Spain’s DGAM has given Airbus authority to resume production deliveries. This allows Airbus to start moving aircraft again after the recent fatal crash.
Airbus brought an A400M to the airshow where it performed daily (picture).
France has taken delivery of MSN19, its seventh of 50 on order. The UK’s RAF has a few aircraft also being readied for delivery.
Airbus has a production plan of 13 aircraft for 2015 and four more are undertaking test flights. Currently customers include France (7), UK and Turkey with two each and Germany and Malaysia each with one. The crashed aircraft was set for delivery to Turkey.
An interesting piece of information about the A400M, its official name. There are five company-owned development aircraft, of which only three are now in use, were nicknamed “Grizzly” by the Airbus Military Flight Test Department. The name “Atlas” was formally adopted by the launch nations for aircraft in service. Which is why you see both names mentioned when people speak about this airplane.
I thought Grizzly was great, Atlas, hmm, used too many times, go back to Grizzly
With you on that – Grizzly is cooler
The Grizzly Bear isn’t a European animal: I think it’s only found in North America and the European air forces don’t want their aircraft to have American names.