Airbus A340-600

The long-fuselage widebody built for high-capacity long-haul routes.

Overview

Airbus France ICAO: A346 2006–2011 Active $275.4 million (2011)

The Airbus A340-600 was introduced in the early 2000s as the largest member of the A340 family. Designed to carry more passengers over long distances, it targeted high-density intercontinental markets. The aircraft featured a stretched fuselage and updated systems.

Live Fleet Activity (A346)

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Specifications

Units
Engine
4 × Rolls Royce Trent 556
Engine type
Turbofan
Thrust
4 × 61,902 lbf · 275 kN
Avionics
Thales – Smiths Avionics
Wing tips
Canted winglets
Seats
475 economy · 380 business
Crew
—
Cabin width
17 ft 4 in  ·  5.28 m
Cabin height
8 ft 4 in  ·  2.54 m
Cabin length
200 ft 1 in  ·  60.98 m
Exterior length
247 ft 3 in  ·  75.36 m
Tail height
58 ft 10 in  ·  17.93 m
Fuselage diameter
18 ft 6 in  ·  5.64 m
Wing span
208 ft 2 in  ·  63.45 m
Baggage volume
7,331 ft³  ·  207.6 m³
Gross weight
—
Empty weight
—
Max takeoff weight
760,000 lb  ·  344,500 kg
Max landing weight
530,000 lb  ·  240,500 kg
Max payload
137,500 lb  ·  62,500 kg
Fuel capacity
54,000 gal · 204,500 L · 163,600 kg (Jet A)
Max cruise speed
480 kt  ·  552 mph  ·  889 km/h
Maximum speed
—
Cruise speed
—
Approach speed
135 kt  ·  155 mph  ·  250 km/h
Range
7,802 nm  ·  8,980 mi  ·  14,450 km
Fuel burn
0.14 nm/gal  ·  0.07 km/L
Ceiling
41,450 ft  ·  12,600 m
Rate of climb
5,700 ft/min  ·  29 m/s
Takeoff distance
10,300 ft  ·  3,140 m
Landing distance
6,550 ft  ·  2,000 m
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Lufthansa Airbus A340-642.

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Operational Context

Airbus A340-600 — high-capacity long-range airliner

The A340-600 first flew in 2001 and entered service in 2002. It incorporated structural reinforcements and extended fuselage length compared with earlier A340 variants. Airlines deployed it on busy long-haul routes requiring greater capacity.

Four Rolls-Royce Trent 500 engines producing approximately 56,000 pounds of thrust (249 kN) each power the aircraft. Cruise speed approaches Mach 0.82. Maximum takeoff weight exceeds 830,000 pounds (380,000 kg), with seating typically between 320 and 370 passengers.

The A340-600 provided significant passenger capacity before twin-engine aircraft became more economical. Production concluded in 2011. The aircraft remains a notable example of large four-engine widebody design in the early 21st century.

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