The Airbus A340 was developed as a result of improvement of an experimental model known as the TA11. Airbus Company had announced the advancement of TA11 in January 1986 and led to establishment of A340. A340, a twin-aisle aircraft, was created to enhance efficiency on distant routes where big passenger planes such as the Boeing 747 were not needed.
Its major difference with other planes of similar class is that A340s have a greater range than the Boeing due to its large fuel capacity especially for the A340-500.
A340 have an approximate range of up to an average of 13,000Km which gives it an advantage over other planes. A340 was to use the International Aero Engines (IAE) new super fan engines but difficulties were experienced, hence they stopped the development of the super fan engines. Airbus agreed with CFM international that they would use the CFM56-5C4 engines.
The Airbus A340 was completed and was ready to fly in the late 1990s (Papadogiannis 2001, para 1).
A340 is normally assembled in Toulouse in France and the fuselage is developed in Germany; the fuselage is the body of a plane which is tube-like that holds all the pieces of an airplane together. The main purpose of its hollowness is to make the aircraft lighter.
The wings of A340 are manufactured in England. A340’s cockpit is completely digitalized; it has six multi-function displays. A340 also uses sidesticks instead of the classic yokes (Papadogiannis 2001 para 2).
The ‘Fly -by- wire’ of the A340 is designed to operate the plane automatically rather than manually; it switches from mechanical control to electronic signals. The’ fly- by- wire’ system allows commands through the sidestick rather than using yokes.
This has improved safety and reliability of the plane. Fly-by-wire has also reduced pilot workload and improved performance due to reduced pilot inputs. The fly by wire has tremendously improved stability and ease and reduces fuel burn through reduced drag and optimized deflection control surfaces.
It contains three multipurpose control and display units which enables access to the flight management system of the airplane. These units also provide systems maintenance information in the air and on the ground.
The plane is also characterized by a ground proximity warning system (GPWS), communications addressing and reporting system (ACARS), a global positioning system (GPS), satellite communications, traffic collision avoidance system (TCAS), a forward air navigator system (FANS A) and a microwave landing system (MLS) (Aero-space technology.com n.d., para 8). The use of advanced material gives the A340 an upper hand in comparison to other planes.
The completion of A340’s design led to creation of six prototypes. A340-200 and A34-300 were initially the only Airbuses to be created. Although A340-300 had a greater capacity than A340-200, it had less range compared to A340-200. Many flight tests were done with the prototypes after its success manufacturing of the A340 commenced. The first delivery was an A340-211 of Lufthansa in January1993 when it made its first commercial flight.
A340 series has a communication system which included telephones and fax machines. It is spacious and has privacy compared to other planes due to it is dimensions-wide bodied. Airbus later developed another series of A340, the A340-500 and A340-600 in the late 1990s.
They have similar type of wings with the previous models but longer. Its huge area of the wings gives more capacity for fuel; large fuel tanks are situated in the wings. It also has four wheels to support the increased weight of the central main gear.
A340-500 and A340-600 has modern cockpit with LCD displays instead of CRT which was used in A342-200 and A340-300 before. A340-500 has a maximum range of 16,000 Km with Rolls-Royce Trent 500 engines that have greater power and less fuel consumption.
A340-500 can carry up to 313 passengers. A340-500 first flight was in February 11, 2002 after it was tested and eventually certified. A340-500 provides the best services in terms of long range capability. The A340-600 is one of the largest airplane manufactured by the Airbus Company, it can carry up to 380 passengers.
In comparison to other huge Airplanes such as Boeing 747 which is of the same class, A340-600 has a larger passenger sit and cargo space. A340s have Rolls-Royce Trent 556 Turbofans and powered by 56,000 ibf thrust. The plane is very economical in terms of fuel consumption and has a maximum range of 13900 km. A340-600 made its first commercial flight in April 23, 2001 after being tested successfully.
A340-600 is one of the largest airplanes and is configured into three classes. It has 380 seats of which 12 are first class, 54 business class and 314 economy class seats. A340-600 has a large cargo capacity that can hold 42 LD-3 containers.
