Airbus A340-600
Airbus · Multinational (Europe) · first flew 2001 · airliner
The Airbus A340-600 is a stretched four-engined long-haul widebody that was, for several years, the longest passenger airliner in the world.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, swept |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 4 × turbofan, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Extremely long fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Extremely long fuselage
- Four underwing turbofans
- Was the world's longest airliner
The giveaway is the exceptionally long, slender fuselage paired with four underwing engines. A distinctive four-wheel centreline main gear bogie helps support the stretched airframe.
Specifications
- The Airbus A340-600 has a length of 75.36 m (247 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 63.45 m (208 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 913 km/h (567 mph).
- Typical crew: 2 flight crew.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
First flown on 23 April 2001, the A340-600 entered service with Virgin Atlantic in 2002. It held the title of longest airliner until the Boeing 747-8 surpassed it, but its four-engine economics fell out of favour against efficient twins and production ended in 2011.
Variants
The A340-600 is the largest of the A340 family, which also includes the shorter -200, -300 and the ultra-long-range -500. All share the four-engine layout that distinguishes the family from the A330.
Where you'll see it
Virgin Atlantic operated the A340-600 prominently from London Heathrow and Gatwick on transatlantic routes for many years, making it a familiar UK widebody before its retirement from British fleets.
Related aircraft
- Airbus A318
- Airbus A340-500
- Airbus A330-200
- Airbus A380-800
- Challenger 300
- CRJ900
- Hawker Horizon
- IAMI (HESA) IrAn-140 Faraz
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