Have You Heard About the World's Most Unique Plane? Say Hello to the Airbus A340-8000

byEU Plane Spotters -
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Back in 1998, Brunei's government got their hands on an incredibly unique Airbus A340. It's the only one of its kind - the European quadjet widebody's '-8000' model. Originally, it was meant to be a snazzy gift from the Sultan of Brunei to his brother, but plans changed, and it found itself serving a different government. So, what's the story behind the A340-8000, and where did it end up?

What's the Deal with the A340-8000?
Airbus whipped up the A340-8000 with the Brunei royal family in mind. Word on the street (or rather, from a FlightGlobal report) is that the Sultan of Brunei personally ordered it as a surprise for his brother. It wasn't their first rodeo either. 

The A340-200 had already made its debut back in 1993, thanks to Lufthansa, but the A340-8000 was meant to be the latest addition to the monarch's lavish collection of private jets.

What sets it apart? This beauty was packed with extra fuel tanks, giving it the muscles to cover more than 8,000NM (that's a whopping 14,800 km for us land folks). So, the Sultan and his family could easily jet from Brunei straight to the US or Europe without stopping.

 By comparison, the regular A340-200 only stretches to 6,700 NM (around 12,400 km). Not to mention, the -8000 could hold its own with a 275-tonne maximum take-off weight, room for 239 passengers, and a swanky interior fit for, well, royalty!

So, What Happened Next?
After officially getting the keys to their new toy (with the serial number MSN 204) in November 1998, it didn't see much action right away. Instead, it had a bit of a snooze at Berlin's Schönefeld Airfield for a few months, under the watchful eye of Lufthansa Technik.


Fast forward a year, and it finally got its promised VIP interior. But plot twist - it never really served Brunei. Instead, it got cozy at a Lufthansa Technik spot in Hamburg, and even got a new registration, from V8-AC3 to D-ASFB. It took a long nap there, staying put in one form or another for almost a decade.

Then, 2007 rolled around, and word spread that Saudi Arabia's government was the new proud owner. By March 1st







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