A340-600 TAKES OFF ON MAIDEN FLIGHT

Airbus’ A340-600, the first new large jetliner of the 21st century, was cleared for its maiden take-off from the Blagnac airfield in Toulouse this morning. Painted in Airbus colours with the words “longer, larger, farther, faster, higher, quieter, smoother” emblazoned on the fuselage, the first A340-600 taxied along the runway and took to the skies at 10.34 hours local time (8.34 GMT).

The aircraft is captained by Claude Lelaie, Vice President of Airbus’ Flight Division, and co-piloted by test pilot Ed Strongman with Gilles Robert, the Division’s Test and Development Director, Jacky Joye and Gérard Desbois as flight test engineers. This maiden voyage marks the beginning of a comprehensive flight test campaign involving three A340-600s in 1,600 flight hours and culminating in certification and entry into airline service in mid 2002.

The A340-600 took off at a weight of over 300 tonnes (660,000 lbs) for a realistic first appraisal of its in-flight behaviour. Indeed, the A340-600 is the highest capacity member of the Airbus family so far, with a maximum take off weight of 365 tonnes. The A340-600 provides lower operating costs and better revenue potential than competing aircraft, while enjoying total freedom of flight without ETOPS constraints. Featuring a spacious all-new interior and the quietest cabin in the sky, the A340-600 can carry 380 passengers in a standard three-class configuration over distances of up to 13,900km/7,500nm.

With 127 orders and commitments from eleven customers, the A340-600 and its ultra-long range sister, the A340-500, are clear leaders in their category, capturing 59 per cent of the market at the end of 2000.

With over 4,200 orders booked to date from more than 170 customers worldwide, Airbus is one of only two manufacturers in the market for commercial aircraft seating more than 100 passengers. Offering the most modern and comprehensive airliner family in the world, Airbus consistently captures about half of this market - a position it is well-equipped to maintaining in the future. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is jointly owned by BAE SYSTEMS and EADS.