22 | Flight International | 10-16 December 2019 flightglobal.comANNIVERSARY
A full decade has passed since Airbus performed the first flight with an A400M. We assess
whether the airlifter could at last be ready to rise above the turbulence of its service entry
T
en years ago this week, Airbus
conducted the first flight of what
was viewed at the time as its poster-
child military product: the A400M
tactical transport. The result of a broad wish
list of operating requirements drawn up by
multiple European nations, the four-engined
turboprop on 11 December 2009 soared im-
pressively from the runway adjacent to the
company’s San Pablo final assembly site in
Seville, Spain.
A decade ago, the airlifter’s prospects ap-
peared strong, based on its position in a mar-
ket sweet spot between the smaller LockheedMartin C-130J and Boeing’s C-17 strategic
transport. But in reality, even as aircraft
MSN1 left the ground for the first time, the
huge complexity of the A400M’s develop-
ment path and challenges of its overly ambi-
tious and rigid contract framework were al-
ready evident.
Speaking after the 3h 45min debut, Ed
Strongman, the manufacturer’s chief military
pilot, described the A400M as having been
“a pleasure to fly”, noting that it was “far
more agile and manoeuvrable than a civil
aeroplane”.
The milestone flight had departed Seville
on a warm winter day approximately 15min
later than planned because of an issue withCRAIG HOYLE LONDONAirbusMSN1’s airborne debut
on 11 December 2009
was a qualified successthe onboard equipment that would modify its
control laws from direct to normal mode
while airborne. This same problem added
around 30min to the sortie’s expected
duration, as a large attendance of dignitaries,
invited guests and company employees
looked on.UNDERCARRIAGE FIX
Besides this inconvenience, Strongman re-
vealed that the A400M also encountered an
unexpected buffet issue when its landing gear
was cycled in flight. This flaw was subse-
quently addressed through the addition of
small fins to the lower aft section of each main
landing gear pontoon, drawing on the