Article Posted on : - Oct 28, 2010

Second Airbus Military tanker for RAF makes maiden flight. Photo by Airbus

MADRID (BNS): The second A330 MRTT Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft (FSTA) for the UK Royal Air Force has successfully completed its maiden flight following its conversion.

Converted from a basic A330-200 by Airbus Military, the aircraft flew for exactly two hours on October 26. The aircraft, its systems, and two Rolls-Royce Trent 700 engines performed entirely satisfactorily, an EADS Airbus Military release said.

The aircraft joins the first FSTA, which made its maiden flight on 16th September, in a flight-test programme which will lead to first delivery to the RAF towards the end of 2011.

Airbus Military has obtained military certification for the A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport from Spanish military certification authority Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Aerospacial a (INTA).

The A330 MRTT can be used as a pure transport aircraft able to carry up to 300 passengers, or a payload of up to 45 tonnes/99,000 lb. It can also easily be converted to accommodate up to 130 stretchers for Medical Evacuation (MEDEVAC).