Airbus Contractor Completes A400M Engine Trials

[AVIATOR]

Airbus Contractor Completes A400M Engine Trials
October 1, 2009

British engineers have completed engine trials on the Airbus A400M military transport plane, clearing a significant obstacle to its long-delayed maiden flight, sources close to the matter said.

The in-flight tests have been carried out by fitting one of the A400M's newly developed turbo-prop engines to the wing of a converted Lockheed C130 Hercules transport plane at Marshall Aerospace, a specialist firm in Cambridge, England.

Sources familiar with the project said the test aircraft -- known to engineers as a 'flying test bed' -- had completed 54 hours of test flights with the West's largest ever turbo prop fitted in place of one of its ordinary engines on the wing.

The chief executive of Airbus parent EADS reiterated on Monday that the plane maker aims to fly the A400M aircraft itself around the end of the year.

Photos below of the engine test using the C-130 test plane

[Webmaster]

Finally! Let's hope they can speed things up now.

[AVIATOR]

One can't help but notice the incredible latent power that those new engines must have in comparison to the engines on the old C-130.

A great new plane to help in the fight against world terrorism.




Specifications

Data from Airbus Military specifications[32]

General characteristics

    * Crew: 3 or 4 (2 pilots, 3rd optional, 1 loadmaster)
    * Capacity:
          o 37,000 kg (82,000 lb)
          o 116 fully equipped troops / paratroops,
          o up to 66 stretchers accompanied by 25 medical personnel
    * Length: 45.1 m (147 ft 10 in)
    * Wingspan: 42.4 m (139 ft 1 in)
    * Height: 14.7 m (48 ft 2 in)
    * Empty weight: 70 tonnes (154,000 lb)
    * Max takeoff weight: 141 tonnes (310,852 lb)
    * Powerplant: 4× EuroProp International TP400-D6[33] turboprop, 8,250 kW (11,000 hp) each
    * Total Internal Fuel: 50.5 tonnes (111,333 lb)
    * Max. Landing Weight: 114 tonnes (251,000 lb)

Performance

    * Cruise speed: 780 km/h (420 kt, 485 mph Mach 0.68 - 0.72)
    * Initial Cruise Altitude: at MTOW: 9,000 m (29,000 ft))
    * Range: 3,298 km (1,780 nmi) at max payload (long range cruise speed; reserves as per MIL-C-5011A)
          o Range at 30-tonne payload: 4,540 km (2,450 nmi)
          o Range at 20-tonne payload: 6,390 km (3,450 nmi)
    * Ferry range: 8,710 km (4,700 nmi)
    * Service ceiling: 11,300 m (37,000 ft)
      Maximum Operating Altitude: 12,000 m (40,000 ft)
    * Tactical Takeoff Distance: 980 m (3,215 ft) (aircraft weight 100 tonnes, soft field, ISA, sea level)
    * Tactical Landing Distance: 770 m (2,526 ft) (as above)
    * Turning Radius (Ground): 28.6 m

[shawn a]

zhou, do the planet an ecological favor-- commit suicide.