A400M Flight Testing Progress
Joined: Nov 2005
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From: Wildest Surrey
https://www.paradata.org.uk/article/...erley-aircraft
”.....In the parachuting role it carried 70 fully equipped parachutists, 30 jumping from an aperture in the Boom and 40 from the double doors either side of the Lower Deck. Aperture and door jumping could not however be done simultaneously......”
Video below, about 20 seconds in, seems to show film shot from the open clamshell doors of the paras dropping from the hatch above....
https://youtu.be/4Es3tXgbhsU
”.....In the parachuting role it carried 70 fully equipped parachutists, 30 jumping from an aperture in the Boom and 40 from the double doors either side of the Lower Deck. Aperture and door jumping could not however be done simultaneously......”
Video below, about 20 seconds in, seems to show film shot from the open clamshell doors of the paras dropping from the hatch above....
https://youtu.be/4Es3tXgbhsU
Joined: May 2009
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From: Here
France receives its first KC-130J tanker
The French air force received its first of two Lockheed Martin KC-130J tankers at Orleans-Bricy air base on 19 September. The remaining example is planned for delivery in 2020, the airframer says.Paris has ordered four new-generation Hercules, including two C-130J-30 transports received in 2017 and 2018. The -30 features a 4.6m (15ft) fuselage stretch, enabling it to carry two more pallets of equipment.France also operates a fleet of five legacy C-130H transports, with an average age of almost 37 years, Cirium fleets data shows.
The KC-130Js will allow the French air force to for the first time refuel its Airbus Helicopters H225M in-flight, extending the range of the twin-engined transport and combat search and rescue rotorcraft.
France and Germany are, meanwhile, working to establish a joint C-130J squadron. For its part, Berlin plans to acquire three C-130J-30s and three KC-130Js, with the first transport aircraft scheduled to be delivered to the Luftwaffe in mid-2021.
Deliveries are scheduled for completion by 2024, with the assets to be operated from Evreux-Fauville air base in France, which is located between Paris and Normandy.The acquisition of KC-130Js by France and Germany is partly the result of difficulties with clearing the Airbus Defence & Space A400M to refuel helicopters; the certification process for which is ongoing.
The French air force received its first of two Lockheed Martin KC-130J tankers at Orleans-Bricy air base on 19 September. The remaining example is planned for delivery in 2020, the airframer says.Paris has ordered four new-generation Hercules, including two C-130J-30 transports received in 2017 and 2018. The -30 features a 4.6m (15ft) fuselage stretch, enabling it to carry two more pallets of equipment.France also operates a fleet of five legacy C-130H transports, with an average age of almost 37 years, Cirium fleets data shows.
The KC-130Js will allow the French air force to for the first time refuel its Airbus Helicopters H225M in-flight, extending the range of the twin-engined transport and combat search and rescue rotorcraft.
France and Germany are, meanwhile, working to establish a joint C-130J squadron. For its part, Berlin plans to acquire three C-130J-30s and three KC-130Js, with the first transport aircraft scheduled to be delivered to the Luftwaffe in mid-2021.
Deliveries are scheduled for completion by 2024, with the assets to be operated from Evreux-Fauville air base in France, which is located between Paris and Normandy.The acquisition of KC-130Js by France and Germany is partly the result of difficulties with clearing the Airbus Defence & Space A400M to refuel helicopters; the certification process for which is ongoing.
Joined: Oct 2009
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From: Old Hampshire
including two C-130J-30 transports received in 2017 and 2018. The -30 features a 4.6m (15ft) fuselage stretch,
Indeed, we joked with Lockheed at the time that as the first aircraft off the line were the long versions (Mk 4) the Mk 5 was actually a 'shortened' version.
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
Joined: Jul 2000
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From: Peripatetic
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-g...-idUSKBN1XN157
German military refuses to take delivery of two Airbus A400M planes
Joined: Dec 2006
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From: YORKS
It's all well and good, but the U.K. A400 is struggling just going A to B and then back. It's MDS is a joke, the retention of engineers is none existent, the experience is decreasing. The project is over spent, is not achieving what it set out for, is not meeting targets, is not at task line levels and is years late on where it should be.
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From: NEW YORK
Joined: Jun 2004
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From: deepest darkest Wiltshire
- this vid shows hi alt(ish) freefall with fully steerable 'chutes, so DZ size is not overly valid. Also if you look at the amount of flap its got down, I imaging the IAS is quite low (TAS higher depending upon alt of course).
Good for glossy demo and airshow but agreed not much op use?!?
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From: sussex
I know nothing about the A400M but would be astonished if the a/c was doing 200Kts whilst dropping paras or anything else. I wonder how they have solved the para crossover and collision. problems
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From: sussex
JTO,
Yes, I stand corrected as etudiant mentioned 200 MPH not knots. I assumed he had knowledge ! We dropped at much lower IAS from the C130K when dropping static line para.
We tried everything to stop the troops meeting behind the a/c when sim dropping from the para doors. To little avail. Hence my interest.
IIRC when we dropped HAHO from 35000 ft the 'chutes then in use did not like the relatively high TAS . All a long time ago and memory fades !
Yes, I stand corrected as etudiant mentioned 200 MPH not knots. I assumed he had knowledge ! We dropped at much lower IAS from the C130K when dropping static line para.
We tried everything to stop the troops meeting behind the a/c when sim dropping from the para doors. To little avail. Hence my interest.
IIRC when we dropped HAHO from 35000 ft the 'chutes then in use did not like the relatively high TAS . All a long time ago and memory fades !
Joined: May 2011
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From: NEW YORK
JTO,
Yes, I stand corrected as etudiant mentioned 200 MPH not knots. I assumed he had knowledge ! We dropped at much lower IAS from the C130K when dropping static line para.
We tried everything to stop the troops meeting behind the a/c when sim dropping from the para doors. To little avail. Hence my interest.
IIRC when we dropped HAHO from 35000 ft the 'chutes then in use did not like the relatively high TAS . All a long time ago and memory fades !
Yes, I stand corrected as etudiant mentioned 200 MPH not knots. I assumed he had knowledge ! We dropped at much lower IAS from the C130K when dropping static line para.
We tried everything to stop the troops meeting behind the a/c when sim dropping from the para doors. To little avail. Hence my interest.
IIRC when we dropped HAHO from 35000 ft the 'chutes then in use did not like the relatively high TAS . All a long time ago and memory fades !
The question is the utility of this exercise.
Joined: Mar 2006
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From: sussex
Sticking to the scene on the video. Two thing spring to mind. It is not a static line drop and the troops appear to be in 'clean fatigue' ie without the usual kit that an op drop usually burdens the paras with. I agree the larger the sicks the longer the DZ needed. Doing full para, door bundles and wedge from a C Mk 3 took and considerable time.
Still interested if they have cleared the A400M for para door static line drops.
Still interested if they have cleared the A400M for para door static line drops.
Joined: Oct 1999
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From: Den Haag
Sticking to the scene on the video. Two thing spring to mind. It is not a static line drop and the troops appear to be in 'clean fatigue' ie without the usual kit that an op drop usually burdens the paras with. I agree the larger the sicks the longer the DZ needed. Doing full para, door bundles and wedge from a C Mk 3 took and considerable time.
Still interested if they have cleared the A400M for para door static line drops.
Still interested if they have cleared the A400M for para door static line drops.
Joined: Dec 2019
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From: UK
Joined: May 2009
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From: Here
Both the French and the Americans have carried out large scale operational drops in the last 20 years. Although they were slightly different from the mass sport drop shown above