Article Posted on : - Oct 27, 2014

First German Air Force A400M. Photo: Airbus Defence and Space

SEVILLE (BNS): The first Airbus A400M new generation airlifter ordered by the German Air Force has made its maiden flight, marking a key milestone towards its delivery.

The aircraft, known as MSN18, took off from Seville, Spain on 14 October at 14:30 local time (GMT+1) and landed back on site 4 hours and 58 minutes later.

The aircraft is the first of 53 ordered by the German Air Force and will be known in-service as the A400M Atlas.

Experimental Test Pilot Thomas Wilhelm, who captained the flight, said after landing: "It is a great privilege to have conducted the first flight of the German Air Force's first A400M. I am absolutely confident that the combination of strategic range with true tactical capability that it brings will contribute enormously to the service's air mobility capability for military and humanitarian missions."