The A340-600. Virgin Airlines owner, Richard Branson, has placarded on his aircraft to taunt British Airways, "mine is longer than yours."
Click here to see how a A340-600 is built.
Never call a pilot's airplane "ugly." Them's fighting words!
This Airbus Beluga (named after a whale) transports large portions of airplanes.
Airbus 340-600 (246 feet long)
For the longest time I thought Air Canada would strictly be an Airbus company. A few years ago when Air Canada sat on the fence as to which large aircraft to buy I bumped into a Boeing sales rep. I had to deadhead to Montreal from Toronto and who should sit beside me, but a Boeing sales rep on a mission to woo Robert Milton. Being an Airbus guy, I had to exercise diplomacy. Actually he turned out to be a great guy. Besides he gave me trinkets like a paper weight, luggage tag and a key chain.
About three months later Air Canada announced a new kid will soon be on the block, the Boeing 777.
Lufthansa brings its A340-600 into Toronto and like Branson said, it sure is a long one. Enjoy the video.
P.S I forgot to mention this video was sent from Calgary "rampie" Kelly Paterson.
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Just received an email from a new blogger... "Ian." Maybe you can pay his site a visit? As one of his first posts, he included a video on the making of a Boeing 777. Boeing did a great job. The rivalry starts...not between Ian and I....but between the two largest makers of airplanes in the world!
10 comments:
Not to be nit picky here, but the A340-600 is 247'1'' long, a mere 5 feet longer then the 77W's that Air Canada has.
http://www.airbus.com/en/aircraftfamilies/a330a340/a340-600/specifications/
Once again excellent post
Regards
Nehal
Anon. This is good feedback. You are absolutely correct. I quickly got the info from an
unconfirmed website.
I write a blurb for a picture in Air Canada's enRoute "Altitude" section every month.
The last one pertained to the height of the B777's tail. I got three different answers.
One would think this stuff is precise info but it does vary.
Again, thanks for the comment and keeping me in check. :)
Captain Doug
Doug,
As a paasenger, there is no comparison between the two. The
B777 has head room, whereas, the A340-600 ( 500) has very little room. I have done enough flying on the two planes, and I can tell you that I prefer the BOEING.
The sales of A340 have basically stopped, so, that also shows how unsuccessful they were.
Chuck. I knew this post would turn into a showdown between Airbus and Boeing. :) But this is good!
I hear ya, I don't see too many A340s flying around here in North America.
At Air Canada we have the "lie flat" business class seats so as far as roominess it probably is compatible between the two.
I do realize the overhead bins are huge on the B777.
I'm nearing 9500 hours on the Airbus so it's time to start thinking Boeing. My next airplane (I'm hoping soon -within two years) will
be a B767. By then the B787 will be showing up at the door. I will then retire on the B777. Yes, there is the A330 but we only have eight so
the route structure is pretty stagnant.
Having said that, maybe Airbus will come along and entice AC with A380s or A350s? :)
Thanks for your comments. Much appreciated. I just received an email from a fella that started a blog.
Guess what he posted? How a B777 is built! I told him I will send people his way!
Captain Doug... "on the little bus."
Funny that there are so many different specifications.
From a Business standpoint, I have heard that Air Canada lent more towards the B777's, mainly because the B777 is a bit more fuel efficient compared to the A340. Though there were probably a few more reasons why Air Canada went that way.
Hope to see you on the B777 or B787 soon.
Regards
Nehal
Nehal. True the B777s are more fuel efficient, but as you alluded to, there was a lot more going on behind closed doors. Rumour has it AC did very well at the bargaining table for the B777s. One has to remember this is looked at as a huge coup
for Boeing. Similar to Coke and Pepsi, PC and Apple, Ford versus GM, and the list goes on.
I would love to see myself on the B777 and B787 soon, because that translates into a big raise. But one must wait their turn.
Thanks for the post.
Doug
You allude that "My next airplane (I'm hoping soon -within two years) will
be a B767. By then the B787 will be showing up at the door."
Either way, do you have to be first officer/co-pilot or do you jump directly in the captain seat of a 767 or 787?
If you jump in the captain seat of a 767/787, is there a transition period after so many hours in an Airbus?
HI Anon. Good question. No, I finished working my way up the first officer ladder. It will be a captain's position but I will be near the bottom wrung. The rest of my career I will be looking up the Captain's ladder.
The transition is about three months of training from start to finish.
Gone flying and thanks for the question.
Doug
That would be great if you got on the 787, from what I've seen of the cockpit so far it looks very nice. I believe my friend will be on it as well, you might know him, Mark Schwartzentruber. Is it true you can only bid for a new aircraft every three years?
Hi Jason. A pilot can bid a new airplane every time there is an equipment bid. The catch is, it must be an up-bid. A pilot could be on course every six months..
For example a new pilot could start as a cruise pilot on the 767, then F/O on the Embraer, then F/0 of the A320, then F/O on the 767, then captain Embraer, then captain A320...well you get the picture.
This is one of the glitches with a seniority based roster. It costs the company millions in training.
One way to avoid this is to implement status pay like many of the European carriers use.
True, if you down-bid you are frozen for 3 years and recently we agreed to a four year freeze.
Who said flying for the airlines was easy?
Yes, I know Mark. Great Guy!!!!
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