This is the Airbus A340-8000, a unique aircraft built for a very specific purpose, and for a special client.
This is not really a term people use when it comes to aircraft, but this is as close to a ‘one-off’ as you can get.
It’s still in one piece but, unfortunately, no longer operational.
The 8000 was designed as a spin-off version of the European quadjet Airbus A340, and it was built for the Sultan of Brunei.
In other words, it was supposed to be a private jet.
But it became clear from the get-go that this aircraft was going to live a lonely life.
Right after being ‘delivered’ in 1998, the aircraft spent several months parked at Berlin Schoenefeld Airfield.
It took over a year just to complete the interior.
Speaking of which, the interior of the A340-8000 was massive, with over 20 VIP cabins, a concert hall, and a three-deck setup with a lift to go from one ‘floor’ to the other.
From a technical standpoint, it was still powered by the same quadjet system but it was fitted with auxiliary fuel tanks to turn it into a long-haul aircraft, with a fuel capacity of 8,000 nautical miles (that’s where the name comes from), which is around 14,800 km.
In 2007, after spending ten years parked in Germany, almost without ever flying, it was acquired by the Saudi Arabian Government.
Saudi Arabia has an impressive fleet of airliners that essentially used like private jets, from the massive jet that was used to chauffeur soccer players around to the similar aircraft Neymar used.
This probably explains why they sort of ‘forgot’ about it, and the jet has been parked since September 2023.
In nearly 25 years, the jet has barely moved at all.
