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Aviation History
2004
2004-09 - 2245.PDF
Cover story survival. Few could imagine that an aircraft to first fly in 2008 could trace its roots to 1982. Putting it in perspective, 1982 saw the Falklands war, Italy's soccer World Cup victory, and Chariots of Fire win the Oscar for best picture. That year also saw the death of Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev, and the continuing efforts of the USA under president Ronald Reagan to end the cold war with insurmountable technology. Today's world is therefore far different from that first envisaged for what was to become the A400M. But the passage of time, so often a dark cloud over any aircraft development programme, has been a lining of silver for the European airlifter. Officially launched only in May 2003, the A400M benefits not only from the availability of new technology, but stands to fulfil a growing military need for tactical and strategic transport. It is also thriving under the broad wing of a highly successful Airbus organisation that should guarantee the A400M a future as the pre eminent airlifter in its class for the 21st century Birth pains Despite appearing to have been doomed more than once, the A400M now has seven European nations committed to procurement Building a dream Components from all over Europe will be shipped to Seville for final assembly, echoing a method pioneered by Airbus's civil arm One size fits all European air forces want a bigger, faster and cheaper transport aircraft and hope the A400M will answer their needs i Under the skin The airlifter has many things in common with its civil siblings, sharing airframe and composite technologies Family ties The systems approach taken with the A380 ultra-large airliner is being shared by Airbus for its military transport Power station EuroProp International is developing the most powerful turboprop ever to propel a Western production aircraft Statistics All the facts and figures 33 39 43 46 52 58 61 32 9-15 NOVEMBER 2004 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL www.flightinternational.com
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