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Touching the Airbus A400M, in real life, is possible…

(BRUSSELS2) (At the Istres air base) At the Defense summer universities - which take place on Monday and Tuesday - in the south of France, the star guest of the "static" exhibition was unquestionably the 'Airbus A400M, massive, low on wheels and recognizable between miles by its propellers.

The main leaders, national and European (such as the president of the defense committee of the National Assembly, Guy Teissier, or the head of the CMPD, Claude-France Arnould) have thus seen with their own eyes, touched the carcass, sitting in the pilot's seat of the brand new European transport plane, still smelling of brand new plastic and sheet metal.

© NGV / Brussels2

« An aircraft derived from the A380 to which many military functions have been added explains Michel Cagneux, one of the test pilots of the European aircraft. "For example, we asked to be able to have a vision outside". From where this small translucent screen which makes it possible to the pilots to follow the road at the same time as to observe outside. I was also able to sit in these seats, it's impressive.

© NGV / Brussels2

The cockpit will be equipped with “living” functions with two berths and a galley, allowing the crew to stay on the plane for several days. As for the hold, it will be able to accommodate 30 tons of freight. But, for now, it is full of electronic devices to finalize the tests. "Watch out for the wires"...

© NGV / Brussels2

(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)

Nicolas Gros Verheyde

Chief editor of the B2 site. Graduated in European law from the University of Paris I Pantheon Sorbonne and listener to the 65th session of the IHEDN (Institut des Hautes Etudes de la Défense Nationale. Journalist since 1989, founded B2 - Bruxelles2 in 2008. EU/NATO correspondent in Brussels for Sud-Ouest (previously West-France and France-Soir).

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