By Michael A. Taverna/Seville, Spain

EADS is still holding out for early summer first flight for its A400M military transport aircraft, but officials admit it will be tough going.

The first prototype is fully assembled, except for the four TP400 turboprops, and is undergoing systems tests at the final assembly plant here. CEO Carlos Suarez said in briefings Tuesday that the aircraft is to roll out on June 26 and make its first flight in "early summer."

The company has been shooting for a summer first flight since program leaders announced a 6-12 month delay in the 20 billion euro (30 billion dollar) program last November, principally because of problems with the TP400 powerplant. It also took a 1.4 billion euro provision to cover expected extra costs.

Suarez said important engine issues still must be resolved, in particular the FADEC (Full Authority Digital Engine Control) software, which he said is three times as complex as that of the Airbus A380. The engine is expected to fly on the Marshall Aerospace C-130J flying test bed in late May-early June, but engineers want about 50 flight hours, plus a minimum amount of ground test time - now approaching 1,200 hours - before clearing the first flight of the A400M. They indicated this would probably mean a first flight in late July-early August. But Suarez admitted this could slip to the end of the summer.

Although he acknowledged other issues remain to be cleared up following the first flight, including "challenging" mission and cargo handling system integration tests and the need to redesign the high pressure compressor (HPC) on the TP400, he expressed "high confidence" in delivering the first aircraft to France by April 2010.

The second prototype will enter final assembly in mid-May and fly by year's end. Two more will join the test program in the first half of 2009, including aircraft no. 4, which will carry the first final configuration engine, with the new HPC design.

Photo: Airbus Military