Airbus A310 MRTT rollout
Thread Starter
Airbus A310 MRTT rollout
"The first Airbus A310 MRTT (Multi-Role Transport Tanker) converted for in-flight re-fuelling made its debut in Dresden, Germany yesterday. The German Air Force's A310 MRTT is currently the world's most modern aircraft used for in-flight refuelling. As a multi-role transport aircraft, it has already proved its unique flexibility and reliability – not only as a troop carrier and transport aircraft, but also as an airborne intensive-care unit on numerous humanitarian missions. It takes no more than fifty hours to convert it for the various roles.
Altogether, four A310 multi-role transport aircraft belonging to the German Air Force are being converted for in-flight refuelling tasks. The conversion work is being carried out by the Consortium A310 MRTT Luftwaffe, a joint venture of the two aviation companies Airbus Deutschland and Lufthansa Technik AG. The first A310 MRTT has now been completed at the Elbe Flugzeugwerke in Dresden. By the middle of 2005, three others will have been converted by Lufthansa Technik AG in Hamburg.
As the A310 is based on a passenger aircraft, the MRTT version, together with the three other A310 already in use with the air force, can maintained throughout the world within the framework of Lufthansa Technik AG's civilian maintenance and overhaul programme. Considerable advantages in terms of operating costs can thus be achieved compared with current military maintenance concepts.
In-flight refuelling is carried out by means of two pods on the outer ends of the wings, making it possible for two Tornados or two Euro Fighters to be refuelled at the same time. The refuelling is controlled and monitored from an operating position behind the cockpit. About 1,500 litres of fuel can be transferred each minute.
Four auxiliary tanks in the form of containers installed in the lower cargo hold enable the A310 MRTT to carry out in-flight refuelling missions to best effect.
As an airborne hospital, the A310 MRTT can be used to transport the sick and the wounded. In this version, the A310 MRTT has space for up to six intensive-care units and 56 stretcher cases. With the airborne intensive-care units – known as 'personal transport units (PTU)' – developed by Lufthansa Technik, patients are given the same standard of medical care during the flight as they would receive in an inten-sive-care unit in a hospital on ground. As a troop transporter, the A310 MRTT pro-vides up to 214 seats; in a combined cargo and troop-transport version, it is able to carry 12 pallets and 54 passengers.
According to the Consortium A310 MRTT Luftwaffe, which was founded in 1996, there is no transport aircraft anywhere in the world that lends itself to such flexible use and which has such favourable procurement costs. The German Air Force is therefore a pioneer in the field of logistical multi-role transport aircraft.
The A310 MRTT is based on the civilian version of the Airbus A310-300, which has very low operating, maintenance, and investment costs. The A310 has a modern glass cockpit, and can be flown with only two pilots. Five air forces are already using the highly reliable A310 as a multi-role transport aircraft."
In the AR role, the ac carries about 72 tonne of fuel and has 2 FRL Mk32-907E pods. It also has a freight door, so is highly versatile in the AT role. Although not in the same league as the superlative capability of the A330 in terms of fuel/range/payload, overall the A310 MRTT is a pretty efficient aeroplane. Germany will have 4 and Canada 2. Other customers please form an orderly queue!!
Altogether, four A310 multi-role transport aircraft belonging to the German Air Force are being converted for in-flight refuelling tasks. The conversion work is being carried out by the Consortium A310 MRTT Luftwaffe, a joint venture of the two aviation companies Airbus Deutschland and Lufthansa Technik AG. The first A310 MRTT has now been completed at the Elbe Flugzeugwerke in Dresden. By the middle of 2005, three others will have been converted by Lufthansa Technik AG in Hamburg.
As the A310 is based on a passenger aircraft, the MRTT version, together with the three other A310 already in use with the air force, can maintained throughout the world within the framework of Lufthansa Technik AG's civilian maintenance and overhaul programme. Considerable advantages in terms of operating costs can thus be achieved compared with current military maintenance concepts.
In-flight refuelling is carried out by means of two pods on the outer ends of the wings, making it possible for two Tornados or two Euro Fighters to be refuelled at the same time. The refuelling is controlled and monitored from an operating position behind the cockpit. About 1,500 litres of fuel can be transferred each minute.
Four auxiliary tanks in the form of containers installed in the lower cargo hold enable the A310 MRTT to carry out in-flight refuelling missions to best effect.
As an airborne hospital, the A310 MRTT can be used to transport the sick and the wounded. In this version, the A310 MRTT has space for up to six intensive-care units and 56 stretcher cases. With the airborne intensive-care units – known as 'personal transport units (PTU)' – developed by Lufthansa Technik, patients are given the same standard of medical care during the flight as they would receive in an inten-sive-care unit in a hospital on ground. As a troop transporter, the A310 MRTT pro-vides up to 214 seats; in a combined cargo and troop-transport version, it is able to carry 12 pallets and 54 passengers.
