Reminiscences of an old friend...The Airbus A340...

[P_7878]

Yesterday, I was reading an article about Airbus 340, in which there was a mention of Sam Chui, who most of us aviation fans would know as the famed aviation and travel blogger. I find Sam's articles and photographs always fascinating. I read; he grew up under the shadows of the 747s making the famous landings into Hong Kong's (old) Kai Tak Airport (see a recent member post here about Kai Tak). Sam was once invited by the Royal Family of Qatar to travel as the only passenger on a (privately owned) 747-SP. Also, he was once the sole passenger aboard the world's only privately-owned 787 Dreamliner....Nice...The article stated that Sam Chui has flown on the A340 over 50 times. Now, I might not have travelled alone on any long-haul jet (it's always in the sardine-class actually...🙂...), but one aircraft on which I've travelled sufficient number of times, is the A340. So, I took out my calculator, and set about finding how my (A340) number compares with that of the illustrious travel blogger...🙂...

Using a rough 2-decade period of active international travel, and assuming 2 roundtrips per year (i.e., 4 flights per year), it gives me 80 flights. As guesswork, I divide it equally between my 4 major modes of long-haul conveyance (330/340/747/777). So, I must have travelled on the A340 about 20 times. I was a bit disappointed since I was looking for that half-century mark...🙂...When I mentioned this vital statistic to someone in the family, she was clearly not impressed...🙂...but, to my cause, pointed out a mistake in my calculation. Typically, on such flights, there would be two legs per each flight since rarely ever I've travelled on marathon flights (not my cup-of-tea frankly...). This means the number "20" should be presumably doubled to "40". OK...I'm now a bit closer to that magical number "50" then...🙂...

A while ago, I'd purchased the A318 and the A340 together from the Marketplace driven by sentimental reasons (would be nice to have a high-fidelity A340 someday from one of the premier developers or Asobo). I have virtually flown the "Baby Bus" A318 a few times, including a couple of times into EGLC London City, but I recalled today that I've neglected the A340. Indeed, I found it lurking in my Content Manager with that typical (but helpful) Marketplace marking: "OWNED" but Not INSTALLED. So, I installed it today...meaning to chase Sam Chui's statistic...in my virtual world...🙂...

The A340 is an airplane close to my heart, but the type is extremely rare among U.S. operators (in fact, I believe, non-existent). At least, the 3 majors (UA/AA/DL) do not show any A340 in their fleet (current or historic), though AA/DL do fly the A330. All my ~40 trysts...🙂...with the A340 had happened with Lufthansa (See images below). There are good reasons for it. There is no greater devotee of this 4-engined Airbus in the world than Lufthansa...🙂...It was the launch customer of the type, and I believe will be eventually the last to retire it. In fact, the pair (A330/A340) are the reasons the legendary 777 has been banished from LH's fleet, even during the heydays of 777 when it was incredibly popular among the global operators. Anyway, we'll finally (and hopefully) see the 777-9 in the Lufthansa colors soon (LH is expected to be among the earliest adopters of the 777X though not the launch customer). If one looks up the Wiki for "Airbus A340", the first image that graces the page is that of an LH A340-300 (the same variant I'm flying here for my flight). LH, the launch customer of A340, has operated most of the A340 types (-200/-300/-600) including the -600 which even today holds the title of the 2nd longest (passenger) plane in the world, beating the modern A350-1000 by 5 ft, and second only to the Jumbo 747-8, losing to it by only 3 ft. Approaching the A340-600, for boarding, on the open tarmac (away from the gates) is one of the most remarkable sights I will always remember. 

The A340 was indeed a workhorse of the first quality (but somewhat overshadowed by the legendary 747 and also the later 777). It was Airbus's first long-range airliner (flew before the A330). It was incredibly reliable. If one looks under the "Accidents and Incidents" Section of its Wiki, it says, "The 340 has never been involved in a fatal accident, although there have been six hull-losses...". For example, the very first hull-loss of an A340 occurred when an Air France A340-200 was destroyed by fire during servicing at Charles de Gaulle airport. Personally, I cannot recall a single untoward incidence from any of my A340 experience, a quiet and smooth ride each and every time. So, I have fond memories of it and call it a good old friend...🙂...But A340's days are numbered. There was a time when "Four was better than two" but no longer so. Now-a-days "Two is better than four ". I'm speaking of the number of engines on the long-haul a/c types. B787 and A350 will eventually knock the A340 out of the sky, and aviation (and aviation fans) will see the last remaining (single-deck) 4-engined type vanish from the RW skies...the venerable 707 comes to mind here...

