More A400M Aircraft to Fly Trials This Year

[unhappycamper]

More A400M Aircraft to Fly Trials This Year
Military.com | Robert Wall | January 06, 2010

The full scope of A400M flight testing is due to begin this year as Airbus Military expands the activities following a stutter-step kickoff.

Poor weather restricted the A400M to only one more run following its Dec. 11 first flight. Inclement conditions also negated efforts to expand the test infrastructure beyond Seville, Spain, and from beginning operations out of Toulouse; test personnel believe that having both sites operational will allow a higher pace of testing.

One reason for the slowdown is the TP400D turboprop engines’ moisture-sensitive flight-test sensors. A key objective in the coming weeks will be to perform the sensor-component aspects of the trials and then remove them to avoid additional delays, says an Airbus official.

The limited flight operations in December notwithstanding, Airbus was able to clear the normal flight envelope for the airlifter on its second flight. During that mission, the A400M reached a maximum operating speed (VMO) of 300 kt. and Mach (MMO) 0.72. Flight altitude reached 30,000 ft., according to Fernando Alonso, head of Airbus flight operations, who adds, “The fact that we achieved so much on the second flight is a testament to the quality of the aircraft and very promising for the future of the program,” noting that clearing the envelope usually takes longer.

The second flight did not experience a repeat of the engine miscue encountered by the first flight crew. During that flight, an anomaly in one channel of the full authority digital engine control occurred. Because telemetry and flight crew saw different information, the engine was turned to flight idle as a precautionary measure.


Rest of article at: http://www.military.com/features/0,15240,208685,00.html?wh=wh


unhappycamper comment: Meet the $120 million dollar A400m:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airbus_A400M



Airbus A400M
Artist's impression of the A400M, in German Luftwaffe livery.

Role Long-range military transport
Manufacturer Airbus Military
First flight 11 December 2009<1>
Status In development/flight testing
Unit cost approx. €100 million (list price)<2>

The Airbus A400M is a European four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft. It was designed by Airbus Military corporation to replace or supplement aircraft used in the tactical airlifter role.<3> The A400M was originally ordered by nine nations;<4><5> however, the South African order was cancelled in November 2009.<6> The aircraft's maiden flight, originally planned for early 2008, took place on 11 December 2009.<1>


http://www.aiaa.org/aerospace/Article.cfm?issuetocid=374&ArchiveIssueID=40

~snip~

Cost issues

While Airbus maintains that A400M’s unit cost will be around $80 million, the scope of the project and initial national budget numbers indicate that the figure will be in the $120 million-$130 million range. The C-130J, a considerably less capable plane, sells for $67 million, which includes little of the development cost incorporated in A400M pricing. So although the A400M program is nominally valued at $17.5 billion, the reality is likely to be in excess of $22 billion.

With numbers like these, there is a chance that European governments might view A400M as an emergency funding mechanism to help their struggling aerospace industries. Several companies involved, especially European Aeronautic, Defence, and Space (EADS)/Airbus, will be hit simultaneously by falling commercial jetliner deliveries and rising A380 superjumbo development spending. The next two years are likely to be cyclical low points for the market, while A380 spending will approach $1.5 billion annually. Given the legal limits on government spending for new commercial jetliner development, additional defense spending might be the only way to ensure that Airbus can deliver the A380 in the current time frame.

If the A400M is launched with the objective of supporting European industry in difficult times, European governments will need to take care that they do not steal money from other programs, leaving the industry partners exactly where they started. There is widespread fear, for example, that Germany’s A400M money would come from Eurofighter funding accounts. This shift of defense priorities would add very little extra money to EADS’s coffers.

And, of course, the goal of supporting European industry must be made across the board, with a vertically integrated program that includes local subcontractors. This goal would certainly explain the engine contractor selection.



So. The $120 ~ $130 million dollar A400M military lifer will be used to finance the A380 jumbo jet. Wonderful. :sarcasm:

[PavePusher]

1. "The C-130J, a considerably less capable plane, sells for $67 million..."

Where did that come from? Can you point to a specs comparison between the two?

[unhappycamper]

2. The $67 million number came from the enclosed article.

Wikipedia sez they are $62 million a pop.

[PavePusher]

3. Oops, sorry, I meant the performance specs...

but I finally pulled up the two Wiki pages and am flipping back and forth. Had a bad cold yesterday, couldn't think well. Thanks!

Edit: Interesting. Looks like the props on each wing are counter-rotating. Odd.