Airbus A400M origins

Antonio

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Before being known as Airbus A-400M the program was known as FLA (Future Large Aircraft)

This a model shown at Le Bourget 1993 with four turbofans
 

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Another Jet Powered FLA concept looking like a mini C-17
 

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During the early phase of the FLA design even a ASW/ocean surveillance version was
considered (drawing from FlugRevue Special german-french cooperation, 1995)
 

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Jemiba said:
During the early phase of the FLA design even a ASW/ocean surveillance version was
considered (drawing from FlugRevue Special german-french cooperation, 1995)

This drawing remained current throughout the mid to late 90s. Judging by the glazing, this does not depict the earlier turbofan proposal but the later turboprop.
 
Anybody else thinking these arly jet designs bare a marked resemblance to the HS-681 !!!!!!!!
 
Thorvic said:
Anybody else thinking these arly jet designs bare a marked resemblance to the HS-681 !!!!!!!!

Indeed, but every military jet transport since the C-141 has shared the same approximate configuration.
 
Found an "old" German FLUG Revue issue (march 2004) with some early concepts !

Deino
 

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Thanks ,Deino
Have you more info for the canard (date ,design origine ....)
Richard
 
High mounted wing to keep the engines far from the runway
sponsons on the side of the fuselag to house the undercariage
cargo door below the tail
2 or 4 tractor turboprops on (or turbofans hanged below) the wing

These 3 elements basically explain why many military cargoes look similar...
L-2000, Tu-144 and concorde were quite similar, too.
 
richard said:
Thanks ,Deino
Have you more info for the canard (date ,design origine ....)
Richard

Sadly nothing realy hard info ... in the text beside the drawing is only a short remark that just after the first origins from December 1982 several concepts were discussed under the FIMA-project (Future Internation Military Airlifter) including also some "unusual" like the one above, one canard-concept with three engines, one with a "poded" fuselage below the wings - whatever that means ??? - and one with the engines above the wings similar to the VFW-614 .... but no drawings ! :-\ This "FIMA phase" lasted for about three years until 1985 ... after that the FLA looked more or less similar to the other concepts !

Quite interesting to note: the start was made by Aerospatiale, British Aerospace, Lockheed and MBB (1982 untill 1985) ... then CASA and Aeritalia joined the FIMA team and in 1989 these studies were named FLA (Future Large Aircraft). After that Lockheed left that programme to develop the C-130J !

Cheers, Deino
 
Anybody got any 3 view line drawings of the actual A400M (apart from the colour ones on the Airbus site)

Cheers

Geoff
 
How does the A400 compare to the Future International Military Aircraft designs in terms of size and performance?
 
Thorvic
Do you have these?
http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/2004/2004-09%20-%202274.html?search=a+400m
 
Ohh just what i am looking for ;D

Cheers

Geoff
 
Does anyone know if the design can be easily stretched in the same way the C130 and C141 were if that was a requirement?
 
PMN1 said:
Does anyone know if the design can be easily stretched in the same way the C130 and C141 were if that was a requirement?

I would imagine that this was definitely looked at during the design phase. But You'll have to wait a while before that option becomes available. They are running a business after all... ;D
 
Funnily I've "stretched" the A400M.
More exactly, when I saw it for "real" at Airliner.net, I was so impressed that I downloaded it and then had fun with MS paint.
Pics are available at the whatif modelrs board ;D
 
FLA turbojet concept from Flug Revue 9/1993
 

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The Future International Military-Civil Airlifter (FIMA) Consortium was created in 1982 by Aerospatiale, British Aerospace, Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm (MBB), and Lockheed-Georgia. FIMA made design studies from 1983 to 1985. FIMA would later evolve into Euroflag and then be absorbed into Airbus Industries.

Below is information about the FIMA A and FIMA B concepts.

FIMA A
Maximum payload, kg: 3700
Deployment mission playload, kg: 13,610
Range, km: 4000
Number of standard pallets: 14
Cargo box floor width, m: 4.5
Cargo box floor height, m: 3.5
Cruise speed Mach no.: 0.75
Tactical field length, m: 920
Operator's weight empty, tons: 53.2
Number of engines: 4

FIMA B
Maximum payload, kg: 4600
Deployment mission playload, kg: 10,000
Range, km: 7000
Number of standard pallets: 7
Cargo box floor width, m: 3.6
Cargo box floor height, m: 3.5
Cruise speed Mach no.: 0.75
Tactical field length, m: 920
Operator's weight empty, tons: 38.0:
Number of engines: 2

Source: "Chapter 3: Large Subsonic and Military Aircraft" by JE King
part of Future Aeronautical and Space Systems by Ahmed Noor, Samuel L. Venneri, et al.
 