For my post, I wished to fly the A340-300 from EDDF to KORD (recalling my many RW flights), but, due to lack of time, I have utilized a segment of this (incoming) flight to Chicago. After examining the actual route on FlightAware, I originate, instead, at Québec City Airport (CYQB), just below the flight route, and transit through two VORs actually noted on the RW LH flight (SSM = Sault Ste. Marie; and VIO = Grand Rapids), both of these places I've visited in RW. Sault Ste. Marie is a fascinating place at the juncture of two Great Lakes (See my VFR MAP inset image below, where my A340 is turning from SSM VOR to VIO VOR, on the final (home) stretch, across Lake Michigan towards O'Hare) - never thought of these aspects during the RW A340 flights...🙂...

I've landed on KORD's westward ILS Runway 28R.

Thanks for viewing...and possibly reading...🙂...! Happy flying...!

Edited August 15 by P_7878

[John F]

2 hours ago, P_7878 said:

...and possibly reading...🙂...!

Yep!

[pmplayer]

Great shots and the right plane for this longhaul trip, and a fine written contribution..

cheers 😉

[P_7878]

John, pmplayer, Andreas, Dillon: Thanks for the comments and responses...!

I always feel good about remembering the role of this specific 4-engined plane in my life as much as that other one...🙂...

Though economically non-competitive, there is an unmistakable grace to 2+ engines...whether 3 or 4 ...🙂...especially for us aviation enthusiasts...

[Alaska738]

Nice shots! 

[bernd1151]

Great post, P_7878. Luckily I have flown in both, the B707 and the A340. Back in the 1980s, when I lived and worked in Lahore, Pakistan, the PIA 707 brought me from Lahore to Karachi (and back to Lahore), where I caught an LH flight to Germany. And the LH A340 I was able to enjoy a couple of times crossing the Atlantic. No alcohol on the PIA flights of course, but lovely champagne on the LH A340 😃

Btw, the son of a friend of mine is captain on the LH A340-600 and flies regularly into Bejing, Seoul and Hong Kong. 

[andiflyit]

Great shots of the A340 P_7878, for me one of the best looking jets. 🙂 

Do you recall the Simubuild A340 freeware for FS9? Was my first attempt to fly it...🙃 and a freeware panel by Ken Mitchell, well done...

[P_7878]

On 8/16/2024 at 12:21 PM, Alaska738 said:

Nice shots! 

Appreciated the comment, Will. Cheers...!

 

On 8/16/2024 at 2:36 PM, bernd1151 said:

Great post, P_7878. Luckily I have flown in both, the B707 and the A340. Back in the 1980s, when I lived and worked in Lahore, Pakistan, the PIA 707 brought me from Lahore to Karachi (and back to Lahore), where I caught an LH flight to Germany. And the LH A340 I was able to enjoy a couple of times crossing the Atlantic. No alcohol on the PIA flights of course, but lovely champagne on the LH A340 😃

Btw, the son of a friend of mine is captain on the LH A340-600 and flies regularly into Bejing, Seoul and Hong Kong. 

Thank you and also for these interesting tidbits, bernd...!

 

On 8/16/2024 at 10:05 PM, andiflyit said:

Great shots of the A340 P_7878, for me one of the best looking jets. 🙂 

Do you recall the Simubuild A340 freeware for FS9? Was my first attempt to fly it...🙃 and a freeware panel by Ken Mitchell, well done...

Thanks...! Simubuild and Ken Mitchell...🙂...We have been around here, Andreas, longer than we probably wish to admit...🙂...

Yes, the Ken Mitchell panels were a must for those airlines that came w/o that much-needed cockpit...🙂...