The A400M flies

CBris said:
...It's just "horses for courses" - the buying airforces don't need the capacity of a C17 and a Herc is not on their radar for various reasons.
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So they say...interesting to note the C-17 is seen as a "strategic" airlifter, but is often used tactically.
The RAF rented a few, and liked them so much they ended up with a buy!
I'm pretty sure the C-17 could do everything the A400M is imagined to do, at a fraction of the lifetime cost.

Of course I am biased, because I just love my Alphasim C-17 even without avionics :kilroy:
 
The C17 can probably lift more and cheaper. There is probably a slight European bias when you look at the list of buyers...

Buying aeroplanes is more a political thing than what the soldiers themselves would like to see... I remember being giving my first Gazelle and thinking "What the heck is up with my bosses? Why can't we have a BO105 - or even (horrors) an Eceureil? That is a far more soldierproof chopper."

After you've done BDR on a Westland Scout, a Gazelle, a Lynx or even an Auster or a Beaver, you'll know why the techs and pilots prefer "traditional" construction.

BDR - Battle Damage Repair - get the plane flying asap...

I know the techs were happy with the hercy bird. But we helicopter techs hated having to have to take the main rotor heads (and even gearboxes) off our choppers for a simple airlift.

OK, I have had my moans... You've got to admit though, the A400M looks sexy...
 
CBris said:
... You've got to admit though, the A400M looks sexy...
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Crikey...you've been working around aircraft too long... ;)
Looking at those fans - half of which appear to be on backward! I assume this beast runs quietly?
 
That's "DBE" for the props... (Down Between Engines). It means separate gearboxes for two of the four engines, but you can imagine what a balancing effect this will have on things like harmonic vibration, noise, wear...
 
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