Delayed Airbus makes maiden flight

Dec 12 2009 by Iain Laing, The Journal

THE Airbus A400M military transport plane made its maiden flight yesterday into the Spanish skies.

The programme – which was launched by EADS six years ago with an order for 180 planes – has been hit by a series of delays and soaring costs, which has meant the first plane will not go into service for at least another three years.

It has cost EADS $3.5bn in cost overruns, with the main hitch caused by the turbo-prop engine technology, and may cost another 25% more than planned.

Some orders have already been cancelled as a result.

The plane was designed to replace ageing military cargo carriers in several European air forces, and France and Germany have given the firm until the end of the year to prove the project is viable.

Some countries, such as the UK and France, want the plane in use as quickly as possible, whereas others, including Germany, want to go ahead more slowly and spread the cost.