Flight Global today (28 Jan) tells us that the TP700 was taken to take-off and then (briefly) to full power on its second flight on 27 Jan (sorry, but I'm not able to link to the article).
Originally, this wasn't expected to happen till much later in the test programme, so it's a good sign of progress, as well as the earlier news that on inspection after its first flight, the engine was given a clean bill of health. Now let's hope more flights from Marshall's go as well and that the first A400M will be able to get airborne soon (my optimism function says "before Easter?").
Whatever the weight/payload/range issues really are can then be properly analysed, if any. All we have at the moment are rumours and Avweek's not necessarily unbiased article ...
As a side issue, I do wish Ppruners would be a bit realistic about "possible alternatives" - neither Lockheed not Boeing can deliver their stuff off the shelf.
