Airbus Tests Longer Hose for A400M Helicopter Refueling

MUNICH --- Airbus Defence & Space believes it has found a solution to a problem that was late last year revealed as leaving its A400M tactical transport incapable of refueling helicopters in flight.

During a previous test campaign performed with an Airbus Helicopters H225M, both the airflow behind the Atlas and the rotorcraft’s proximity to its T-tail meant that the air-to-air refueling activity could not be safely completed using a standard, 24.4m (80ft)-long hose.

Speaking at the company’s Ottobrunn site near Munich on 20 June, head of engineering Miguel Angel Morrell said wind-tunnel testing of a potential solution has been conducted in Spain, with Onera. Representing the second phase of a company-funded research and development activity, this modelled using a hose-and-drogue design with a deployed length of 36.6m.

Morrell says the company will be testing a stiffer hose design than used previously, and that this will also have to be narrower in diameter, in order to fit within the same Cobham pod design. This will result in a slower fuel flow, although Airbus has yet to determine its exact effect on overall refueling time. (end of excerpt)

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