So the French are blaming the Rolls Royce 28% of the T400 for the engine delays, presumably Snecma's 28% is perfectly blameless. :confused:

Most of the delays, in any case, stemmed from vacillating procurement decisions - particularly in Germany.

If you've collected A400M brochures over the years, you'll have noticed the engine e.s.h.p figures creeping ever higher.....

And C-17A? Excellent, but expensive aircraft whose production is soon to cease.....

I wonder how many C-130's are lurking in AMARC at the moment. Just an idle thought, you understand ..... :E


http://www.amarcexperience.com/AMARC...pe=3&Code=C130
Ah ha! Answered my own question!

What is in AMARC at the moment is mainly worse than the K models.

Would not think that would be even a short term solution.

Some of those airplanes are older than the K models.

Regards

Col

Herkman

Ok, understood. So, lets think the unthinkable. In the not too distant future the K's become (even more) clapped out, a pile of A400 bits are still festering on the rig - where do we get more AT from? Lets call it a dozen frames. Suggestions? (I draw the line at the Indian registered Cub that used to go lurking out of Kabul on three engines:eek:)

And 4 of those 6 have certain other bits of kit fitted that are nothing to do with AAR. As a result they are heavily committed to the AT support of both theatres. There is virtually nothing left to be squeezed out of this particular fleet.

It would take the fitting of a buddy-pod to Typhoon for those at the top to be interested in AAR.

Stoppers - have you been practising writing your name with all those shiny new letters after it? :}

True - the overwhelming majority of the E-models are '63 vintage with -7 engines hanging on the wings.

A new center wing box section cost IVO $7M. Then you really need the -15 engines hung on the wings with associated gearboxes. Last figure I saw for this conversion/upgrade was IVO $32M & that was probably 10 years ago. Let's say it hasn't gone up. That's $39M, a 9 month wait for CWB, plus purchase price from Uncle Sam.

You're better off with more J-models @ $65M/ea.

Take advantage of the 2:1 exchange rate...

More J models.............you heretic :E

problem is, where are they going to train the crews for these Js?

How are the RAF coping for Flight Engineers with the "legacy aircraft" having to soldier on. They closed the school some years ago and dismantled the Sim, I thought they were supposed to have almost withered by now!

Ayla

According to PMA there are more than enough air engineers to go around ... no need to train any more ... I wonder which pile of sand their heads are in today .. :(

Loadmasters re-trained as Air Engs
 

I was talking to someone "in the know" yesterday who said they are seriously considering this option.
Rotary wing ALMs with their knowledge of ac systems seems to be a sensible solution to the Air Eng shortage.

As a rotary wing ALM i would love the chance to have a change of scenery and re-train to Air Eng. Unfortunately our manning is in dire straights, I fail to see how anyone would be released :*

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?p...KHs&refer=home

Ouch.

Instead of making airbus pay charges, hows about we wangle a few more 400m's instead and call it quits?

VinRouge

guarantee the charges are not in the form of payments to customers. Whatever the truth, if Airbus cannot blame the delays on the procrastination, spec changes and confusion among the partner nations, then they really are not very bright. Charges will be in the form of additional finance costs etc...

And I AM a fan of the programme!

;)
Door Slider

As a rotary wing ALM i would love the chance to have a change of scenery and re-train to Air Eng. Unfortunately our manning is in dire straights, I fail to see how anyone would be released


What has this got to do with the A400M ?





'We knew how to whinge but we kept it in the NAAFI bar.'

A400 flying testbed starts gound testing
 

The first flight test example of the Europrop International TP400-D6 engine for Airbus Military’s A400M transport will commence ground vibration testing in late February or early March using a modified Lockheed Martin C-130H transport, with the UK’s Marshall Aerospace having recently installed the power plant’s Ratier-Figeac eight-blade propeller at its Cambridge airport site in the UK.
“Engineering the installation of the engine onto the Marshall-owned C-130 has been a very demanding exercise,” says Mick Milne, the company’s marketing and business development director. A new engine display and throttle box have been installed in the aircraft’s cockpit and three test consoles added in its rear fuselage to monitor the performance of the approximately 11,000shp design.
http://www.flightglobal.com/articles...x?ItemID=21559
Ground runs totalling more than 30h are required before the modified transport can make its first flight carrying the new engine, says Marshall Aerospace, while Airbus recently confirmed that the testbed will be required to log at least 50 flight hours before the A400M can fly.
EPI has meanwhile delivered its first two TP400s to the A400M final assembly line in Seville, Spain, with the other two to follow in the near future. Lead A400M stakeholder EADS expects the transport to conduct its delayed debut flight around late July.



http://www.flightglobal.com/articles...n-testing.html

"First flight in later July" that should be seen to belived:O

The Herc is the ex MRF W Mk2 Snoopy.

Anyone got any pics?

With the budget stretched and the threat of further funding cuts by Brown, surely this must be one project for the chop. Why are we wasting time, money and effort when solutions are already in the sky? I.E. More Js and 7/8/9/10 C17s. The reality is that this ac will never be putting SLF or equipment anywhere near the sandpits for decades, so why not cut our losses and run now?

Just a thought!

2 more
 

Singapore 2008: Boeing predicts 'good year' for at-risk C-17 transport
By Craig Hoyle


Boeing is expecting a good year for its at-risk C-17 strategic transport programme, with potential fresh sales to existing users the UK and the USA on the horizon, along with first-time purchases being awaited from NATO and an undisclosed nation.
"There's an opportunity to have a pretty good year on the programme," says Michael Marshall, the company's senior manager, international business development for global mobility systems.
Much of Boeing's optimism rests on a possible double-digit order for the C-17 which could be included as part of a March supplemental budget to support the Bush administration's "global war on terrorism", while the USAF has also listed the type among its unfunded priorities for fiscal year 2009. "We're cautiously optimistic of more airplanes coming from the USA," says Marshall.
Boeing has delivered 171 of the USAF's planned 190 C-17s, with production at its Long Beach site in California to halt next year unless fresh sales are secured.
Speaking at the Singapore air show, Marshall underlined the importance of gaining a "solid USAF base" to underpin production of the C-17 at its current rate of 15 aircraft a year. However, the company is also "looking at what happens if we go to 12", he says. Although this would have a negative effect on the transport's unit cost, the company says the US dollar's current weak value means the aircraft "is more affordable than ever".
Export sales during 2008 could include a long-proposed deal for three NATO-operated C-17s, with one of these now expected to be acquired using funds supplied solely from the USA. Two aircraft could also be acquired by an undisclosed nation, which Marshall says is close to finalising a contract and has already had delivery slots allocated to it. Discussions have also taken place with the UK, which will take delivery of its fifth of six currently contracted aircraft on 22 February, with the nation believed to be interested in acquiring two further examples to boost its in-service fleet.
Boeing has also identified India as a possible future buyer of the C-17, and last October gave its air force a full briefing on the type's strategic lift capabilities. "The C-17 is tailor-made for India," says Marshall. However, with New Delhi expected to conclude a $1 billion contract for six Lockheed Martin C-130Js later this year and discussing options on six more, a short-term procurement appears unlikely.
http://www.flightglobal.com/articles...risk-c-17.html