Airbus Announces A400M Test Flight Date

European aircraft manufacturer, Airbus has announced that its long-delayed A400M transport plane, designed for military use, should make its maiden test flight sometime in the week beginning December 7th, weather permitting.

Designed to replace aircraft such as the C130 hercules, a stalwart of western airforce cargo transport for several decades, the A400M already has firm orders from several European air forces. 

The aircraft was expected to enter service with some of those air forces this year, however the project has suffered several technical glitches, prompting French and German officials to give Airbus an ultimatum of the end of this year to prove the continuing viability of the project.

At the start of November, South Africa hit the headlines, publicly cancelling its order for eight A400M's in a deal which was thought to be worth billions of dollars.