Engine yet to be chosen but will not hold up first flight
A steering group meeting at the Berlin air show set 31 May as the start date for development of the Airbus Military (AMC) A400M. Before this can happen, however, Portugal and Spain still have to sign a side letter allowing Germany to fund initially only 40 of the 73 aircraft it has on order.
Industry sources say some of the hold-up is because Spanish politicians are angry that EADS Casa head Alberto Fernandez resigned as programme lead last month.
AMC commercial director Richard Thompson says the Spanish are expected to sign shortly, while recent elections in Portugal means a new defence minister is studying the A400M purchase and programme participation before signing the letter.
Thompson says an engine will be chosen "in time to keep to the first flight schedule". Delays to the programme start are being blamed for a change in schedules that will see first flight 56 months and first delivery 77 months after development start rather than the planned 51 and 71 months.
It is understood that three engine bids have been received, from an ITP, MTU, Rolls-Royce and Snecma consortium; Pratt & Whitney Canada; and Honeywell, with the first two considered fully compliant with the specification. Negotiations with two groups have started, says Thompson.
Source: Flight International
