What is up with this plane?

[AA 1818]

[photoid=472114]

What is the engine for? Also where did the gear go.

Also, the caption said it, but also I read that the A330 could be retrofitted with 4 engines with minimal changes. What would need to be done to have than happen? And are the same engines used on the A330 and the A340?

[DAL767-400ER]

That A340 was the test plane for the A380 engine (GP7000 iirc), hence the unusual size of the #2 engine. And about the middle landing gear missing, the gear does not have to be lowered, as it is basically needed if the plane is very heavy. About changing an A330 to an A340 and vv, I'd say that's pretty much nonsense, as the wings are totally different, with a different number of pylons, wires etc. It would simply be too uneconomic. Nonetheless, you could always ask the folks at BA about flying a 4-holer using only 3 engines .

[Torin Wilson]

That A340 was the test plane for the A380 engine (GP7000 iirc), hence the unusual size of the #2 engine. And about the middle landing gear missing, the gear does not have to be lowered, as it is basically needed if the plane is very heavy. About changing an A330 to an A340 and vv, I'd say that's pretty much nonsense, as the wings are totally different, with a different number of pylons, wires etc. It would simply be too uneconomic. Nonetheless, you could always ask the folks at BA about flying a 4-holer using only 3 engines .

Wrong

The A330 has the EXACT same wing as the A340, including 'hardpoints' (where the engine is attached with pylon) The A330 tanker uses the outer hard points for the fuel outlet and droge.

[DAL767-400ER]

The A330 has the EXACT same wing as the A340, including 'hardpoints' (where the engine is attached with pylon) The A330 tanker uses the outer hard points for the fuel outlet and droge.

Wow, didn't know that (obviously). Does that also include the space fo the necessary wiring and fuel valves?

[uy707]

Absolutely, this is one of the technical and economical arguments put forward by Airbus to win the orders of the RAAF and the RAF which are both extremely demanding customers.
Alain

[pvsoest]

That A340 was the test plane for the A380 engine (GP7000 iirc), hence the unusual size of the #2 engine.

There was some footage of this plane in the Discovery Channel documentary on the construction of the A380. Quite a spectacular sight. But not as spectacular as the demolition test of the RR engine, where a fan blade was blown off using explosives with the engine running at full throttle...

Paul

[Genessee]

Quite a spectacular sight. But not as spectacular as the demolition test of the RR engine, where a fan blade was blown off using explosives with the engine running at full throttle...

I saw that, it was pretty interesting.