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A brief history of FIMA, Euroflag, and then absorption into Airbus Industries appears in "Chapter 3: Large Subsonic and Military Aircraft" by JE King et al. part of Future Aeronautical and Space Systems by Ahmed Noor, Samuel L. Venneri, et al.

http://books.google.com/books?id=uuR5yBwvhsQC&pg=RA1-PA91&lpg=RA1-PA91&dq=Large+Subsonic+Transports+and+Military+Aircraft+King&source=bl&ots=_j5M9Le2GN&sig=dlNpty5tgXKw-_s1GuByAnQJQZ8&hl=en&ei=DlugSrHlC4aksgOSwYSNDw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1#v=onepage&q=Large%20Subsonic%20Transports%20and%20Military%20Aircraft%20King&f=false
 

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FIMA Sol D4P solution late 1985.

Four propfans, FIMA B cargo box cross section enlarged and stretched, payload 25 tons.

Main characteristics of the FIMA D4P solution table attached as a graphic.

From "Chapter 3: Large Subsonic and Military Aircraft" by JE King et al. part of Future Aeronautical and Space Systems by Ahmed Noor, Samuel L. Venneri, et al.
 

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Future Large Aircraft (FLA) Solution 36A late 1994.

From "Chapter 3: Large Subsonic and Military Aircraft" by JE King et al. part of Future Aeronautical and Space Systems by Ahmed Noor, Samuel L. Venneri, et al.
 

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Data on Euroflag Future Large Aircraft (FLA) as published in Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1992-93:

Primarily for personnel/cargo transport; derivatives may include air-refueling tanker, surveillance/reconnaissance, long-range maritime patrol and Airborne Early Warning (AEW). Three-point tanker capable of carrying up to 40,000 kg (88,185 lb) of transferable fuel over 200 nm (370 km;230 miles) radius could take off from 1,900 m (6,500 ft) runway.

First flight expected approximately 2000, with deliveries expected two years later, assuming FSD starts 1996.

Customers: Air forces of Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Turkey probable; UK possible; exports expected; overall market estimated at 700 to 1,00 aircraft.

Design features: High wing, T-tailed aircraft with rough-field landing gear and much larger cabin/hold floor area and cross-section than Lockheed C-130/Transall C-160, permitting high payload factors with low density cargo, vehicles, or mixed passenger/cargo loads, and much greater payload/range; will have flight refueling; operable all weather and night. Moving 375 tonnes (826,725 lb) of cargo over 3,777 nm (7,000 km; 4,350 miles) in one lift would require 32 FLAs compared with 58 C-103Js.

Power plant: Four advanced turbofans of 80.1 kN (18,000 lb st) each

Accommodation: Two-man flight deck; typical loads include two PAH-2 Tiger helicopters, up to 126 paratroops, or 62 troops and eight 2.74 x 2.24 m (108 x 88 in) pallets.

Dimensions, external:
Wing span: 41.27 m (135 ft 4.75 in)
Length overall: 40.11 m (131 ft 7.25 in)
Height overall: 12.22 m (40 ft 1 in)
Fuselage: Max width 5.07 m (16 ft 7.5 in) and max depth 4.69 m (15 ft 4.5 in)

Dimensions, internal:
Cabin length, exc. ramp: 17.25 m (56 ft 7.25 in)
Floor width, continuous: 3.66 m (12 ft 0 in)
Floor to ceiling height, continuous: 3.55 m (11 ft 7.75 in)
Ramp length: 4.74 m (15 ft 6.5 in)

Areas:
Wings, gross: 180.0 sq m (1,937.5 sq ft)

Weight and loadings:
Max payload: 25,000 kg (55,115 lb)
Max T-O weight: 101,000 kg (222,665 lb)
Estimated wing loading: 561 kg/sq m (114.9 lb/sq ft)
Estimated power loading: 315.2 kg/kN (3.09 lb/lb st)

Performance (preliminary):
Cruising speed: greater than Mach 0.7
Range: with 22,000 kg (44,092 lb) payload up to 3,000 nm (5,560 km; 3,455 miles); with 12,000 kg (26,455 lb) payload approx 3,777 nm (7,000 km; 4,350 miles)

Source: Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1992-93 edited by Mark Lambert, Jane's Information Group Ltd. 1992

Artist's conception of the Euroflag Future Large Aircraft circa 1992. (Previously posted by pometablava)
http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,856.msg6760.html#msg6760
 
So if everything proceeds as planned ... we are nearing first flight (maybe Friday between 10 - 11 a.m.) :-*


http://www.airbusmilitary.com/FirstFlightChannel.aspx


Deino
 
Finally ..... !!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oX-kIUYRyDk

Deino ;D
 

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Hmm, is that sound extra smooth because there are so many blades and they're curved?
 
I guess the final concept of A-400M was created under influence of Antonov An-70.
 
Close to equal speed, better sfc, inherently better STOL because of reversal and better wing washing.
 
Hi,


here is the A400M (FLA) as a tactical freighter concept.


http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1991/1991%20-%202051.html
 

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Hi,


http://www.tuncay-deniz.com/ENGLISH/TAI/tai.html
 

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Airbus factory model of early A400M concept with counter-rotating propellers.

(courtesy Sir George Cox Collection)
 

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...
 

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