Test-flight of Airbus A400M military transport aircraft in Dec 2009

Airbus A400 M nearing first flight

Update: Airbus A400M test flight completed! (11 Dec, 2009)

Airbus A400M photo

Airbus will conduct its long-delayed test-flight of its A400M military transport plane in the week starting December 7, 2009. Thigs are mostly on schedule; we had reported that the first flight of the A400M would be in December a while back. We will try to bring you photos of the first test flight the moment we lay our hands on a few.

The development of the A400M – meant to replace ageing military transport planes in many air forces across Europe – has been plagued by a spate of serious technical glitches, forcing its date of being inducted into service from 2009 to 2013.

The cost of the Airbus A400M military cargo aircraft project is 20 billion euros ($28 billion). The A400M programme is the biggest-ever defence contract in Europe.

Some governments in Europe have been fed up with waiting for the Airbus A400M plane, and the governments of Germany and France had given Airbus Industrie time till the end of 2009 in order to “prove” that the A400M project remains “viable.”

Domingo Urena, chairman and managing director of Airbus Military, said in a statement that ground-tests of the first A400M are progressing satisfactorily at the company’s facility. The first flight, he added, “is anticipated in the week 50, weather permitting.”

In the beginning stages of the A400M project, it was hoped that the first test-flight would be conducted in 2008 and that air forces would have the airframe in service by the end of 2009.

Now, the first production models of A400M are to be delivered to the air forces by 2012, and expected to be operational by 2013.

The series of delays have cost Airbus millions of dollars and also compelled the company to renegotiate contracts with many of its customers. While South Africa dropped its order completely, the United Kingdom considered opting for aircraft makers based in the United States.

In all, 7 countries in Europe – the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Belgium, Spain, Luxembourg, and Turkey – have ordered a total of 180 A400M planes. Most of these nations want to replace their ageing C130 Hercules transports planes and Transall cargo aircraft with the Airbus A400M.

Media reports said that the A400M will cost the 7 countries which are buying the A400M planes an extra €7.4 billion for the total 180 aircraft on order – an increase of as much as 40%.

In view of the huge losses it has suffered on account of the delay of up to 4 years, Airbus Industrie is pressing the customer-countries for concessions on the terms of the deal.

The first Airbus A400M military cargo aircraft was handed over to the Airbus Flight Test organisation on November 12, 2009, in preparation for the ground tests. A number of ground tests have to be conducted before the plane is test-flown.

According to Airbus, the ground tests are done to verify that all aircraft systems, flight-test instrumentation and the power-plant are functioning properly in order to ensure that the flight will be safe.