Airbus Military has successfully completed the 300 hours of function & reliability (F&R) flight-testing of the A400M new generation airlifter which is a key requirement prior to full certification.

Data from the F&R programme, which was performed entirely using the first production-representative aircraft—MSN6/Grizzly 5—is now being examined by the civil and military certification authorities for the A400M—respectively EASA and a committee appointed by OCCAR.

The F&R testing was completed in just 32 days, during which the aircraft made 52 flights and visited 10 different airfields. The exercise is intended to examine the aircraft’s behaviour in conditions representative of normal in-service experience, including both routine and simulated abnormal operations in a wide range of weather and locations. It helps minimise the risk to operational crews, particularly on new aircraft entering service, of malfunctions and failures that increase pilot workload.

This intensive testing demonstrated the excellent reliability of the A400M and its systems as well as its TP400 engines even under an exceptionally demanding schedule.