A400m
Evening all,
just wondering if any of you guys out there are involved with/in the know about the state of play regarding the FSTA and the A400m? is the A400m going ahead (rumours of our European cousins backing out of the deal?) and are we any closer to finding out the replacements for our geriatric VC10 fleet?:confused: |
No, why, do you?
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A400M definitely going ahead. Airbus are a commercial organisation of some renown and have a contract that means it is as expensive to back out of the deal as it is to continue. Look out for it flying in 08/09 and arriving with the RAF in 2010. Give it a chance to find its feet tho!
Ahhh, now FSTA, I understand is still going through lots of rather complex contract negotiations. Nothing formal yet, althought the AirTanker consortium is preferred bidder. This one could run for a while yet. |
I worked for Airbus in Bremen writing the maintainability requirements for the A400M though I have since left have heard nothing from My Collegues who are still there that suggests that the programme is being cancelled.
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It is NOT being cancelled!
As for FSTA? Hmmm....... But at least the RAAF have ordered the A330 MRTT. |
If it is cancelled, my trips to Toulouse & Ulm would seem to be a waste of time. And the emails I get regarding the certification plans must be a figment of my imagination then...wish they were 'cos they are bl**dy boring!!
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Edited because I was unable to read! Soz!
I will leave this bit tho! C'mon guys, get with the programme, A400M is coming (they even have tail numbers allocated...) and we can't live without it. Accept it, look forward to the capability it will bring and most importantly give it a chance! |
The future for the RAF AT fleet is looking relatively rosy (note: I said AT which doesn't cover the FSTA fiasco which is AAR) - it is going to be equipped with aircraft that are much more capable than what we have had in the past. Glad to see that we will keep our C17s and acquire an additional airframe (although I am of the opinion that several more on top of these 5 are needed).
The A400M is not as capable as the C17 but it is replacing the legacy C130K fleet and is a marked improvement. It will be a welcome addition to the fleet and, based on the lack of any negative coverage in the press of late, the programme must be running relatively smoothly (I know its delayed but hey, what isn't!) Also a few export orders in the bag - nice to see we have something to compete with the C130 on the world stage.
Originally Posted by matkat
I worked for Airbus in Bremen writing the maintainability requirements for the A400M though I have since left have heard nothing from My Collegues who are still there that suggests that the programme is being cancelled.
Matkat, love the logic - you leave a job, none of your old colleagues get in touch, programme must have been cancelled - mmmmm, could be another reason they haven't been in touch! Thats just silly!:\ |
Originally Posted by South Bound
Matkat, love the logic - you leave a job, none of your old colleagues get in touch, programme must have been cancelled - mmmmm, could be another reason they haven't been in touch!
I love Pprune, posts like that make me smile all the time. C'mon guys, get with the programme, A400M is coming (they even have tail numbers allocated...) and we can't live without it. Accept it, look forward to the capability it will bring and most importantly give it a chance! Hope that clears it up. |
Yep, sorry read that wrong!
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No probs and thanks for saying so:ok:
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Reading this thread is a bit like listening to an old people's conversation!
No offence.... |
None taken young man, it takes us oldies a while to get the hang of this new-fangled interweb thingy you know...
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Originally Posted by sense1
The future for the RAF AT fleet is looking relatively rosy (note: I said AT which doesn't cover the FSTA fiasco which is AAR) - :\
FSTA is not just AAR - It is AT too. |
Originally Posted by Aeronut
FSTA is not just AAR - It is AT too.
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cheers for that, totally agree about the civvy leasing issue for FSTA, its a ridiculous situation that a civvy operator could potentially put an airframe u/s whilst under their care and render it useless in a time of crisis, but then again we could always ask to borrow some of stelios's mighty orange fleet?!!:rolleyes:
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Heard a rumour that FSTA was no going to have a centerline hose. Anyone know if this is true or is being addressed?
Otherwise the SS runs from MPA might be a bit dodgy. |
Last I heard (admittedly some years ago), 'a number' of A330-200 aircraft for the FSTA programme would have a centreline hose, but not all.
The RAAF A330MRTT will have a centreline boom for the Wedgetail and the Pig, amongst others. |
Anyone know how the A400M training PFI solution being proposed for the RAF is going?
