Etihad's retired A340 fleet is getting a second life:

European Aviation has signed an agreement with Etihad Airways concerning the purchase of ten A340s from the Emirati carrier. The first two aircraft were transferred to the UK-based firm last month.

...

European Aviation said in a statement issued January 29 the deal covers a total of seven A340-600s and three A340-500s, all of which were operated by Etihad Airways until their retirement from active service in mid-2017.

Article
https://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news ... rom-etihad

Is that European Aviation in any way related to the company that operated a bunch of 742s a decade ago or so ?

Yes it was, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_ ... ir_Charter

Run by Paul Stoddart, now he's had a good life.

KarelXWB wrote:

Etihad's retired A340 fleet is getting a second life

As intact aircraft? Not necessarily.

KarelXWB wrote:

Etihad's retired A340 fleet is getting a second life:

Very nice to see them have a second life. How will they be used by European Aviation?

EPA001 wrote:

KarelXWB wrote:

Etihad's retired A340 fleet is getting a second life:

Very nice to see them have a second life. How will they be used by European Aviation?

If you look at their website you will see European Aviation primarily does engineering support, spares support, and (used) interior component sales. I think that gives a big hint on what is going to happen to these plane.

The original European airline went broke in the mid 2000's. Prior to this Paul Stoddard sold it off a couple of times.

At the same time Paul Stoddard and clan were making fairly large investments in the spare parts business. If I remember correctly they built a new warehouse in the US.

The questions revolves around what can they do with ten A340's. Parting out, business jet, engine overhaul or engine swap out arrangement.

I just can't imagine there will be enough A345/346's left in service that will required spare parts of 10 dismantled frames.
Or could that a lot of parts - or complete aircraft - are heading via the back door to Iran ?

A quick look at the (UK) Companies House free data shows European Aviation have net worth of £25 million, sales of £37 million and profit of £2.7 million. So they are not idiots by a long chalk.

Can't they be used on A330s?

Yes, except for the MLG.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fleet_commonality

"The A330 and A340 share many common features. The same cockpit is shared between the A330 and A340, however the A340 controls four engines instead of two on the A330. The A330 and A340 share the same wings, nose, tail and horizontal stabilizers. The A340 features an extra bogie of landing gears under the belly to support extra weight."

I have to wonder if Hi Fly might be interested in some on a good power by the hour lease, although the A345s are of a lower capacity than the ex-EK A343s (which were 267 seats in a 3-class configuration, F12J42Y213; Etihad's were 240 seats in a 3-class configuration, F8J42Y200); Hi Fly's lone A345 is Kingfisher-configured J36Y201). One could replace 9H-TQM, which was recently ferried to Teruel. The A346s might be more attractive to a charter outfit like Hi Fly because they have 316 seats and would be ideal for operations like hajj operations (if Hi Fly reconfigures the frames---they almost rarely do though).

aemoreira1981 wrote:

One could replace 9H-TQM, which was recently ferried to Teruel.

Really? HiFly stored the black one? It was being leased to some European airline on Caribbean routes a few weeks ago. Weird

these A340-500's & -600's would be perfect charter aircraft is they could be configured with high density 1 or 2 class seating.

Think the exit limit on a -500 is 375 seats & -600 is 475 seats. That would be single class with minimum seat pitch I presume.

Does anyone know the hours and cycles on these A340-600s, please?

The A340s will not go to the scrapyard:

EA MD Trevor Whetter told ATW: “We plan to get the aircraft back in the air again. We see all of them going back into service.”

Whetter said two may be converted into executive layouts—typically with 100 business-class, lie-flat seats.

http://atwonline.com/airframes/uk-compa ... ihad-a340s

TC957 wrote:

I just can't imagine there will be enough A345/346's left in service that will required spare parts of 10 dismantled frames.
Or could that a lot of parts - or complete aircraft - are heading via the back door to Iran ?

