This is another first for the Atlas! On January 12, 2015, one of the air force’s A400M began its first maintenance visit at the Atelier Industriel de l’Aéronautique (aviation workshop, AIA) at Clermont-Ferrand.

This operation is covered by a maintenance contract that includes visits by a dozen aircraft until the end of 2017. For the next 18 months, AIA will benefit from the support of the manufacturer, Airbus, on its premises, before it attains full autonomy on the aircraft.

The Atlas operation at AIA Clermont-Ferrand is a strong challenge for the facility. This new transport aircraft opens up new prospects, such as the repair of composite components which constitute more than 30 per cent of the weight of the aircraft, or the replacement of paper documentation by tablets and digital media. To accommodate this new airlifter, the AIA operators have had special instruction in technical English.