Aviation news
The end of an era, Airbus delivers the last a340
A few days ago Airbus delivered the last two brand new a340s built in Toulouse. The aircraft will never be produced again, and although many operators around the world will continue using the 377 a340s we can say this is an end of a short era. The first a340 entered service in 1993, and at the time it was one of the most sophisticated airplanes ever built. It was built as a streched version of the a300but with longer range beacuse of having four engines instead of two. Some airlines were reluctant to use the four engined plane as in some circumnstances it would be more expensive to operate, but other airlines happily accepted it as a replacement of their DC/10s and the 747/200. Soon after the a340 took the skies airlines started to look at the Boeing 777 as a better and less costly option for long haul flights and which entered service in mid 1994. As of today, 1380 Boeings 777s have been delivered, compared to the 377 Airbuses a340 that were ever produced. A few years ago some airlines still prefered the a340 for long routes, in particular for flights more than 15 hours long which no other airplane could achieve non stop. But with fuel prices increasing after 2008 airlines found these routes unprofitable and most of them were cancelled. A 17 hour flight is by no means comfortable no matter if you fly business class! We will still be able to enjoy flying on the a340 for some years, but the time of more efficient aircraft has arrived and sadly has displaced one of the most beautiful pieces of engineering that have come out of the Toulouse assembly line.
Lufthansa Airbus A340-600 Landing & Take off at Osaka
Lufthansa A340-600 departing YVR.
A few days ago Airbus delivered the last two brand new a340s built in Toulouse. The aircraft will never be produced again, and although many operators around the world will continue using the 377 a340s we can say this is an end of a short era. The first a340 entered service in 1993, and at the time it was one of the most sophisticated airplanes ever built. It was built as a streched version of the a300but with longer range beacuse of having four engines instead of two. Some airlines were reluctant to use the four engined plane as in some circumnstances it would be more expensive to operate, but other airlines happily accepted it as a replacement of their DC/10s and the 747/200. Soon after the a340 took the skies airlines started to look at the Boeing 777 as a better and less costly option for long haul flights and which entered service in mid 1994. As of today, 1380 Boeings 777s have been delivered, compared to the 377 Airbuses a340 that were ever produced. A few years ago some airlines still prefered the a340 for long routes, in particular for flights more than 15 hours long which no other airplane could achieve non stop. But with fuel prices increasing after 2008 airlines found these routes unprofitable and most of them were cancelled. A 17 hour flight is by no means comfortable no matter if you fly business class! We will still be able to enjoy flying on the a340 for some years, but the time of more efficient aircraft has arrived and sadly has displaced one of the most beautiful pieces of engineering that have come out of the Toulouse assembly line.
Lufthansa Airbus A340-600 Landing & Take off at Osaka
Lufthansa A340-600 departing YVR.
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