Airbus Military has begun major fatigue testing of the A400M turboprop military transport aircraft in Dresden, Germany.

The test airframe, known as MSN5001, will be subjected to a punishing regime of loads 24 hours per day for an four weeks, eventually simulating 160 flights per day.

Go deeper with GlobalData

Go deeper with GlobalData

The gold standard of business intelligence.

Find out more

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more

The first 1,665 simulated flights are required for European Aviation Safety Agency type certification of the A400M.

Over the next 18 months a total of 25,000 simulated flights will be performed, equal to 2.5 times the A400M’s design-life.

Static testing of another A400M test airframe, MSN5000, was completed in Madrid in September 2010.

The airframe is being used for further fatigue tests of composite structures, which will complete in early 2012.

GlobalData Strategic Intelligence

US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?

Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.

By GlobalData

Airforce Technology Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Airforce Technology Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact.


Excellence in Action
Discover how Virtualitics is transforming mission readiness with explainable AI, predictive maintenance, and data-driven decision intelligence across the U.S. Department of Defense through its AI-powered Integrated Readiness Optimization suite, for which it has won the Innovation and Business Expansion awards.

Discover the Impact