A400M Flight Testing Progress
Join Date: Feb 2008
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Nice sight near Toulouse
It's encouraging to see A400s regularly flying over the small village where I live "between the river and the mountains" - their "grizzly growl" sounds quite different from anything else, and at what look like quite high speeds there's a distinctive "howl" as well ... gets the neighbours out to scan the skies in appreciation !
GO Grizzly ! (even if the nickname gets certain Airships the heeby-jeebies).
PS I still think it'll look better stretched - if that gearbox could take more power !
GO Grizzly ! (even if the nickname gets certain Airships the heeby-jeebies).
PS I still think it'll look better stretched - if that gearbox could take more power !
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Jig Peter I saw somewhere the TP400 engines are build with growth potential included, so I guess the gearbox too..
Yrs ago I sketched a stretched US A400M. The A400M seems volume limited when operating from regular air fields. 40t can be a lot of low density load.
Yrs ago I sketched a stretched US A400M. The A400M seems volume limited when operating from regular air fields. 40t can be a lot of low density load.
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Re: SFFP Post 79
What might satisfy SFFP (and give Their Airships yet more vapours) on the day the A400M enters RAF service would be to arrange a tagger to add a "t" at the end of the name* their 'Ships have given it ... only to be revealed when the drapes covering the name fall ceremoniously away ...
(* "Atlas" for the unwary)
(* "Atlas" for the unwary)
Or perhaps an 'f' and an extra 's'?
Everyone knows that ALMs like a fAtlass....
I don't see much need for a stretch, given that the max. payload has already increased from the 25 tonne of 'Euroflag Solution 20' through 37 tonne in 2003 to the present 40 tonne.
Everyone knows that ALMs like a fAtlass....
I don't see much need for a stretch, given that the max. payload has already increased from the 25 tonne of 'Euroflag Solution 20' through 37 tonne in 2003 to the present 40 tonne.
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Beags,
always remember the larger lady is always more grateful . Big girls need loving too (and they kept one warm in the snowy wastes of Newfoundland and Labrador!)
always remember the larger lady is always more grateful . Big girls need loving too (and they kept one warm in the snowy wastes of Newfoundland and Labrador!)
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Keesje, where's the JATO STOL package, the sonobuoy dispensers, and the refueling boom?
And shouldn't you also have a drawing of an A400 equipped with ski landing gear for snowy operations?
And shouldn't you also have a drawing of an A400 equipped with ski landing gear for snowy operations?
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@ SFFP (again !!)
Sorry, Sir - too busy trimming roses and suchlike, but I can assure you that A400 airborne sightings occurred (and one probable, but only heard) at least twice in the Toulouse area during the second half of last week. Also, photos of aircraft lining up for approach at, say 1000 ft, aren't what one would hang on one's sitting room wall. (and I ain't got a camera anyway).
France's summer break was over a week or so ago, and it was good to see Grizzly/Atlas getting on with the testing programme. Dunno about events in Spain, but I can assure you that the "special" A400 sound is good to hear, at least for me, as well as other Airbus products on test, or in service (after all, that's what pays some of my pension ...).
Another thing - the RAF would be further forward in the queue if only the various UK ministries involved had shown some urgency - but 'twas ever thus, wonnit ?
France's summer break was over a week or so ago, and it was good to see Grizzly/Atlas getting on with the testing programme. Dunno about events in Spain, but I can assure you that the "special" A400 sound is good to hear, at least for me, as well as other Airbus products on test, or in service (after all, that's what pays some of my pension ...).
Another thing - the RAF would be further forward in the queue if only the various UK ministries involved had shown some urgency - but 'twas ever thus, wonnit ?
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Keesje, where's the JATO STOL package, the sonobuoy dispensers, and the refueling boom?
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Rising to the bait
OK, so I rise to SFFP's bait again, but his post on a Sunday saying "so nothing since last week" rather flabbers my gasts - perhaps I should have made it clear that I meant "7 - 9 September".
This Monday's quiet, though: little air traffic of any kind, so the photo-snappers round the airport won't have much to click their shutters at, which will probably give SFFP something else to sneer about ...
Personal Ignore list - "GO". Out
This Monday's quiet, though: little air traffic of any kind, so the photo-snappers round the airport won't have much to click their shutters at, which will probably give SFFP something else to sneer about ...
Personal Ignore list - "GO". Out
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SFFP
Understood - though wondering on a Sunday if there has been more activity since Friday ... !!!
I believe they're making good enough progress for "Stakhonovitis" not to be imminent.
Ignore list - "Delete last entry - GO"
Understood - though wondering on a Sunday if there has been more activity since Friday ... !!!
I believe they're making good enough progress for "Stakhonovitis" not to be imminent.
Ignore list - "Delete last entry - GO"
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And if it makes that much noise it'll be bugger all use as a replacement MPA before anyone suggests it!
According to the coalition government this maritime nation doesn't require any aircraft for the role!
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Modern Elmo,
Care to comment on the stealthuy Transport, Tanker, Bomber Gunship approach the americans are taking?
IMAGES: Lockheed's stealth C-130 successor revealed - The DEW Line
Maybe a good time to start adjusting your an MPA is an MPA, a tanker a tanker and a transport a transport view. Reality doesn't seem to agree no more.
Keesje, where's the JATO STOL package, the sonobuoy dispensers, and the refueling boom?
And shouldn't you also have a drawing of an A400 equipped with ski landing gear for snowy operations?
And shouldn't you also have a drawing of an A400 equipped with ski landing gear for snowy operations?
Care to comment on the stealthuy Transport, Tanker, Bomber Gunship approach the americans are taking?
IMAGES: Lockheed's stealth C-130 successor revealed - The DEW Line
Maybe a good time to start adjusting your an MPA is an MPA, a tanker a tanker and a transport a transport view. Reality doesn't seem to agree no more.