Even more reason why these remaining A340s will look for used parts when they need replacing. In terms of A346, VS still have 8, LH have 20, SA have 9, IB have 17, QR have 4, and a few other operators as well. It'll take a while longer until these all get phased out.

KarelXWB wrote:

The A340s will not go to the scrapyard:

EA MD Trevor Whetter told ATW: “We plan to get the aircraft back in the air again. We see all of them going back into service.”

Whetter said two may be converted into executive layouts—typically with 100 business-class, lie-flat seats.

http://atwonline.com/airframes/uk-compa ... ihad-a340s

Can those 345 with this config do LHRSYD nonstop? Whoch weight variants are those aircrafts?

c933103 wrote:

KarelXWB wrote:

The A340s will not go to the scrapyard:

EA MD Trevor Whetter told ATW: “We plan to get the aircraft back in the air again. We see all of them going back into service.”

Whetter said two may be converted into executive layouts—typically with 100 business-class, lie-flat seats.

http://atwonline.com/airframes/uk-compa ... ihad-a340s

Can those 345 with this config do LHRSYD nonstop? Whoch weight variants are those aircrafts?

you'd have to think it would go close, but fares would be high, which unless you were QF with their high fares & connectivity, be hard to sell profitably.

c933103 wrote:

KarelXWB wrote:

The A340s will not go to the scrapyard:

EA MD Trevor Whetter told ATW: “We plan to get the aircraft back in the air again. We see all of them going back into service.”

Whetter said two may be converted into executive layouts—typically with 100 business-class, lie-flat seats.

http://atwonline.com/airframes/uk-compa ... ihad-a340s

Can those 345 with this config do LHRSYD nonstop? Whoch weight variants are those aircrafts?

The A345s are likely 372t. The only 380t ones are the Kingfisher NTUs.

WPvsMW wrote:

Yes, except for the MLG.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fleet_commonality

"The A330 and A340 share many common features. The same cockpit is shared between the A330 and A340, however the A340 controls four engines instead of two on the A330. The A330 and A340 share the same wings, nose, tail and horizontal stabilizers. The A340 features an extra bogie of landing gears under the belly to support extra weight."

The A340-500 and 600 are different beasts to the A340-200 and 300. Different wings and tail, and undercarraige, and a +100 ton delta on MTOW.

I'm dying to get a ride in an A340. I'm secretly hoping my MUC-BOS on the A359 somehow gets swapped.

gatibosgru wrote:

I'm dying to get a ride in an A340. I'm secretly hoping my MUC-BOS on the A359 somehow gets swapped.

I found the A346 a wonderfully quiet and comfortable plane. Subjectively even better than an A380.

The A343 was really noisy by comparison.

aemoreira1981 wrote:

c933103 wrote:

KarelXWB wrote:

The A340s will not go to the scrapyard:

http://atwonline.com/airframes/uk-compa ... ihad-a340s

Can those 345 with this config do LHRSYD nonstop? Whoch weight variants are those aircrafts?

The A345s are likely 372t. The only 380t ones are the Kingfisher NTUs.

Only five of this special species (-542) were built.
VT-VJA Airbus A-340-542 c/n 886 With AZAL Azerbaijan Airlines as 4K-AZ85
VT-VJB Airbus A-340-542 c/n 894 With AZAL Azerbaijan Airlines as 4K-AZ86
VT-VJC Airbus A-340-542 c/n 902 With Turkey Government as TC-CAN
VT-VJD Airbus A-340-542 c/n 910 With Arik Air as CS-TFW (Derelict at LOS since 12 Feb 2015, based on latest pix, she will never fly again)
VT-VJE Airbus A-340-542 c/n 912 With HiFly as CS-TFX

Apparently there was a sixth allocated but not built c/n 1050 VT-VJF.

KarelXWB wrote:

The A340s will not go to the scrapyard:

http://atwonline.com/airframes/uk-compa ... ihad-a340s

That is great news! Keep those absolute beauties as long in the air as possible and viable.