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What the A400M needs is Airbus to realise that it is meant to be a Tactical transport aircraft for the military and not another replacement for the Routemaster bus. - Yes I have been involved with the project.:ugh:
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Originally Posted by wz662
What the A400M needs is Airbus to realise that it is meant to be a Tactical transport aircraft for the military and not another replacement for the Routemaster bus. - Yes I have been involved with the project.:ugh:
We are trying our hardest to get things sorted but I will be surprised if things arrive when they are supposed to do. I know that this is a new aircraft and there will be issues but if they are the ones we have highlighted at this stage, it will be criminal if it costs us more money later on to resolve... |
http://www.airliners.net/open.file/1045512/M/
Coming to a Brize Norton near you soon...:) provided the Aussies are flying it...:hmm: |
WZ662 - absolutely right fella, only problem is getting someone at DPA to jump up and down enough to tell them. Airbus will build the aircraft very, very well to the contract specification as they interpret it. It can only be hoped that DPA will fight to ensure that our interpretation is the same.
IMO Airbus will be missing a trick if they build a compromise solution. There is a market out there to be tapped, especially with the demise of the C17 line and the ridiculous money LM want to improve C130J capability. The RAF will effectively be the lead customer (not the first, but will be looking to use the thing on operations sooner and at greater flying rates than anyone else) and our experiences and feedback will sell the thing around the World. God, I hope we haven't compromised too much as a result of our multin-national contract. |
Originally Posted by Aeronut
FSTA is not just AAR - It is AT too.
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If they do not do something about FSTA soon, AR will not mean anything.
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As with all things in this mans Air Farce, the wheel has turned once more, with many people not being kept in the loop.... AR has actually be tried, tested and abandoned - believe it or not - it is back to AAR.... All this after the Stn Cdr at a secret Oxfordshire airbase had the welcome to the Stn sign altered to read Air Refuelling..... Marvellous...:ugh:
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Here's an idea why not have an airbus tanker an airbus airliner an airbus mpa and an airbus tac transport all our grouncrew can be conversant with all types all the spares will be common if we break around the world we can get spares easier the crews will only need a short conversion between types. Hold on a minute am i being logical again- sorry disregard all above what the £$$k do i know i'm just an operator.:=
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As with all things in this mans Air Farce, the wheel has turned once more, with many people not being kept in the loop.... AR has actually be tried, tested and abandoned - believe it or not - it is back to AAR.... All this after the Stn Cdr at a secret Oxfordshire airbase had the welcome to the Stn sign altered to read Air Refuelling..... Marvellous... |
Having had to change an entire document from AAR to AR and back again to AAR, I wish whichever idiot came up with the 'AR' notion to have his hairy regions infested with plague-ridden fleas!
Still, I did at least get paid to change it all. Twice in fact! Then there's MRTT. All them Airbus promotional stuff refers to Multi Role Tanker Transport. So that's what my work used - and that's what the OzAF use as well. But not the GAF....someone in the BWB decided "Nein". Because the existing GAF A310 MRT is a multi-role transporter, so the modified aircraft will be a multi-role transport tanker..... So, for the A310 MRTT it's 'Multi Role Transport Tanker' - but for the RAAF A330 MRTT it's 'Multi Role Tanker Transport'....:ugh: More work changing it around again! You'd be amazed how anal some people get over acronymish.... And for the RAF's FSTA it's.........a deafening silence. |
Originally Posted by dallas
http://www.airliners.net/open.file/1045512/M/
Coming to a Brize Norton near you soon...:) provided the Aussies are flying it...:hmm: No boom fitted yet, though - anyone know if that will be retrofitted or if some of the RAAF airframes will be boom-less? The demise of the 707 edges ever nearer... |
PR exercise - it's a long way from being a tanker yet! But a lot closer than FSTA!!
The RAAF jets will have an Air Refuelling Boom System and 2 x Wing AAR Pods each. Also planned to be able to operate in the receiver role. But using the girly boom method, rather than manly jousting. |
How many A400's are on order and are they going to be slotted into 47/70 sqns as direct replacements for the K's, or are there going to be new Squadron/s formed for them and 47/70 sqns disbanded?:eek:
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PR exercise - it's a long way from being a tanker yet! But a lot closer than FSTA!! |
The first two FSTA aircraft are still on course to be converted at the beginning of 2008, with the first one due in service April 2010.
The contractual negotiations are taking their time because its not just about providing a fleet of aircraft. Its a complete package supplying aircraft, aircrew, groundcrew and all the support that goes with it for twenty odd years. There are also severe penalties if the aircraft are not available. In this case the blame has to be correctly apportioned to the individual companies within the AirTanker consortium. This is one of the reasons the contractual negotiations are taking their time. You have to get these things right. Leasing the aircraft to civil operators helps subsidise the cost although IMO I think that there will be so much demand from the MOD that they will never be leased out. |
Guys, can you please start a new thread about FSTA. I keep seeing A400M pop to the top and think it might be something interesting about a contracted programme rather than wiffle about where we think we stand with the FSTA contract.
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Starting one now.
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