Picture: First Airbus Military A400M major component arrives in Seville, as composite horizontal tailplane delivered across town

Airbus Military has taken delivery of the first major component for the A400M military transport aircraft.

The final assembly site in San Pablo, outside Seville, yesterday received the first horizontal tailplane from EADS CASA in Tablada, also in Seville. The largely-composite tailplane is the first major part to be delivered to San Pablo, which will house the aircraft's final assembly line.

The tailplane will undergo a series of structural tests before being fitted to the prototype aircraft number one ahead of flight tests.