EPI TP400 Engine Takes Off

>Largely blamed for the delays in the Airbus A400M program, the TP400 turboshaft has finally made its first flight on a C-130 flying test bed (inboard port position).(Airbus Military photo)The TP400 power-plant developed for the A400M by EuroProp International (EPI) took to the air for the first time on 17th December 2008 on the Lockheed C-130K flight test-bed. The TP400 is installed on the inner left engine mount of the C-130K which is otherwise powered by three of the usually four Allison T56 turbopropellers>> The aircraft took off at 10:44 local time from Cambridge airfield (UK) where Marshall Aerospace, which is conducting the flight test-bed trials, is based, and touched down at 11:59 local time. The flight lasted one hour and 15 minutes.>> During the flight, various flight characteristics such as aircraft basic handling and TP400 response at a thrust equivalent to the maximum power generated by each of the other T56 engines were tested to satisfaction in several aircraft configurations up to a speed of 165kts and an altitude of 8,000ft. This was a first step in the aircraft envelope opening. It will allow progress towards the completion of the approximately 50 flight test hours planned to reach sufficient maturity for the engine itself. Once this is achieved and sufficient maturity and satisfactory integration is also reached for the global propulsion system, it will be able to subsequently fly on the A400M.>> EPI, which comprises Rolls Royce, SNECMA, MTU and ITP, started testing the TP400 in October 2005. More than 2,100 hours of ground testing have been performed with three engines on the ground test bench. To complete the trials, Marshall Aerospace was contracted by Airbus Military to perform the Flying Test Bed trials on a Lockheed C-130K. The aircraft was specifically modified to accept the new engine which develops about twice the power of the C-130Ks standard T56 engine.