The Airbus A340-500 is the ultra-long-range passenger airliner in the second A340 generation. It uses four Rolls-Royce Trent 500 engines and was developed alongside the longer A340-600. Singapore Airlines used it to open nonstop services from Singapore to Los Angeles and Newark in 2004.[1]EADS reference document 2002Airbus · airbus.comOpen source details[2]Annual report 2003/04Singapore Airlines · aws-saaturbostg.singaporeair.comOpen source details
Design and development
Airbus began developing the A340-500 and -600 in 1997. The -500 emphasised range, while the -600 offered a longer cabin and more seats. Airbus's historical data describes a -500 approximately 67.8 metres long with a 63.6-metre wingspan and an illustrative 313-seat, three-class layout.[1]EADS reference document 2002Airbus · airbus.comOpen source details
The Trent 500 was designed specifically for these two A340 variants. Rolls-Royce describes a three-shaft engine derived from the RB211 lineage, with a wide-chord fan and a tiled combustor. The larger engines distinguish the -500 and -600 from the earlier CFM56-powered -200 and -300.[3]Trent 500Rolls-Royce · rolls-royce.comOpen source details
Singapore Airlines operations
Singapore Airlines' 2003/04 annual report describes its A340-500 introduction under the name A345LeaderShip. The airline welcomed the aircraft into its fleet in January 2004 and used Trent 553 engines. The Singapore to Los Angeles nonstop service began in February, followed by Singapore to Newark in June.[2]Annual report 2003/04Singapore Airlines · aws-saaturbostg.singaporeair.comOpen source details[4]Singapore Airlines receives first A350Airbus · airbus.comOpen source details
The airline's March 2005 fleet table lists five A340-500s with 181 seats each. That is far below Airbus's standard three-class planning capacity, illustrating the cabin arrangements used for these exceptionally long passenger sectors.[5]Annual report 2004/05Singapore Airlines · singaporeair.comOpen source details
Relationship to later long-haul aircraft
When Singapore Airlines received its first A350 in 2016, Airbus explicitly connected the new programme with the former A340-500 routes. Seven of the airline's ordered A350-900s had ultra-long-range capability, intended to restore nonstop United States services previously flown by the four-engine aircraft.[4]Singapore Airlines receives first A350Airbus · airbus.comOpen source details