The four engines of the A340-600 ensure that the plane can withstand the extra weight exerted by the huge number of passengers and the weight of the large cargo. It also does not have many limitations in terms of passengers compared to other two engine planes.
The large seat count and freight capacity in the A340-600 gives it the advantage of high revenue capacity. Despite the A340-600 having a slightly higher fuel burn than other planes, the extra seats and the extra cargo space are an advantage since its revenue counters and compensates for the extra fuel burn (Aircraft Commerce 2001, para 15).
A340s have also a low maintenance cost due to the technology similarly used in A380 – also a product of the Airbus Company. The design of A340s structures such as the airframe incorporates more than ten tones of composites and ultra-light alloys resulting in reduced aircraft weight , easy maintenance and an increased airframe lifetime (Aviation-Database.com para 2).
Manufacture of the A340s is done using advanced technology. The A340s are constructed through use of laser beams welding, superplastic forming and diffusion bonding. The use of high strength aluminium alloy, carbon fibre and glass fibre reinforced plastics make the A340s a state of the art plane.
The materials and technology used for manufacturing A340s leads to production of quality airplanes with guaranteed safety and reliability. The A340 also contains an advanced technology such as a center of gravity management system, modern cabin systems, highly-efficient wings and a state of the art avionics which makes the A340s series unique. The A340s avionics are highly integrated to provide an efficient crew use and optimal maintenance (Potocki de Montalk 2001, 3).
A340’s ability to carry more fuel has enhanced efficiency in long and ultra-long distances; especially the A340-500 which has a long range capability than most planes. The wide variety has enhanced operational flexibility in both short and long flights.
A340s four engines give it an advantage over two engine planes since it is not liable to extended operations (ETOPS). Extended operations rules limits two engine planes from long flight periods. The Long-range operations (LROPS) are an added advantage to the A340s; it allows four engine planes to fly over extreme conditions with the exception of an engine failure without diversions. Direct flights without diversions greatly improve the A340s customer efficiency – this avoids the long routes which two engine planes are accustomed to.
Fly-by-wire technology reduces turbulence and improves comfort during flights. The electronic system that controls flight of the A340s includes five computers and segregated power lines and signaling lines. These features facilitate control of the plane in pitch, roll and yaw.
Speedy communication links are provided by the Rockwell Collins Integrated Information System which enhances faster fault rectification. A340s have a central management system (CMS) which facilitates troubleshooting in more than one system at a time with clear and precise data available.
The A340s are installed with a temperature sensor locator which provides a comfortable temperature conditions for the passengers. The large wings enable the plane to lift with ease during takeoff, and also facilitate cruise at high speeds economically. The lower deck has sufficient space for introduction of additional crew or passenger facilities such as sleeper cabins, bunks and rest areas for the crew.
Using four engines in the place of two reduces maintenance costs since it is easier to maintain four small engines than two big engines. Low thrust is required for take-off with four engines while a two engine requires more thrust for take-off. Flexible operability enables the plane to fly over remote areas like mountain ranges and oceans thus saving time.
A340 have taken into account several steps to enhance the planes uniqueness. To begin with are improved operating costs such as low fuel burn, high weight capacity and low maintenance costs. Secondly, improved performance in the environment, for example, reduced noise pollution, and reduced carbon emission, good methods of materials and manufacturing processes.
Finally, improved passenger satisfaction, for example, comfortable passenger seats due to sufficient space, and a nice interior with less internal noise level (Resources, Community, and Economic Division 1993, 7). Airbus A340s has a similarity in its operations; most controls are designed similarly hence pilots can easily grasp the controls with minimum training time.
List of References
Aero-space technology. Airbus A340-200 and A340-300. Web.
Aircraft Commerce, 2001. Aircraft operations, 360-seaters in performance test. Web.
Aviation-Database. Airbus A340 maintenance. Web.
Papadogiannis, D., 2011. Aircraft-photos.net. Web.
Potocki de Montalk, J. P., 2001. New Avionics systems-airbus A330/A340. Web.
Resources, Community, and Economic Division, 1993. Aircraft certification: Limited progress on developing international design standards. Washington DC: Diane Publishing Company.