Airbus A400M Engine Flight Test Bed

In 2005 Marshall Aerospace (MA) was contracted by Airbus Military to evaluate the performance, stability and operability of the new TP400-D6 power-plant intended for use on the new A400M military transport aircraft. In order to evaluate performance characteristics of this engine in flight, MA carried out major modifications to a C130K airframe to incorporate the TP400 at the inner port wing engine mount position.

On this project Gediz was responsible for carrying out all detailed Fatigue and Damage Tolerance analysis on critical primary and secondary elements identified across the modified C130 airframe. Acoustic and vibration fatigue analysis of wing and fuselage structures within the locality of the A400M TP400-D6 power plant were carried out by Random frequency Response approach.

In addition to these critical dynamic cases which could induce fatigue cracking on the airframe, Quasi-static analysis for worst case scenarios including detachment of a propeller blade from the engine hub, propeller pitch control failure (“Bang-Bang” mode) and “crash” landing cases were also analysed.

Gediz’s work formed a major portion of the structural substantiation the for the A400M flight Test Bed programme in accordance with regulatory body guidelines. The project was successfully completed by September 2009, after 54hours of flight testing and 56hours of ground testing. 

Image Credits : Marshall Aerospace