EADS says development of A400M on schedule MADRID, April 14 (Reuters) - European aerospace group EADS (EAD.PA: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Monday the revised development schedule of its delayed A400M heavylifter military aircraft was on track.
"The first A400M, MSN001, has just left station 40 where all the aircraft systems' interfaces have been connected and the electrical system has been successfully tested with power-on," EADS said in a statement.
"These activities are in line with the current programme plan".
The A400M, which involves seven European NATO nations and is being assembled in Seville, Spain, is running six to 12 months late.
Development of the aircraft was delayed mainly by problems in supplying the large turbo-prop engines contracted out to a European consortium including Rolls Royce Plc (RR.L: Quote, Profile, Research) and Safran (SAF.PA: Quote, Profile, Research).
EADS said on Monday that engine installation was now underway and the "dedicated flying test bed" -- a modified C130 Hercules on which an engine has been installed -- is being readied to begin the flight tests "shortly".
A month ago, EADS said it had carried out static tests on the aircraft frame, including fatigue studies to see whether the transporter aircraft can withstand the loads for which it was designed.
The company said in October that the aircraft, due to be delivered to France, its first customer, in 2009, would be at least 6 months late, with the risk of a further 6 month delay. It also pushed back the first flight by some 5 months to July.
The latest published target is the "summer," though a French official was recently quoted as saying it could be October.
EADS shares had slipped 0.2 percent to 15.07 euros by 1433 GMT against a 0.5 percent fall in the CAC 40 index of leading French companies .CAC40.
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