non puoi comprare un aereo basandoti sullo "stilisticamente"... Da quello che so il 346 ha qualche problema nel bilanciamento del peso
Esatto.
Monday, April 30, 2007
A340-600 Values Unaffected By Weight "Issue"
The values of the A340-600 remain unmoved by the discussion over whether the cargo carrying capability of the type has been impacted by the use of heavier premium class seats and services at the front of the aircraft.
The discussion centers on a seemingly incorrect report that the inclusion of heavier than projected premium class seats and associated interior for first and business class travelers has resulted in the aircraft being "dangerously" nose heavy. The reports have further suggested that this has resulted in a need to reduce the cargo carrying capacity by five tonnes as well as increasing fuel consumption due to a nose down attitude during flight. The values of the A340-600 are already under pressure owing to the high price of fuel and inferior operating economics when compared to the B777-300ER. Should the reports that five tonnes of cargo would need to be sacrificed, then the values would need to be reduced still further.
Fortunately, the reports seem to be incorrect in terms of the consequence of heavier interiors being used. Some customers of the A340-600 have opted to include additional equipment for premium passengers at the front of the aircraft. When designing the A340-600 Airbus included projections as to the expected weight for first and business class seats and interiors and these expectations have been exceeded by customer selections. With the A340-600 being such a long aircraft, the impact of a heavier front section is certain to have implications for operational weight and balance issues. Rather than causing the displacement of five tonnes of cargo, operators have needed to ensure that cargo is loaded more sympathetically with heavier pallets and containers being loaded towards the rear of the aircraft to counter balance the heavier than expected nose section.
Naturally the inclusion of heavier than expected interiors will have had an adverse impact on the payload capability of the aircraft by increasing the operating empty weight but this will have already been appreciated and calculated by Airbus and any operator prior to service entry. A further reduction in cargo capacity is therefore not likely. Any discussions between Airbus and operators are therefore likely to focus on the calculations needed for ensuring the correct loading of the aircraft. The need for correct loading is common to most widebodies. There have been notable events when incorrect loading of MD11 freighters has resulted in the tail hitting the ground while being loaded. Aircraft with rear mounted engines are also prone to tail tipping and some types require extra ballast to be installed in the nose to restore the center of gravity. The deployment of the ventral door and steps on the B727 and MD80, while not used by passengers in the wake of hijackings in the 1970s, was sometimes seen as a means of avoiding tail tipping.
One of the underlying assumptions in assessing the value of aircraft is that the aircraft is being sold to another operator. For widebodies in particular this is likely to involve a reconfiguration of the aircraft with the removal and replacement of heavier passenger associated and airline specific equipment, thereby potentially restoring the original Airbus weight and balance calculations.
Lufthansa has agreed a Japanese Operating Lease for a new A340-600, serial number 771, priced at a reported $130 million. The actual net price paid by Lufthansa is likley to have been significantly less, perhaps below $110 million.
http://www.aviationtoday.com/regions/weur/10815.html