly esteemed) long-haul aircraft:

1. B707-300 (by 95 ft)
2. DC8-63/73 (by 60 ft)
3. B787-10 (by 23 ft)
4. B747-400 (by 16 ft)
5. A380-800 (by 9 ft)
6. B777-300 (by 5 ft)
7. A350-1000 (by 5 ft)

What's significant about the A340, is that it's a much older design (compared to the likes of B787/A350), in fact, being the first of the two (stretched) derivatives of, and sharing the same (fuselage) cross-section with, the original (and the first ever Airbus, the A300). A340/A330 inherited the FBW system, from the A320 (that was introduced a few years earlier). A340/A330 were designed and developed simultaneously, but the A340 flew first, a year before the A330, 30 years ago from today in 1991, actually been conceived years earlier, and, though burdened with 4-engines, it's still flying today with a few operators, notably, by Lufthansa, with an outstanding safety record. This year (2022), Lufthansa has re-activated, from (pandemic-forced) storage, five A340-600s. On a personal note, it's quite likely I might have actually travelled on one or more of these A340s... or even, who knows, on the very same one, you see below, that I've virtually commanded the control of, here....🙂...Anyway, Lufthansa's -600s will not be flying for long though. They are subject to a "one-in-one-out" policy, meaning that each time an A350-900 arrives, an A340-600 will be retired...thus (eventually) bringing an end to the illustrious career of the A340s with this carrier, that had launched it into service. The A340-600 was meant to compete against the B747-400, however, both these (remarkable) quad-jets, would finally bow out and be overtaken by the (more efficient, but not sure more elegant) twinjets of the likes of B777/A330. And with literally no secondhand (pax transport) market for these (4-engined) a/c, this already rare A340, will be mostly gone forever, from the (RW) skies, so, here, below, is your chance to witness this a/c in our virtual world...🙂...

I hope, the images and the angles of shots, below, illustrate the impressively long fuselage and the equally striking (overall) look of this A340-600 variant. The -600 was exclusively powered by the (massive) RR (Trent 556) powerplants (see close-up engine shots). Notice, also, in my pictures, on the thin and long fuselage of this a/c, the full complement of "5" exit doors per side...! The A340-600 will hold a special place in the hearts of aviation fans for sure, yours truly included, especially because I have only pleasant memories of my travels on the -600...smooth and steady flights, every time, from takeoff to touchdown...

I read that Lufthansa's five (re-activated) A340-600s will mostly be based (and flown out of) Munich. So, here, please find, in the subject flight of this post, the (LH) A340-600 (D-AIHP), symbolically, flying on a very short test flight (at Cruise Altitude FL210) from EDDS (Stuttgart Airport), ~150 nms southeast, to EDDM (Munich Airport) .... the (RW) 340-600 had an impressive ~8,000 nms Range. This (complete) flight is flown in (automated) "managed" modes (for lateral and vertical navigation), of course, within the limited confines of this (A340) simulation...and also my limited knowledge of it...

Hope you still enjoy...! Thanks for your interest...!

Edited September 16, 20223 yr by P_7878

I love the talk about A340 in general. It really feels as a niche product. There are small numbers build, there are not so many routes flown with it and it does have 4 engines that become phased out more and more.

Just like the 747 this beautiful aircraft is going to fade away slowly. The most fascinating about the -600 imho is its length and that Airbus embarked on such endeavour at the time in the beginning of the nineties.

Nevertheless the B777 took over the initiative with its -300, the -600 rendered obsolete.

I still love to fly the A340 in Xp11/12. Got to love the 4 engine ops and the looks of it.

 

 

Fine shots, Lol , Lufthansa, my German airline..

cheers 😉

Nice shots! 😉 

Amazing Captures!!!

Piotr, pmplayer, Will, and Patrick: Many thanks for the comments and thoughts...Appreciated...!!

 

20 hours ago, pmplayer said:

Fine shots, Lol, Lufthansa, my German airline...

cheers 😉

Your airline and your neighborhood....🙂....Only if you'd looked out the window up at the sky overhead, you could have seen my A346 climbing out from your hometown neighborhood...🙂... (e.g., see my shot #2...) .... btw, I'm lifting off (EDDS) ILS Rwy 07....You can clearly see the right bank (in my shots #6/#7), towards Munich...

BBB - Big , beautiful , bird . 

11 hours ago, johnbow72 said:

BBB - Big, beautiful, bird. 

Very succinctly put, John....🙂...!!