How's the A400M getting on in RAF service?
Discussion
We are close to a (distant) flight path into and out of Brize Norton and I am now seeing almost exclusively A400Ms each day, rather than the Hercs of old. I love the unusually loud noise from the engines: is that down to the propellors contra-rotating on each wing?
How many are we getting and how many have been delivered so far? Has it been a successful acquisition from the RAF's point of view? I know Airbus are not exactly thrilled with costs/sales, so do you think they will stick with the military Division?
How many are we getting and how many have been delivered so far? Has it been a successful acquisition from the RAF's point of view? I know Airbus are not exactly thrilled with costs/sales, so do you think they will stick with the military Division?
LotusOmega375D said:
We are close to a (distant) flight path into and out of Brize Norton and I am now seeing almost exclusively A400Ms each day, rather than the Hercs of old. I love the unusually loud noise from the engines: is that down to the propellors contra-rotating on each wing?
How many are we getting and how many have been delivered so far? Has it been a successful acquisition from the RAF's point of view? I know Airbus are not exactly thrilled with costs/sales, so do you think they will stick with the military Division?
Seventeen have been delivered so far, with a total of twenty two ordered. How many are we getting and how many have been delivered so far? Has it been a successful acquisition from the RAF's point of view? I know Airbus are not exactly thrilled with costs/sales, so do you think they will stick with the military Division?
It's a bit early to say if it has been a successful acquisition, but the capabilities of the ac and the loads it can carry coming on leaps and bounds.
No idea if Airbus will stick with the Military division. I have a friend who is a Flight Sergeant techie on the Atlas Force and he can't praise the A400M enough.
I have clocked up a lot of hours flying in the back as support crew and my experiences are that the seats in the rear are horrendously uncomfortable. Give me a seat in a C17, Herc or Chinook any day. It's a great ac to work on in my role in the RAF and has been really interesting to have been there from day one of its arrival at Brize, to see it develop.
Fluid said:
Seventeen have been delivered so far, with a total of twenty two ordered.
It's a bit early to say if it has been a successful acquisition, but the capabilities of the ac and the loads it can carry coming on leaps and bounds.
No idea if Airbus will stick with the Military division. I have a friend who is a Flight Sergeant techie on the Atlas Force and he can't praise the A400M enough.
I have clocked up a lot of hours flying in the back as support crew and my experiences are that the seats in the rear are horrendously uncomfortable. Give me a seat in a C17, Herc or Chinook any day. It's a great ac to work on in my role in the RAF and has been really interesting to have been there from day one of its arrival at Brize, to see it develop.
That’s saying something when a Herc is more comfortable!!It's a bit early to say if it has been a successful acquisition, but the capabilities of the ac and the loads it can carry coming on leaps and bounds.
No idea if Airbus will stick with the Military division. I have a friend who is a Flight Sergeant techie on the Atlas Force and he can't praise the A400M enough.
I have clocked up a lot of hours flying in the back as support crew and my experiences are that the seats in the rear are horrendously uncomfortable. Give me a seat in a C17, Herc or Chinook any day. It's a great ac to work on in my role in the RAF and has been really interesting to have been there from day one of its arrival at Brize, to see it develop.
Having worked on the programme for the last 3 years, for Airbus, I can say it is one of the greatest issues we have yet also one of the potentially most promising.
A small issue for me is it is only available in a full fat configuration, I.e. S65 AMG, what about if I just want a C180 to potter around in.
Each customer has different feedback, the customer snags / complaints, interestingly, even though the AC all go through the same process the UK has the least ‘snags’ and the Germans the most, consistently.
As it is only just reaching its full mission capability I can see Airbus with a monopoly on this size military AC for the short - medium term future, this is why I guess they are ploughing through the billion euro losses per annum.
A small issue for me is it is only available in a full fat configuration, I.e. S65 AMG, what about if I just want a C180 to potter around in.
Each customer has different feedback, the customer snags / complaints, interestingly, even though the AC all go through the same process the UK has the least ‘snags’ and the Germans the most, consistently.
As it is only just reaching its full mission capability I can see Airbus with a monopoly on this size military AC for the short - medium term future, this is why I guess they are ploughing through the billion euro losses per annum.
Lord.Vader said:
Each customer has different feedback, the customer snags / complaints, interestingly, even though the AC all go through the same process the UK has the least ‘snags’ and the Germans the most, consistently.
That's typical of the German MOD. I worked for the NATO agency managing the Eurofighter programme from 2012 to 2017 and the Germans were the worst when it came to snagging. The programme ground to a halt several times while I was there because their lead qualification and certification representative wouldn't sign off on numerous issues that the other 3 partner nations didn't see as particularly serious. To those guys working on the a400.
Can it do double boat drops yet. I used to work hercs until 3 years ago. I know when I left hercs it was one of the big issues the a400m was struggling with that the hercs were still practicing exclusively.
I got to go up and watch a double boat launch. Christ there is no room for a mistake. The speed they go out the back at is frightening.
Can it do double boat drops yet. I used to work hercs until 3 years ago. I know when I left hercs it was one of the big issues the a400m was struggling with that the hercs were still practicing exclusively.
I got to go up and watch a double boat launch. Christ there is no room for a mistake. The speed they go out the back at is frightening.
LotusOmega375D said:
We are close to a (distant) flight path into and out of Brize Norton and I am now seeing almost exclusively A400Ms each day
I'm in Hilperton, Wiltshire and we get at least two flights over every single day whatever the weather (out and then back in, I assume), same flight path, very similar times. Always wondered what they would be up to on such a consistent and regular schedule, something fairly boring I assume.Love the noise, I always look up even though I know exactly what it is.
BertieWooster said:
That's typical of the German MOD. I worked for the NATO agency managing the Eurofighter programme from 2012 to 2017 and the Germans were the worst when it came to snagging. The programme ground to a halt several times while I was there because their lead qualification and certification representative wouldn't sign off on numerous issues that the other 3 partner nations didn't see as particularly serious.
It’s part of German culture, and one of the reasons they struggle to overcome engineering issues. We often have work sent over from Germany that’s a simple fixwith small mods, but the German company won’t do adjustments “because that’s not on the drawing”. Almost a case of “computer says no”. Difficult to comprehend at times although I guess that’s because the U.K. is much happier to bodge things, which they find baffling 
Wobbegong said:
It’s part of German culture, and one of the reasons they struggle to overcome engineering issues. We often have work sent over from Germany that’s a simple fixwith small mods, but the German company won’t do adjustments “because that’s not on the drawing”. Almost a case of “computer says no”. Difficult to comprehend at times although I guess that’s because the U.K. is much happier to bodge things, which they find baffling
I'm so glad I'm out of that programme as it was pretty depressing watching everything move at a pace that would make a glacier seem supersonic. The Germans couldn't ever seem to be willing to deviate from their standard procedure - even when it was the sensible thing to do. Gassing Station | Boats, Planes & Trains | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff