A400M Certification and Qualification Flight Test Roadmap for the Aerial Delivery capability clearance

Jesus Fuentes, National Institute for Aerospace Technology (INTA), Spain
Franck Bielecki, Centre d’Essais en Vol – Direction Generale de l’Armament (CEV-DGA), France

Abstract

The A400M is a new generation 4-turbopropeller multi-role military transport aircraft being developed by Airbus Defense & Space. Relevant organizations in this programme are also the Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR), acting as the main customer representing the buying Nations; the Nations themselves, providing Government Furnishing Facilities (GFFs) and flight testing means. the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), in charge of the civil certification; and the Certification and Qualification Committee (CQC), which is an independent body in charge of Military Certification and Qualification.

Having completed the initial EASA certification back in March 2013, it is now turn for the CQC to undergo the military certification and qualification activities in order to clear the operators the military use of the aircraft.

One of the most singular and demanding capabilities of the A400M will be the Aerial Delivery operations clearance. Many contributors from the different actors of the programme are required to be fully harmonized and need to synchronize their efforts in order to achieve that common milestone.

The aim of this paper is to provide the reader an overview of that particular Aerial Delivery operations clearance process from the certification and qualification point of view, showing the main achievements up to date, the incremental steps already set for the future and the challenges that are going to be faced to successfully complete this goal.