A400M first flight
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: UK
Posts: 932
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Well Done to all concerned - will raise a glass tonight at Squirrel Towers.
Now all we need to do is to get the contract sorted out - against the background of a potentially 20% MoD budget cut, according to the non-partisan (and very thorough!) Institute for Fiscal Studies. Not so sure that a £600m+ bill - or a 30%+ unit price increase from taking 19 for the price of 25 will be so welcome in Main Building this afternoon....
S41
Now all we need to do is to get the contract sorted out - against the background of a potentially 20% MoD budget cut, according to the non-partisan (and very thorough!) Institute for Fiscal Studies. Not so sure that a £600m+ bill - or a 30%+ unit price increase from taking 19 for the price of 25 will be so welcome in Main Building this afternoon....
S41
And the good old BBC totally ignored the event. Not a word on the lunchtime news. Are we surprised?
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Esher, Surrey
Posts: 466
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
To be fair to the Beeb, their website does have it on the front page
There are three items in minor sections, in Europe and in Business.
All have short video clips
BBC News - New military Airbus A400-M takes inaugural flight
BBC News - Airbus A400-M takes off on maiden flight
BBC News - Airbus A400M makes maiden flight after delays
Yes, Him
Join Date: Aug 1999
Location: West Sussex, UK
Posts: 2,689
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Too be fair, its a pretty minor event to the non-aviation/military world.
If it had suffered a "Death Lunge Shock for Kazillion Quid Plane" ie a burst tyre on landing, then it'd be all over the shop.
If it had suffered a "Death Lunge Shock for Kazillion Quid Plane" ie a burst tyre on landing, then it'd be all over the shop.
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Toulouse area, France
Age: 93
Posts: 435
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Good coverage
What a good idea to have live coverage of the whole flight - impressive to have got live airborne shots as well, while the "fill-in" footage including the A330 MRTT showing off its "give and take" abilities on AAR kept this aged ex-aviator fixed to the screen until the post-flight speechifying was done.
Despite the clouds over the financial side, this was, for me and probably all those close to the programme, an "uplifting" (!) day.
Well done the flight crew, all the ground crew, engineers and, not least, the PR specialists !
Despite the clouds over the financial side, this was, for me and probably all those close to the programme, an "uplifting" (!) day.
Well done the flight crew, all the ground crew, engineers and, not least, the PR specialists !
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Lincolnshire
Posts: 147
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I've been looking forward to seeing this aircraft fly for a long time (as have many other people I'm sure!) I recall visiting Farnborough in 1999 (I think) and there was a life-size mock up of the A400 (but I think it was called the FLA or something back then) and I wondered how long I'd have to wait until it actually flew! A shame that I'll probably never get the chance to fly in one to some distant sand pit as I'm now on resettlement! Never mind, as a spacey I flew in something that looked somewhat similar - The Belfast! Are we not sure that its just an old Belfast with some better donks bolted on?! 
Seriously though, its great to see it fly and congratulations to all who have worked so hard to make it happen.
Seriously though, its great to see it fly and congratulations to all who have worked so hard to make it happen.
To be fair to the Beeb, their website does have it on the front page .....
.... and the A400M will also be on BBC1 West News between 1830 and 1900 if you can access it directly if in that area, or through Sky somewhere about Channel 970 onwards.
Jack
.... and the A400M will also be on BBC1 West News between 1830 and 1900 if you can access it directly if in that area, or through Sky somewhere about Channel 970 onwards.
Jack
And the good old BBC totally ignored the event. Not a word on the lunchtime news. Are we surprised?
However, I did badger News Channel again this morning, and eventually sent them the Airbus Mil presser, along with the Airbus streaming video url. They then realised they might take an interest, which was how they eventually got it on News Channel.
Quite depressing really - initially, they didn't even go for the idea that the captain is a Brit, and the wings are all made at Filton.
This was all despite much support from the excellent Defence Correspondent Caroline Wyatt, who was unfortunately in Germany with NATO this week.
Oh well.
I do agree, Jig Peter, about the live streaming from Airbus - very high quality, and the next best thing to actually being there. No free Airbus champagne, of course, which I'm sure those present will have got....
airsound
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: UK
Posts: 43
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Quite depressing really - initially, they didn't even go for the idea that the captain is a Brit, and the wings are all made at Filton.
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: bristol
Age: 56
Posts: 1,051
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Congratulations to all involved
The 400 looks good in the air. This has been a long time in coming, and I hope all continues well.
I must add, now in flight in did remind me of the YC15, from some angles (but
only from some, and of course I am not commenting on its size, before anyone
gets upset)
The 400 looks good in the air. This has been a long time in coming, and I hope all continues well.
I must add, now in flight in did remind me of the YC15, from some angles (but
only from some, and of course I am not commenting on its size, before anyone
gets upset)
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Behind you all the way!
Posts: 359
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Assuming Crab-Air takes all the A400 airframes, & we close down Lyneham, meaning the C-130's will transfer to Brize' with the VC-10's, TriStars, C-17's, the A330MRTT's, the regular Antonov visitors, the increasing number of civilian jets operating MoD charters, I have to ask but... will there be enough room?