A400M update

[Ducati Boy]

I know, I am being just a litttle cynical, can anyone remember when the big bird company of Seattle and their mates let us have anything we made ourselves. I would say Hercs and C17's will be made available to us a price we cannot refuse and the "Rene" will disappear from history like any previous threat to the US defence industry. This will happen regardless of how good the A400 may actually be. Just look what happened when a non US aircraft actually won the tanker bid for USAF. Overnight, cries of foul lets re-run the contest.

It doesn't matter what you make or how good it is, it will not be able to compete against hugh Government backed companies like Boeing, they will always undercut, it's just business.

[Mackrick]

Cynical you Pat never..... but I think your right ... the C17 is much better and I think we may pull out and leave the othe nations to it...

[Za150]

As DB said, no matter how good the A400 may be, its never to compete with the already in service proved C17 and C130's

[Xplumberlives]

As DB said, no matter how good the A400 may be, its never to compete with the already in service proved C17 and C130's

Unless, the A400 is very heavily subsidised in order to bring it's price down below the Murkin opposition!

[RLN]

Are we contractually obliged to take some?

[Dan4th]

Just a side-note, Boeing isn't subsidized and
receives no tax breaks. The uproar over the
Aeroboose Tankers included Boeing but was
largely Senators and Reps from the states
where the affected jobs were located. A bit
ironic as a big chunk of the Airbus's parts and
assemblies are from US suppliers....Jury still
out on this issue, btw.

Danf.

[Xplumberlives]

Just a side-note, Boeing isn't subsidized and
receives no tax breaks. The uproar over the
Aeroboose Tankers included Boeing but was
largely Senators and Reps from the states
where the affected jobs were located. A bit
ironic as a big chunk of the Airbus's parts and
assemblies are from US suppliers....Jury still
out on this issue, btw.
Danf.

Fair point - duly noted!

[Mayfly]

its BAe in the news at the moment

[Saracenman]

this is where the UK always seem to fall between a rock and a hard place. a surprising amount of Murkin hardware depends on OUR aeronautical expertise - it's not all one way. it's not just the new stuff like engines and bang seats either - i believe Marshalls are building (have built?) fuel tanks for the USAF KC135 fleet.

i have no doubt that the René WILL be heavily subsidised by the Frogs - if they're not to busy going on strike, insisting the World should speak French instead of English, or letting their politics be dictated by the greed of French farmers!

personally, i believe that the RAF should be given the BEST equipment - whether that's from across the Pond, across the Channel, or home-grown. sadly, "Best" always seems to be at the very bottom of any Whitehall procurement criteria.

sm

[Mackrick]

Article courtesy of Flight Global.

Airbus Military's delayed A400M programme has been boosted by the completion of a roughly 54h flight campaign for the transport's Europrop International (EPI) TP400-D6 engine.

The final flight of a TP400-equipped Lockheed Martin C-130K was conducted from Marshall Aerospace's Cambridge airport site in the UK on 30 September, the eighteenth sortie of the heavily modified flight testbed since December 2008.


© Marshall Aerospace


A further 42 ground runs of the engine were also performed using the C-130, with Marshall saying the powerplant achieved a combined running time of 110h.

"The industry project team has successfully delivered important data to provide Airbus Military and its industry partners with key information on engine, propeller and nacelle performances," says Chris Bunney, Marshall's project director A400M flight testbed.

"The data gathered from the flight-test programme further demonstrates the confidence that Airbus has in the new EPI engine and Ratier-Figeac propeller combination," the UK company adds.

Pictured during its last outing, the test aircraft was recently modified to carry a probe above its cockpit housing further instrumentation and testing equipment, Marshall says.

Airbus Military in late September installed flightworthy TP400s on MSN001, its first production example of the A400M. Lead stakeholder EADS says it is increasingly confident that the transport will make its first flight before the end of this year.

[Saracenman]

another step closer!

any idea what happens to ex-Snoopy Herc? kept as a future testbed or scrapped?

sm

[Xplumberlives]

Article courtesy of Flight Global.


© Marshall Aerospace

Is that quite the right thing to do?
Fancy testing your new engine on the oppositions old aircraft!

[Bubbles]

:ymapplause: another step closer!

any idea what happens to ex-Snoopy Herc? kept as a future testbed or scrapped?

sm

Scrapped i'm afraid.

[Saracenman]

no surprise really i suppose - has to one of the oldest airframes i imagine

[Bubbles]

Old but low houred, she is being scrapped as it is too expensive to convert her back to standard.

[Saracenman]

shame - plenty of other Hercs available after all - why spend £s to convert her back to standard

[Xplumberlives]

I am shocked!

[Saracenman]

looks like you're on that sloping runway again!

[Xplumberlives]

looks like you're on that sloping runway again!

Yes, James took the picture and it's a heavy camera!

[Mackrick]

:ymapplause: another step closer!

any idea what happens to ex-Snoopy Herc? kept as a future testbed or scrapped?

sm

Scrapped i'm afraid.

Thats not been confirmed according to my sources

[Bubbles]

Does your little light still flash XP?

Rick,I was told that by one of the test engineers at marshalls.

[Mackrick]

I know someone on the project as well and they may have another use for it .....

[Bubbles]

Heres hopeing they do. Shame to see old Snoopy go.

[Mackrick]

I know one of the old Snoopy pilots when she was used for Met research he has some stories to tell....

[Saracenman]

Heres hopeing they do. Shame to see old Snoopy go.

PLEEEEEEEEEEEASE download and install spellcheck Bubbs - http://download.chip.eu/en/ieSpell-2.4.0_169355.html

before XPL or Spitfire tear you to shreds - or me for that matter

sm