Airbus Military recently performed the first engine run test on all of its four Europrop International (EPI) TP400 turboprops as part of the A400M military airlifter programme.
During the 6.5-hour test including preparation time on 18 November, the four engines on aircraft msn 01 successfully ran for four hours.
The engines ran at low power settings in ground-idle and flight-idle modes and will run up to maximum take-off power in further planned runs.
The test at the Airbus Military’s Seville facility in Spain is part of the procedure known as destorage of the engines, following the handover to the flight-test team.
The engine cowls were opened after the first full run, during which the engines performed flawlessly, and further inspections showed that there had been no hot-air or fluid leaks.
The company will continue with more tests to explore the behaviour of the engine and also of the aircraft systems that are powered by the engine.
The auxiliary power unit, a separate small engine designed to provide electrical power to aircraft systems and used to start the engines for the main engine run, has also been tested.
