A340-600 vs. -300

[SGAS]

I'm often reading about the slow climb of the A340-200/300 and how much more powerful the -500/600 are.
I would like to hear first-hand about it. Is any pilot here flying both? Or with experience in both?

Is the difference wery noticeable?

If you are flying both of them, do you say YES!! when you find out that you are going to fly the -600 on the next trip? ;)

How about numbers; whats the typical rate of climb of the -300 and the -600?

I saw the -600 performing at le Burguet this year, GREAT airplane!

Thank you for your replies!

For me they are both rocketships, I feel superb performance when I switch from the C152 to the C182!:O

SGAS

[jungly]

I fly the A330, A340-300 and -600.

The sad fact is the A340-300 has a terrible Rate of Climb (compared to the other two). Its unfair to give to 'numbers' to compare as we fly them at such staggeringly different weights. (but to say that the -600 climbs at about 1.5-2 times the rate to the -300)

But some of these number may amuse you:
We took off in the -600 from HKG to LAX about 3 months ago at MAUW (368,000kgs) *the -600 rotates very slowly because of its length and the fact that you need to use 'Config 3' to help prevent a tail strike* Vr was 167kts.....but the main wheels didnt come off the ground until 192kts!

[slice]

jungly - I am interested to know what the max wheel rotation speed is on the 340-600? I thought most jet transport AC had a maximum somewhere in the region of 200 kts. Plus there must be a fair few seconds from the time the departure threshold disappears beneath the glareshield and liftoff. You could be gardening and not even know it!!(joke) :E

[G-ALAN]

I've heard from a few pilots that the a340-2/300 is underpowered but surely if it can take off at near MTOW at Princess Juliana (Air France) (runway length at said airport around 7500ft) in high temps it can't be too bad?

[jtr]

If the -300 can take off on a 7500' rwy at high temps and close to MTOW then either...


They are using less than 275 T for MTOW or
They are using dodgy figures or
There is one hell of a headwind

[av8boy]

Plus there must be a fair few seconds from the time the departure threshold disappears beneath the glareshield and liftoff. You could be gardening and not even know it!!(joke)

I know this is off-topic, but I'm troubled by this. Am I just getting sensitive, or is it true that there has, of late, been more lashing-out, earlier in a thread, than there used to be? I mean, there was a time here when one might make an observation like the one above and not have to worry about getting jabbed. See, to me, the "gardening" line is humorous and, actually, not a bad observation on the human condition. I, for one, am embarrassed that slice felt the need to put a disclaimer on the end of the posting.

Don't get me wrong--It has nothing at all to do with the replies on this thread. It's just something that struck me when I read slice's post. People just seem pretty quick on the trigger lately.

Somebody help me out. Is it the beer talking? Am I just getting old?


Dave:confused:

[NigelOnDraft]

<<I thought most jet transport AC had a maximum somewhere in the region of 200 kts>>
Was over 200K G/S in a 767 out of Bogota getting airborne. Usual IAS/TAS/GS thing hot / high and no wind. Can't remember what the limit was....

NoD

[G-ALAN]

jtr: check it out (http://www.airliners.net/search/photo.search?&aircraft_genericsearch=Airbus%20A340%25&countrysearch=-%20St.%20Maarten%20-%20Princess%20Juliana%20%28SXM%20%2F%20TNCM%29&maxres=1000&nr_of_rows=31&first_this_page=0&page_limit=15&sort_order=photo_id+DESC&thumbnails=&engine_version=5.0&nr_pages=3&page=) all in and out of Princess Juliana, probably not MTOW

[Notso Fantastic]

At Nairobi (elev 5000'), with a nice, very long 12,000' runway, hot still night, loaded up with 420 people in a B747-136 (Pratt & Whitney JT-9d engines), it used to take a long time to get airborne. I've timed it at 55 seconds and the radio altimeter used to read 50' as you passed over the end of the runway. Then you have Mount Kenya to get around. It was a take-off and departure that required care.

[HotDog]

Slice, the max GS limit on 747-400 A/C is 204 KN, I would think it would be similar on the A340-600. Goodyear have testing facilities of up to 250 knots.

[jtr]

Thanks G-ALAN, I dont doubt they go in and out of there, however, as I said earlier, NOT AT MTOW (or anything close to it off a 7500' rwy).

Sorry cant be arsed looking up the figures for your benefit, you will just have to believe me.

[G-ALAN]

ok jtr I believe you, no need to look up figures.

[simfly]

Seen photos of 744's and classics using st maartin also. Anyone know if they fuel up somewhere en route or go to europe direct?

[747FOCAL]

I was just told that Airbus is looking at building the 340-600X that will fly 8000 nautical miles. Uggh, in an A340 that will take a REAL long time. :E

[Traffic]

Simfly

Direct. About 8:15 northbound.

[used2flyboeing]

As far as I can tell - the new A330s & A340-00/600 ARE ALL NEW AIRPLANES - AIRBUS HAS SPENT A FORTUNE REDESIGNING THESE AIRPLANES - Lufthansa Technic has carved out a nifty little niche market making the A340-100'200'300 engines live - IE they have a health maintenance program & Ive heard some sort of engine monitor program ..The A340-500/600 is a fine bird - the A330 is 'better" - but still no 777 ..