Article Posted on : - Apr 11, 2012

Voyager aircraft. Photo: Airbus Military

MADRID (BNS): Royal Air Force largest military aircraft Voyager has completed the first part of the crew training schedule.

The aircraft took off from RAF Brize Norton for a training sortie around the United Kingdom to allow the AirTanker crew to familiarise themselves with the aircraft and achieved the first part of the Voyager crew training schedule.

Airbus Military delivered the Voyager aircraft to AirTanker, the company formed to operate and support the Voyager for the UK Ministry of Defence under the Future Strategic Transport Aircraft programme, at the end of 2011.

As a modern and efficient aircraft, the Voyager is quieter and more fuel-efficient than any other aircraft currently based at RAF Brize Norton - the RAF's primary transport/tanker base.

Airbus Military will deliver 14 converted aircraft to AirTanker, of which two have already been converted from the basic A330-200 in Getafe and another two are in conversion at Cobham facilities in the UK.

The Voyager has military and civil certification and the service will operate aircraft on both the military and civilian registers.

The aircraft can carry 291 troops over 6,000 miles, and has the capability to refuel other aircraft, in flight, from a 100,000 litre reservoir - greater than that of two large petrol tankers.