A400M Flight Testing Progress
"The INTRODUCER"
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 437
Likes: 0
From: London
BBC report of A400M at Brize Norton
Here's the BBC take on the visit to BZN on Friday 1 March. BBC News - Taking to the skies on RAF's new transport plane
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 1,307
Likes: 2
From: South Africa
Airbus Military's A400M aircraft is poised to take off - Telegraph
Also in today's Torygraph!
It appears that someone has pushed the 'publicity' button.
Also in today's Torygraph!
It appears that someone has pushed the 'publicity' button.
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
Joined: Jul 2000
Aviation Qualifications: Spotter
Posts: 24,614
Likes: 7,321
From: Peripatetic
Defense news: Joint Venture To Train RAF Crews on Atlas A400M
LONDON — Royal Air Force crews set to fly the new Atlas A400M airlifter are to be trained by a joint venture company set up by Airbus Military and Thales UK. The deal is contracted to run for 18 years at a cost of 226 million pounds ($340 million), the joint venture company, known as A400M Training Services, announced Monday.
Separately, the Ministry of Defence revealed it is spending 80 million pounds to modify the Atlas aircraft so it can be fitted with a large aircraft infrared countermeasures system.
The training facility being built at the Brize Norton home of the RAF’s airlifter and inflight refueling fleets is scheduled to be completed in spring 2014, just ahead of the delivery date of the first A400M to the RAF. Air crew and ground maintenance and support personnel will be trained at the Atlas facility using Thales-supplied simulators and other synthetic systems. Thales secured the simulator supply deal in 2007 following a competition.
RAF personnel are already being trained at an Airbus training facility alongside the Seville, Spain, assembly base for the aircraft
LONDON — Royal Air Force crews set to fly the new Atlas A400M airlifter are to be trained by a joint venture company set up by Airbus Military and Thales UK. The deal is contracted to run for 18 years at a cost of 226 million pounds ($340 million), the joint venture company, known as A400M Training Services, announced Monday.
Separately, the Ministry of Defence revealed it is spending 80 million pounds to modify the Atlas aircraft so it can be fitted with a large aircraft infrared countermeasures system.
The training facility being built at the Brize Norton home of the RAF’s airlifter and inflight refueling fleets is scheduled to be completed in spring 2014, just ahead of the delivery date of the first A400M to the RAF. Air crew and ground maintenance and support personnel will be trained at the Atlas facility using Thales-supplied simulators and other synthetic systems. Thales secured the simulator supply deal in 2007 following a competition.
RAF personnel are already being trained at an Airbus training facility alongside the Seville, Spain, assembly base for the aircraft
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 434
Likes: 0
From: Trumpville; On the edge
MSN7 First flight
First production Airbus Military A400M makes maiden flight - Airbus Military
Just returned, nice to get a FF under my belt!
Just returned, nice to get a FF under my belt!
Joined: May 1999
Aviation Qualifications: ATP+Mil
Posts: 27,397
Likes: 857
From: Quite near 'An aerodrome somewhere in England'
Hey TT - good to hear from you! Great news that the first production aircraft has made its maiden flight...
I'll bet you're glad I poached you from 99 and started you off on your civvy career - you wouldn't have had so much fun in what's left of the RAF!
It was good to see you at F'boro last year - despite the pi$$ing b£oody rain!
I'll bet you're glad I poached you from 99 and started you off on your civvy career - you wouldn't have had so much fun in what's left of the RAF!
It was good to see you at F'boro last year - despite the pi$$ing b£oody rain!
Last edited by BEagle; 6th March 2013 at 18:53.
Joined: Dec 2004
Aviation Qualifications: PPL
Posts: 179
Likes: 0
From: Germany
Type Certificate
EASA Type Certificate EASA.A.169 was received today.
http://www.easa.europa.eu/certificat...3-13032013.pdf
http://www.easa.europa.eu/certificat...3-13032013.pdf
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 5,307
Likes: 18
From: Southern Europe
For some reason I just read the certificate. Why?
I did notice something interesting, though.
It describes the aircraft as
And goes on to define
However, we then find that
Transport aircraft aren't what they used to be, are they? 
I did notice something interesting, though.
It describes the aircraft as
Four turbo-propeller engines, medium range tactical transport aeroplane, large aeroplane category.
18. Minimum Flight Crew
Two (2): Pilot and co-pilot
Two (2): Pilot and co-pilot
19. Maximum Seating Capacity
No other occupants apart of the minimum flight crew are allowed on board
20. Baggage/ Cargo Compartment
No loads shall be carried in the cargo compartment
No other occupants apart of the minimum flight crew are allowed on board
20. Baggage/ Cargo Compartment
No loads shall be carried in the cargo compartment
Last edited by Courtney Mil; 13th March 2013 at 11:18.
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,538
Likes: 0
From: by the Great Salt Lake, USA
So you are claiming that this, which forbids carrying any passengers or cargo, is the full type certification?
For a gawddam cargo plane?
For a gawddam cargo plane?
Last edited by GreenKnight121; 13th March 2013 at 14:58.
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 506
Likes: 0
From: in the magical land of beer and chocolates
MTOW is also almost 20,000lbs below original spec (132T iso 141T) which gives limited room for cargo and pax at all, certainly when you look at the
Max Landing Weight of 117.7T(originally122T) and empty weight of 77T,
with full fuel that would make 127T and thus only room for 5T of Cargo.
Temporary restricted type certification, I would like to think.
Max Landing Weight of 117.7T(originally122T) and empty weight of 77T,
with full fuel that would make 127T and thus only room for 5T of Cargo.
Temporary restricted type certification, I would like to think.
Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 782
Likes: 21
From: netherlands
Pretty normal in militairy programs.
Futher testing, analyses will lead to expanded capability approvals and the final operating configuration.
This aircraft will go through the qualifications of a passenger transport on civil airways, tactical transport on soft short runways at night, tanker for jets and helicopters, receiver. Mountains of certfication and paperwork..
Airbus Military's A400M: in pictures - Telegraph
Futher testing, analyses will lead to expanded capability approvals and the final operating configuration.
This aircraft will go through the qualifications of a passenger transport on civil airways, tactical transport on soft short runways at night, tanker for jets and helicopters, receiver. Mountains of certfication and paperwork..
Airbus Military's A400M: in pictures - Telegraph
Last edited by keesje; 13th March 2013 at 20:27.
Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 782
Likes: 21
From: netherlands
No tanker role for UK A400Ms
The UK has no requirement to use its future fleet of Airbus Military A400M Atlas tactical transports in a secondary tanker role, minister for defence equipment, support and technology Philip Dunne has confirmed.
No tanker role for UK A400Ms
But:
The A400M will be delivered with an in-built tanker capability, with some nations expected to acquire hose-and-drogue refuelling pods and/or hose drum units to provide an in-flight refuelling capability to support fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters.
Joined: May 1999
Aviation Qualifications: ATP+Mil
Posts: 27,397
Likes: 857
From: Quite near 'An aerodrome somewhere in England'
The UK has no requirement to use its future fleet of Airbus Military A400M Atlas tactical transports in a secondary tanker role, minister for defence equipment, support and technology Philip Dunne has confirmed.
I guess the UK has no plans to refuel helicopters?