Airbus A400M: Profile, Motors, Dimensions, Masses, Performance, History and Orders
Airbus A400M
The Airbus A400M is a transport plane military versatile designed by Airbus and is expected to enter service between 2012 and 2014 He is currently commissioned to 184 copies in 8 different countries, with whom he must replace the aging C-130 Hercules and C-160 Transall.
The first copy of the A400M was leaving the factory 26 June 2008 in Seville In early November 2008, EADS acknowledges having slowed aircraft production as the first flight of turboprop TP400, will not take place As of 29 March 2009, Thomas Enders, president of Airbus, acknowledged that Airbus "is not able to build the plane" and "it would be better to cancel the program rather than s 'shooting into difficulties. However, the defense ministers of the partner countries decided on 26 July 2009 to extend until the end of 2009 the moratorium with Airbus On 20 September the President of EADS Louis Welsh announces inaugural flight of the A400M to December 2009
Its first test flight was planned for late 2008 took place on 11 December 2009 in Seville which corresponds to a delay of more than a year on the program.
Airbus A400M
Schematic 400M in profile
Manufacturer Airbus
Role Transport aircraft
First flight 11 December 2009
Commissioning 2,012 - 2014?
Investment 25 billion euros to 180 aircraft
Unit Cost 140 million euros
Crew
3-4
Motors
Engine EuroProp International TP400-D6
Number 4
Type Turboprop engine, propeller blades 8 Ratier
Power Unit 11 000 SHP at sea level
Dimensions
Wingspan 42.4 m
Length 45.1 m
Height 14.7 m
Wing area 221.5 m²
Masses
No load 66 500 kg
Fuel 50 500 kg
With arms 114 000 kg
Maximum 141 000 kg
Performance
Maximum Speed 780 km / h (Mach 0.72
Ceiling 11 300 m
Range Empty: 8 700 km
20 t payload: 6 390 km
30 tons of payload: 4 535 km
History
Somewhat paradoxically, the A400M transport aircraft, European, finds its origin in a transatlantic collaboration. Indeed, in 1983, Aerospatiale, MBB, BAe and Lockheed created the project FIMA (Future International Military Airlift). In 1985, some European countries resume studying industrial, adding functionality to stick to military needs. They form the IEPG (European International Project Group). In 1989, Lockheed withdrew from the project to focus on modernizing the C-130 Hercules. This upgrade will give the Lockheed C130J. From 1991, seven European nations (the Germany, the France, the United Kingdom, the Italy, the Spain, the United Kingdom, and Turkey) created the European Staff Target Outline who will be in March 1996 ESR (European Staff Requirement), true specification of the future transport aircraft, the ATF or FLA (Future Large Aircraft. In January 1999, Airbus Military Company, the former name of AMSL (Airbus Military Sociedad Limitada), meets the tender against the Antonov An-70, the C130J of Lockheed Martin, the C17 from Boeing. In July 2000, European nations officially designated as the A400M winner. The contract was signed in September 2001 and ratified on 27 May 2003 after nations have completed the number of orders. Italy withdrew from the project and the benefit of C-130J and the lighter C-27J, the Luxembourg on the other hand enters the recipient.
On 27 May 2003, the remaining seven countries (Germany, France, Spain, United Kingdom, Turkey, Belgium, Luxembourg) have agreed to order 180 copies and the program was officially launched. Prospective buyers are represented by the Organization for Joint Cooperation in Armaments (JACS) which monitors the program as a single client. Industrial side, it AMSL which manages the entire program. The Spanish company's shareholder Airbus, CASA, the Turkish TAI and the Belgian FLABEL. The engine is PPE (EuroProp International), a consortium created for the construction of the TP400-D6. It is composed of the French Safran (formerly Snecma), Britain's Rolls Royce, the German MTU and ITP (es) for Spain.
The first Airbus A400M when it leaves the factory in Seville, June 26, 2008.
Fifty-six months after ratification of the contract, the A400M would make its first flight on 31 January 2008 and France was to receive its first A400M after 77 months is the 31 October 2009 but technical difficulties and political delaying the program. Mr. Domingo Urena, the terms negotiated in 2003 were unrealistic given the complexity of the project The problem is essentially European partners who have struggled to agree on sharing industry and have delayed the actual launch of the program. And unfortunately, this delay comes in conjunction with the decommissioning of military transport fleets composed of Transall and C-130 out of breath. With respect to project development, the delay in the standard
On 10 November 2008, the Defense Ministers of the European Union decided to create a fleet of European air transport (FETA) (comprising 12 out of 27 countries under the authority of the European Defense Agency) and d of a multinational unit of 118 A400M (comprising the Germany, the United States, the France and Luxembourg)
This program is held in early 2009, a total of 20 billion euros before being reassessed in the summer of 2009 to 25 billion euros .
The first orders outside Europe were recorded in 2005 with the South Africa, the Malaysia and Chile However, Chile has since renounced the A400M and South Africa has canceled its order.
The first flight took place December 11 in Seville (Spain), 10 h 15
Orders
In November 2009, 184 copies are ordered by nine countries:
Date Country Start Date of Delivery the signing of the contract Orders
27 May 2003 Germany 2010 60
27 May 2003 France 2009 50
27 May 2003 Spain 2011 27
27 May 2003 United Kingdom 2010 25
27 May 2003 Turkey 2009 10
27 May 2003 Belgium 2018 7
27 May 2003 Luxembourg 2017 1
8 December 2005 Malaysia 2013 4
Total: 184
The delivery date indicated will certainly be reviewed due to the delay of the program. On 5 November 2009, South Africa has canceled its order due to rising costs and delays in deliveries
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