According to the Consortium A310 MRTT Luftwaffe, which was founded in 1996, there is no transport aircraft anywhere in the world that lends itself to such flexible use and which has such favourable procurement costs. The German Air Force is therefore a pioneer in the field of logistical multi-role transport aircraft.
The A310 MRTT is based on the civilian version of the Airbus A310-300, which has very low operating, maintenance, and investment costs. The A310 has a modern glass cockpit, and can be flown with only two pilots. Five air forces are already using the highly reliable A310 as a multi-role transport aircraft."
In the AR role, the ac carries about 72 tonne of fuel and has 2 FRL Mk32-907E pods. It also has a freight door, so is highly versatile in the AT role. Although not in the same league as the superlative capability of the A330 in terms of fuel/range/payload, overall the A310 MRTT is a pretty efficient aeroplane. Germany will have 4 and Canada 2. Other customers please form an orderly queue!!
Thread Starter
Except that the VC10 burns at least 40% more fuel per hour and most VC10s only hold 69 tonnes.
A310MRTT has about 98% of the fuel capacity of TTSC's proposed FSTA solution, the ex-ba B767-336. But she has the same fuselage cross-section as the A330 (and is a great jet to pax in) - and also has an upper deck freight door!
A330 - as good as ever. But I have absolutely no knowledge about FSTA, honest.
The VC10C1K was the first real European MRTT - a fact I shall remind my KfM chums about next week. Sorry, but Tommy with his one-hose-only capability doesn't really count.
A310MRTT has about 98% of the fuel capacity of TTSC's proposed FSTA solution, the ex-ba B767-336. But she has the same fuselage cross-section as the A330 (and is a great jet to pax in) - and also has an upper deck freight door!
A330 - as good as ever. But I have absolutely no knowledge about FSTA, honest.
The VC10C1K was the first real European MRTT - a fact I shall remind my KfM chums about next week. Sorry, but Tommy with his one-hose-only capability doesn't really count.
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I was only a mere ground comms man for 37 years but have followed the thread of FSTA and now the A330 with some interest.
I could be wrong here but is there a slight chance that BEagle is a member of the rival consortium to the Boeing bid.
The verbal diatribe of sentences extolling the virtues of the Airbus
in his postings seem to me to be straight out of the corporate manual.
May the best bid win.
"They said C/W was dead, then they remembered EMP.
I could be wrong here but is there a slight chance that BEagle is a member of the rival consortium to the Boeing bid.
The verbal diatribe of sentences extolling the virtues of the Airbus
in his postings seem to me to be straight out of the corporate manual.May the best bid win.
"They said C/W was dead, then they remembered EMP.
Thread Starter
No, sparkie, I am categorically NOT a member of either of the FSTA teams!
KfM is working on a purely GAF/CF aeroplane. At the moment, that is...until anyone else realises how efficient it is.
Funny you should mention EMP - a few years ago I asked whether the effect of ultra close range fighter radars on FBW aeroplanes had been assessed. It had.
KfM is working on a purely GAF/CF aeroplane. At the moment, that is...until anyone else realises how efficient it is.
Funny you should mention EMP - a few years ago I asked whether the effect of ultra close range fighter radars on FBW aeroplanes had been assessed. It had.
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OK BEagle was just curious.
Re EMP all far too technical nowadays...fraid my flying experience 'up front' is limited to 10 hours in a Bristol Vibrator of 'Kiwi' Airways whilst bumming a lift back to Gan. Big mistake, but not quite as hazardous as being stuffed in the rear of a 'black hole of Calcutta' Shack, cooking food for growbags with unending appetites, at FL050!
Re EMP all far too technical nowadays...fraid my flying experience 'up front' is limited to 10 hours in a Bristol Vibrator of 'Kiwi' Airways whilst bumming a lift back to Gan. Big mistake, but not quite as hazardous as being stuffed in the rear of a 'black hole of Calcutta' Shack, cooking food for growbags with unending appetites, at FL050!
Thread Starter
FL050 in a Shacklebomber? You must have been hypoxic up that high....
My first ever trip in an operational RAF aeroplane was in a Mk 3 phase 3 Shack from Kinloss in 1969. 14 hours - and we never got above 500 ft!
My first ever trip in an operational RAF aeroplane was in a Mk 3 phase 3 Shack from Kinloss in 1969. 14 hours - and we never got above 500 ft!
ah well back to the Ham radio and Ivor in Vladivostock..