UK's first FSTA A330-200

[Mackrick]

Courtesy of Flight Global.

The first Airbus A330-200 for the UK's Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft (FSTA) programme has been painted in Royal Air Force colours, ahead of being delivered to Airbus Military's Getafe site near Madrid, Spain, for role-conversion work.

Pictured on 26 June at Airbus's Toulouse site in France carrying its manufacturer's civil registration, the aircraft is the first of 14 FSTA airframes to be produced. It made its first flight on 4 June.



Structured as a 27-year private finance initiative deal, the UK's FSTA project, worth roughly £13 billion ($20.9 billion), will be delivered by AirTanker, a consortium comprising Cobham, EADS UK, Rolls-Royce, Thales UK and VT Group.
Deliveries are due to take place from 2011, with the modified A330s to replace the RAF's Lockheed TriStars and Vickers VC10s in delivering tanker/transport services.

[Saracenman]

[Spitfire]

Courtesy of Flight Global.
The first Airbus A330-200 for the UK's Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft (FSTA) programme has been painted in Royal Air Force colours, ahead of being delivered to Airbus Military's Getafe site near Madrid, Spain, for role-conversion work.

[Pedant mode ON - again]
Fallen into the modern idiom trap ..... as, of course, when he says 'ahead of' what he meant to say was 'before' - you know the old single word that used to do the job well enough
[/Pedant mode OFF - again]

[RLN]

It'll never replace the VC10

[Saracenman]

I've found a better picture of the VC10-killer here

currently registered as F-WWKJ, it will become ZZ330

the A330s will be numbered ZZ330 to ZZ343 - was the '330' planned d'you think or just mere coincidence? ZZ254 to ZZ329 have yet to be allocated to anything, so i guess it was intentional

sm

[Gully]

We used to leave gaps in the registration sequences to make our enemies think we had more aircraft than we actually did!! However, in this case it seems too much of a coincidence.

Looks a boring 'plane - the Mondeo of tankers. Probably ridiculously quiet too! Unlike this piece of kit: XV106 departing Brize on Saturday 27th June 2009...











Pretty heavily laden, too, judging by the take-off run!

Gully

[Saracenman]

now THAT'S a proper tanker!

sm

[Wedgy]

now THAT'S a proper tanker!

sm

[Saracenman]

[Wedgy]

Mines bigger than yours

[Coastergirl]

Now now boys, lets not squabble..... lets look at this sensibly: SM, yours doesn't work at sea, and, Wedgy, yours doesn't work on land - hardly achievements to boast about are they!?

[Dougs]

think i just wet myself LMAO

[Saracenman]

Mines bigger than yours

with a little work, there's a hell of a lot more chance of mine FLYING though!

[Mackrick]

The first Airbus A330-200 for the UK's Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft (FSTA) programme has landed at Airbus Military's Getafe site near Madrid for conversion.

Modifications will include the addition of Cobham 905E under-wing hose-and-drogue refuelling pods on an initial two aircraft, plus additional mission equipment. The UK company will then prepare the programme's remaining 12 aircraft at its Bournemouth site in Dorset from 2011.





Airbus Military will modify the programme's first two airframes at Getafe in a purpose-built hangar next to its current modification facility for the Royal Australian Air Force's A330-based KC-30A tanker/transport.

First flown on 4 June at Airbus's Toulouse plant in France, the first FSTA aircraft arrived at Getafe in its Royal Air Force colours, but carrying a temporary Spanish registration.



The UK's 14-strong FSTA fleet will be based at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, and replace its Lockheed TriStar and Vickers VC10 tanker/transports from 2011. Its last modified aircraft should be delivered in 2016.

[Gully]

We're not re-using the Mk17 hose drum units again?!

Gully

[IanM]

Now now boys, lets not squabble..... lets look at this sensibly: SM, yours doesn't work at sea, and, Wedgy, yours doesn't work on land - hardly achievements to boast about are they!?

One trying to mate with the other might look something like...

[Sad Sam3]

I am assuming Ian, that no-one was hurt in that incident, it would have at very least have been terrifying for the driver concerned.

[Jigsaw]

Thats a Turners lorry from Soham, just up the road from here...wow.

[Saracenman]

.........just up the road from here....

erm...........not any more it ain't!

[Mackrick]

One careful owner

[Hungry Haggis]

OOPPPS wrong gear,or did it break loose from its tie down.

Back to the original.,have a question,Why did it require a Spanish regitration even temp one just to fly to Madrid ?

[Dan4th]

When EU Flight Authority weighed the paperwork
they determined that it required 2.746 more kilos
in order to get it up to Euro Standards. The Spanish
Registration was over 3 kilos, so Mission Accomplished!
This also gave the Spaniards three additional weeks
to sweep-out the hangar, providing 268 jobs.

Dan4th

[Saracenman]

i reckon it's gone to España for lubrication by means of them wiping their swarthy skin and unkempt hair all over it!

whatever the reason, I'm certain they'll find an excuse to taxy it over a goat, or throw a donkey out of it

sm

[RLN]

I'm sure the A330 will do an excellent job, but..............it's not a VC10 is it?

[Mackrick]

Definitely not a VC10 thats for sure.