Accueil
Portail
Galerie
S'enregistrer
Connexion
par Poncho (Admin) Mar 4 Juin 2013 - 23:04Un article qui dresse l'état du programme A400M
http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/a400m-delivery-to-launch-export-drive-says-airbus-military-386673/
Et
http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/a400m-delivery-to-launch-export-drive-says-airbus-military-386673/
Sources had suggested that aircraft MSN8 was due to make its flight
debut late last month, but Gautier on 30 May said a decision was taken
to delay this by around one week, due to "some very little short-term
conflict with MSN7's delivery process".
Airbus Military also expects to conduct the first flight of an A400M
for the Turkish air force before the end of June, with MSN9 scheduled to
be delivered in late September. This will be followed by a third
example for France, in December, with MSN10 the first aircraft to be
completed in the SOC1 software standard - which will introduce tactical
capabilities including initial aerial delivery and self-protection
equipment. First flight is planned for late September.
Et
Meanwhile, flight testing with the new type has recently advanced to
include initial air-to-air refuelling proximity flights, ahead of a Eurocopter
demonstrator for the EC725 utility helicopter, says Eric Isorce, head
of A400M flight tests. Conducted in late May, the process involved
aircraft Grizzly 2 deploying a refuelling hose for the rotorcraft to
approach at flight speeds of 130kt (240km/h) down to 105kt.
Further work with the A400M acting as a receiver aircraft during
refuelling should be conducted in September 2013, behind a C160 Transall
airlifter. More than 30 dry contacts already performed between the
types by multiple pilots have shown the new aircraft's ability to
maintain contact, even during turns of up to 20˚ angle of bank, Isorce
says.
With the company's five-strong fleet of Grizzly development aircraft
having accumulated more than 5,000 flight hours through 1,700-plus
flights since December 2009, Gautier says: "We are now devoted to the
SOC1 and 1.5 standards development." To be fielded by late 2014, the
latter will add air-to-air refuelling functionality and expanded
self-protection systems: "the vast majority of the tactical capabilities
to operate in a hostile environment," he notes.
Beyond the four aircraft to be delivered this year, structures for
two more A400Ms are already on the final assembly line, with 15 others
currently in the production or subassembly stages at supplier sites, and
long-lead items already ordered out to aircraft MSN32. "The A400M is
now part of the production landscape in Europe," Gautier says.
)
! Le militaire, c'est toujours cher, m'enfin ... 
!
