A340

[Buckeye(OH)]

Flying on an A340 for the first time. I have been on everything Boeing but never an Airbus of this caliber. Any cool facts? Didn't find anything interesting on the interweb

[ATL_Av8r]

on some of the A340-600 series, the restrooms in coach are downstairs.

that's all I got

[WeenerBoy]

they are badass looking. rode in an airfrance one 3 times, comfy too

[cryption]

What airline are you flying?

[OSD#15]

Very very cool A/C. They are so damn long! I'd also like to know which airline you are flying. I'd pay a little extra to fly on a more interesting A/C. My last transatlantic was in an ancient USAir 757...never again!

[Buckeye(OH)]

Air France direct DTW --> CDG. On the return its a Delta B763ER

[Buckeye(OH)]

I try to avoid 757s when possible. I can't stand single aisle for long flights and I am not even a big person!

Unfortunately, most of the long haul domestic routes are 757 based.

[ATL_Av8r]

My wife hates when I book our trips. I'll leave at 5AM if it means a double-aisle vs a single on a transcon

[vwbrvr6]

I've heard that if you sit in the back row and look all the way forward you can see the fuselage flex/bend on takeoff and in turbulence.

[SpookyReverb]

I flew on a Lufthansa A340 from Portland to Frankfurt on five round-trips, and I really liked it. Comfortable, fairly smooth, but most important, getting on that plane meant I was heading to Europe.

[Intalex]

Worked on them a while before our airline retired them. The A340 has a small landing gear under the belly between the main landing gear, whereas the A330 doesn't. Overall, they're great reliable aircraft, nobody has ever died from a crash on a 340. The cockpits are pretty similar to the smaller 318/19/20/21 series, with only a few small differences. They were pretty easy to work on, but the 330s are easier. Most people I work with enjoy working on any airbus planes, since the maintenance is fairly easy and straightforward. That probably contributes to their reliability.

[stratclub]

I've heard that if you sit in the back row and look all the way forward you can see the fuselage flex/bend on takeoff and in turbulence.

Airframe flex during turbulence is common on any Heavy. I think that is the biggest reason they have the curtains windscreens etc.between zones/classes is so the paying customers don't notice the flexing so much.

On a 747, when it is taken off of jacks there are several places on the upper aft body that are oil canned until the next time the airframe is pressurized and then all those places pop back out. So ya, all aluminum aircraft do flex.

I would imagine the flexing is a lot more noticeable on longer aircraft.

[J-Tim]

Flew an A346 twice last year and those were the most comfortable and quietest flights I've been on.

[Buckeye(OH)]

Well, I can say that the flight there on the A340 was much less desireable than on the 763. I don't know what it is about Air France's seats but there was hardly any room between them. They make up for this with a pretty significant recline.

The seat set up on the Boeing was just much more favorable.

My first flight on an A340 was not worth writing home about, perhaps if it was an A346 instead of an A343...

[Intalex]

Well, I can say that the flight there on the A340 was much less desireable than on the 763. I don't know what it is about Air France's seats but there was hardly any room between them. They make up for this with a pretty significant recline.

The seat set up on the Boeing was just much more favorable.

My first flight on an A340 was not worth writing home about, perhaps if it was an A346 instead of an A343...

Seat pitch is controlled by marketing, not manufacturers.

[Buckeye(OH)]

That's why I said, I don't know what it is about Air France's seats


I was very much looking forward to the flight back because I know how Deltas seats are

[Intalex]

Yeah, I worked on a contract to retrofit an Air France 340 cabin, and holy crap that economy section was nasty. Cramped, filthy, smelly, and hot. Just felt old and nasty back there.

[Buckeye(OH)]

What you said, just about sums it up. Or slums it up, as it were.

[71sbeetle]

I've flown on Air France's A340-300 and also Air Tahiti Nui A340-200 and A340-300, I'd take ATN's coach, or business, or first class over AF's anyday !!!

[Gus Polinski]

Not been in one but always enjoyed watching the daily inbound/outbound Lufthansa A340 flight out of DFW. When I instructed up there, overflying DFW was routine when transitioning their Class B and saw the big bird taking off more than once.

[teutonicgoodness]

Air France, enjoy. Good food, for an airline and they give complimentary wine in coach.