PPRuNe Forums - A400M Flight Testing Progress

PPRuNe Forums (https://www.pprune.org/)

- Military Aviation (https://www.pprune.org/military-aviation-57/)

- - A400M Flight Testing Progress (https://www.pprune.org/military-aviation/440739-a400m-flight-testing-progress.html)

:D impressive pictures..

Seems like a very capable Aircraft. Does anyone know if the flight control system operates similarly to the Airbus Commercial transports ?

For example:

Non moving Autothrottles and hard limits on manoeuvering / g limits / under/ over speed protections etc ..

Flight envelope protection is included in the A400M's FBW software, so it therefore has the benefit of allowing 'carefree' manoeuvring up to the extremes of the envelope without the risk of structural damage.

The A400M is very agile for its class - as anyone attending Farnborough or RIAT will be able to witness. 2.5G has always been the manoeuvre value assumed in the A400M technical review brochure, with a structural ability to cope with sustained 3.0G turns at lower weight.

video of 5 ship formation

Airbus Military | Multimedia

BEagle,

the PGB has been removed from the engine and is going to be replaced. That's all I know. Reconditioning will probably involve some modifications as well.

From Flight Global:

RIAT: A400M reborn as 'Atlas'

Grizzly is a more punchy name in my opinion. Is Atlas the son of Noratlas. Like someone already said add a T at the end and have Atlast did the P.R. sales guru's not think that would happen?

Its not a letter T that needs adding to Atlas, its an F at the start and an S at the end, as befits such a portly design.

The MoD has run down the stock of "Z"'s available for documents so they had to chose something else

RAF buying A400m simulator

Just noticed this on the Beeb, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-18765784.
Looks like good news for the secret Oxfordshire airbase!:D:D:ok:

Just the one sim? Doesn't leave much redundancy for faults nor any capacity for when software & other upgrades take place. And £50m for one sim? Seems a tad expensive to my eyes, unless that's a whole package - training facility, staffing etc.

Quote:

And a new hangar

Quote:

A West Oxfordshire District Council planning sub-committee is set to discuss the proposals....

I was at that meeting for a completely unconnected reason. However, I was able to provide some technical information to 't Committee - no, aeroplanes may not test their engines inside hangars, as one noise-concerned Councillor had asked...:rolleyes:

Said new hangar is already under construction & not far off complete, for the C130s at the moment & eventually for the A400s.

FARNBOROUGH: Airbus Military pulls A400M out of flying display

FARNBOROUGH: Airbus Military pulls A400M out of flying display

By: Dominic Perry London
11:21 5 Jul 2012
Source:FARNBOROUGH: Airbus Military pulls A400M out of flying display

Engine issues have again curtailed the participation of the Airbus Military A400M in the flying display of a major air show after the manufacturer announced the type would only be shown on the static park at the Farnborough air show, which starts on 9 July.

"The decision to have the aircraft on static display only is based on engine issues that happened last week which need further investigation," says Airbus Military.

Instead, it will show the first production representative example, MSN6.

a400m airbus military

Airbus Military

The A400M will not be taking off at this years Farnborough

Last year the airframer was forced to pull out of the flying display at the Paris air show after a flight-test problem in one of its Europrop International TP400-D6 turboprop engines halted all non-essential flights.

Flight testing continues at an "aggressive pace", it adds. "It is beginning to show the level of technical maturity required at first delivery, and we are pleased with the overall performance of the aircraft.

"Despite some engine maturity challenges, we are confident that we will find the right solutions and provide our customers with an aircraft that fully meets or exceeds the expectations."

At the end of June, the A400M had completed 1,180 flights, accumulating 3,535h since its first flight in December 2009.

Airbus Military resumes A400M reliability flights

Quote:

The programme, to comprise intensive flight activity totalling 300h, was interrupted earlier this year after a problem with one of the aircraft's Europrop International (EPI) TP400-D6 turboprop engines

Atlas programme gets lift, as Airbus Military resumes A400M reliability flights

Nice HD video from last ILA.. move to 2:27 :D

Don't they mean Restart the reliability test? Any word on any prospective project delay now for uk1?

A400M Flight Simulator

Retired now but spoke to one of my ex Thales colleagues (in Tescos !) and they're in the process of breaking down the 1st A400M sim ( at Crawley) for shipping to Spain presumably for Airbus passing off airframes to future customers.

I don't think there's any delay on UK1