HZ-HMS2 ¦ ZRH 10.07.2025
Airbus A.340-213X (c/n 204)
Government of Saudi Arabia
Zürich-Kloten (ZRH/LSZH) (homespotting)
10 July 2025
It is quite some time since I have last seen an Airbus A.340-200, but last night this example paid a most welcome visit on a flight from Jeddah and London-Stansted to Zürich.
Registered as HZ-HMS2 to the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and operated by the Saudi flag carrier Saudia, it was captured on finals to runway 14 as SVA002, and sporting full Saudia livery.
Only 28 of the short A.340 ultra-long range version were built, and as of today only a handful remain active. HZ-HMS2 was built in 1997 for the Government of Brunei, and was the unique A.340-8000 testbed, capable of flying for over 8,000 miles/14,800 km non-stop, for example from Brunei to Europe or the USA. Also dubbed the "A.340-8000" while with the manufacturer, the aircraft never entered service with Brunei and remained at Hamburg for a good ten years, becoming a famous - and expensive - hangar queen. In 2007 it was eventually acquired by Saudi Arabia, initially as HZ-HMS, and becoming HZ-HMS2 in 2010.
The photo of HZ-HMS2 is a "homespotting" shot and is not up to my normal quality standards. The aircraft was taken at four miles final for runway 14, at about 2,900 ft and with a side distance of over 3 kms at a focal length of 1600mm. The camera was a Nikon P950, which is a fun cam for snap shots, has a 24-2000mm zoom lens and a 2x digital zoom boosting focal length to 4000mm, but all at a quality which is clearly below that of the average mobile phone camera, not to speak of a DSLR.
HZ-HMS2 ¦ ZRH 10.07.2025
Airbus A.340-213X (c/n 204)
Government of Saudi Arabia
Zürich-Kloten (ZRH/LSZH) (homespotting)
10 July 2025
It is quite some time since I have last seen an Airbus A.340-200, but last night this example paid a most welcome visit on a flight from Jeddah and London-Stansted to Zürich.
Registered as HZ-HMS2 to the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and operated by the Saudi flag carrier Saudia, it was captured on finals to runway 14 as SVA002, and sporting full Saudia livery.
Only 28 of the short A.340 ultra-long range version were built, and as of today only a handful remain active. HZ-HMS2 was built in 1997 for the Government of Brunei, and was the unique A.340-8000 testbed, capable of flying for over 8,000 miles/14,800 km non-stop, for example from Brunei to Europe or the USA. Also dubbed the "A.340-8000" while with the manufacturer, the aircraft never entered service with Brunei and remained at Hamburg for a good ten years, becoming a famous - and expensive - hangar queen. In 2007 it was eventually acquired by Saudi Arabia, initially as HZ-HMS, and becoming HZ-HMS2 in 2010.
The photo of HZ-HMS2 is a "homespotting" shot and is not up to my normal quality standards. The aircraft was taken at four miles final for runway 14, at about 2,900 ft and with a side distance of over 3 kms at a focal length of 1600mm. The camera was a Nikon P950, which is a fun cam for snap shots, has a 24-2000mm zoom lens and a 2x digital zoom boosting focal length to 4000mm, but all at a quality which is clearly below that of the average mobile phone camera, not to speak of a DSLR.