A400M still downdate

The perverse pleasure continues: a post by AW&ST's London bureau chief (via Haletown at Milnet.ca):

Late, Later, Latest...

Software development is proving the latest in a growing list of culprits responsible for the delay in the first flight of the Airbus Military A400M.

A senior Airbus executive now suggests a first flight in the latter half of 2009 – a near three year slip on when the aircraft was due to fly. Development and verification of the software for the full authority digital engine control system for the TP400-D6 engine is proving a harder challenge than originally anticipated.

The A400M appears to be suffering from a “conspiracy of optimism” – though it is far from the only military project to have been beset by such.

Getting the program back on track – albeit one with a credibly revised time frame – is of fundamental importance: the partner nations need to know when they will actually get the aircraft, and Airbus – and EADS and other companies involved – need to figure out the extent of the financial hit they may have yet to take.

And there also remains the small issue of European credibility in the military transport arena.

More:

"When can we fly the damn thing?": Enders on A400M

Following on from Douglas' post yesterday [Nov. 24, above], I can reveal that Airbus itself is more than a little irritated at the delays on the A400M program, if CEO Tom Enders' reactions to persistent questioning from journalists last night can be used as a barometer.

Enders was the guest at a dinner hosted by the French Association of Professional Air and Space Journalists (AJPAE) but neither his lack of any comment at all about the A400M in his 30 minute long opening remarks nor the champagne aperitif were enough to push the A400M out of reporters' minds.

The second question from the floor “what about the A400M?” elicited the following comment from Enders: “right now we are asking when can we fly the damn thing! If it had reliable engines we could have flown it in September.” He added later that the engine test-bed – a C-130 with three of its own engines and one of the A400M's – would fly in the next three to four weeks in Britain. In response to persistent questioning about whether or not the A400M had an engine, he responded that once the engine was qualified then the A400M would be considered as having one.

Enders said “we are no longer daredevils as they were in the early days of aviation and we need some proof that this engine can fly.” He added that the FADEC electronic engine control was the problem. The A400M, he said, was a very complex airplane, “more complex than the Eurofighter or the Rafale,” and he refused to put any date at all on a possible first flight.