Is it just me...or does there seem to be an element of tokenism in this flight? It would have been a very bleak 2008 for Airbus Mil had none of the hardware got airborne before the end of the year.
I truly hope that the issues with the new engine can be solved and real progress made towards getting the A400M into service. However, the lack of public domain information on this program leaves one feeling that a lot problems are being covered up and may still prove insurmountable within the existing contract. Maybe I missed it but are the end user governments still standing by the penalty clauses? Or are we about to witness yet another credit crunch bailout of Airbus that will save industry jobs but cost us military capability!
That said, well done to the crew and engineers responsible for the flight, gutsy move. You deserve your Christmas bonuses.
