News Review: TP400 engine flies - at last | ADM Mar 2009

The TP400 is installed on the inner left engine mount of the C-130K which is otherwise powered by three Rolls-Royce T56 turboprops.

The test bed flew from the Marshall Aerospace flight test centre in Cambridge, UK.

During the 75 minute 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 reached it will be able to fly on the A400M.

The A400M remains a potential contender to replace the RAAF's ageing C-130H Hercules under Phase 1 of Project Air 8000.

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.

The EuroProp International (EPI) TP400 engine is a three-shaft free turbine turboprop driving an eight bladed five-metre-diameter propeller.

Developing 11,000 SHp at take-off, it is the most powerful turboprop ever built in the western world.

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-130K's standard T56 engine.