DD – I don’t know how much experience you have of a new product coming into service but it is the case with most items that there will inevitably be some pain felt when a new piece of equipment comes into service.
Speaking from the engineering point, when the first J turned up in Nov 99 and subsequently the next 3 to 5 years the aircraft and its crews (airborne and ground) went through the “inception into service” learning curve that may have brought on some comments about its design or capabilities. In those early days we were all fighting for operator knowledge of a new platform (as it was handed over from those with the designers perception) in order to get the aircraft to the position it now serves in. Add into that 3 -5 years the operational tasking, new methods of contractor support , training, software/hardware upgrades and modification…etc and it is easy to see how some comments could be amplified due to a persons bravado trying to coping with an unknown situation or deficiency in knowledge. A lot of the shortcomings of the early days have been overcome, some have not, but as the aircraft goes through its life cycle it too will earn its position as a good worker (as it is now) only to get a bit of a slating as it gets to the end of its life cycle.
It is evident that the A400m is embarking on a similar process of delayed entry into service and probably with limited clearance …and so it starts all over again!