A-400 first flight

[Chunder]

From: Airbus A400 military heavy lifter makes maiden flight

Europe's military heavy lifter, the four-turboprop Airbus A400, took off from San Pablo Airport near Seville, Spain, Friday morning on its first flight. It flew at 8,000 ft. in scheduled low-speed flight testing and landed safely almost four hours later, with the crew saying it handled well and its overall performance was "as expected."

The A400's first flight was 18 months overdue because of development and production delays - the project go-ahead was given in 2003 after an international engine contest ruled out Pratt & Whitney Canada in favour of a European consortium. P&W Canada offered to design and develop the turboprop engines based on a scale-up of its existing commercial aircraft turbines and assemble them in Germany.

For EADS, parent of Airbus, the first flight of the A400 was critical. The multi-billion-dollar program has run up heavy cost over-runs and EADS is now trying to persuade European Governments, especially Germany, to top up the pot and keep the program alive.

Eyes will be on the skies again next week when Boeing Co. is due to send the first 787 Dreamliner up on its first flight - some industry sources speculate it may come on Monday.

youtube vid

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MT2H...eature=related

[Jimmy]

I didn't realize it was a turboprop. Interesting.

[Chunder]

I didn't realize it was a turboprop. Interesting.

The turboprop engines have been responsible for a large part of the delays. It's taken them into uncharted territory as there were some barriers to overcome as apparently they are the biggest turboprop's (and blades) developed outside of Russia.

[xinhui]

New York Times
January 16, 2010
Pg. B3

A400M Is Supported, But Money Is At Issue

By Matthew Saltmarsh

Military officials from the countries signed up to buy the Airbus A400M transport plane
reaffirmed their commitment to the much-delayed project on Friday but failed to reveal any
additional financing.

"All nations remain committed to the program, but not at any price," the British Ministry
of Defense said in a statement issued in London, where a meeting was held Thursday among
the countries backing the project.

"The difficulties facing the program are complex," the statement said. "Good progress has
been made on all fronts, with the only outstanding issue surrounding any additional
funding."

The statement said military officials would discuss their position in coming days with
Airbus "to try to achieve an acceptable settlement."

Airbus and its parent company, European Aeronautic Defense and Space, have asked
governments to pay an additional 5 billion euros ($7.2 billion) and to accept significant
delivery delays. The Airbus chief executive, Thomas O. Enders, warned on Tuesday that
without an agreement soon, the project might have to be shelved, jeopardizing the future
of the group and thousands of jobs.

The seven countries - Belgium, Britain, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Spain and Turkey -
had initially ordered 180 A400Ms for 20 billion euros in 2003.

With the financial crisis and recession straining budgets across Europe, the governments
have been reluctant to come up with more money. They have missed several self-imposed
deadlines for agreement. The next one is Jan. 31.

Along with being years behind schedule, the A400M is still several tons overweight and as
much as 7 billion euros over budget.

The London meeting was intended to decide on a common position among the nations. An
Airbus spokeswoman, Barbara Kracht, did not initially respond to requests for comment.

A spokesman on aviation matters for the German ministry of defense, Lt. Col. Holger
Neumann, confirmed that the nations had reached a "common position," but he was unable to
say how much they might be willing to pay in terms of overruns.

[Chunder]

What I don't particularly get is Germany's requirement for 60 of the buggers...

A large step up from the Transall, whilst leaving a Gap.

[surfgun]

I doubt if Germany will ever buy 60! They would have very few excuses not to help in NATO or humanitarian efforts in the future with all of those transports.

[xinhui]

Not in the current economic climate, they won't

[ErrantVenture11]

Damn, that thing looks like something from Antonov. Maybe the EU nations can use them to fly over some Euros to pay their unpaid parking tickets and U.N. dues.

[Stan]

when the US pays it's congestion charges in London then we can talk

[Chunder]

Not in the current economic climate, they won't

Unless Tarek knows a bit more, Im suprised they even would have a requirement for 45. 30 seems more like it. When your primarily focussed on intra theatre / in country transport with little expeditionary/strategic lift (exception granted Afghanistan and a few other rolls) It is surprising.

[Kilo 2-3]

I'm glad to see the A400M getting some flight hours. Let's hope that it's able to make its expected performance numbers.

I'm just a little concerned that it won't be competitive against proven airlifters like the C-130J or even the C-17. It may be a capable aircraft, but that troubled development isn't going to help additional sales.

The seven countries - Belgium, Britain, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Spain and Turkey -
had initially ordered 180 A400Ms for 20 billion euros in 2003.

I'm a little surprised that Luxemborg is buying A400s. I was under the impression they didn't need an A400M-like airfliter.

Maybe it's a NATO commitment?

I know that the Joint NATO E-3 Squadron operates under the Luxemborg flag (although it's a joint NATO asset.)

[Tarond]

In the German Federal Armed Forces plan 2009 (date 06/2008) that is located starting from 2013 31 A400M to approach is. The inlet of 31 machines starting from 2013, which is not still added 2014 or afterwards stands there, is taken into account. However with A400M for the first time a fixed price agreed upon on basis of the number of machines. And at present it is corrected upward. It would correct in my opinion very with difficulty now also still the number of machines downward, which would let rise the costs per machine extremely there development costs then to fewer airplanes to be changed would have. And it would get to EADS in trouble which not in of Germany interest would be.

[Chunder]

So Germany is somewhat politically committed to EADS which influences to some extent it's procurement decision re-numbers?

A few news reports have Germany declining EADS negotiation deadline by the end of January for a new settlement contract - Germany wants EADS to fulfill its original contract obligations.

[Tarond]

Yes and EADS threatens the partner nations with the cancellation the A400M-project. Both sides will have to grant compromises each other. In the connection a reduction of the ordered transporters would mean an escalation.
I think neither the Patner nations nor EADS have interest in an escalation.The present expressions are to be not from the beginning weakened only threatening gestures around the own position in negotiations
The nations urgently need this Plane. Of course there are many alternatives (I believe that Antonow had made a really generous offer for the AN70 as an alternative and Germany also considered to purchase the Plane). But in the end the Partner Nations had the wish to be selfly-sufficient in terms of military technology. The cancellation hurt both, EADS and the Natons. The Nations have to buy an other Plane which aren't build in the Nations and EADS must pay back 5.7 billion euro.
I hope my contribution am understandable, my english isn't so good.

[Chunder]

Tarond, take my understanding of German, and yours of English and you make perfect sense to me :) - Glad to understand some more of the German perspective!

I wouldn't mind seeing the difference in operating costs between an A-400 when finally in service, and that of a C-130 :)