=20 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- This article was sent to you by someone who found it on SFGate. The original article can be found on SFGate.com here: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=3D/n/a/2006/12/03/financial/= f102536S10.DTL --------------------------------------------------------------------- Sunday, December 3, 2006 (AP) EADS: A400M Plane Faces 'Hurdles' (12-03) 10:25 PST PARIS, France (AP) -- <tbody> The program review was ordered in September by European Aeronautic Defen= ce and Space Co.'s two chief executive officers, and findings were presented to the board of directors on Friday, EADS said in a statement after the meeting. The review followed a similar investigation during the summer into the problems facing Airbus' flagship project to build the double-decker A380, the world's largest airliner. Military airlifter A400M, a versatile turboprop aircraft that will fit in between Boeing Co.'s C-17 and C-130 Hercules airlifters, is due to make its first flight in January 2008 and enter service with air forces starting in October 2009. The Franco-German aerospace company said the review determined that the program is progressing according to schedule, though the "challenges ahead until first delivery in 2009 are assessed as significant, and the review has identified several critical risk areas." These include systems design, notable electrical harnesses, maturity of military mission systems, engine modifications and work that remains to be done on the final assembly line in Seville, Spain, the company said. EADS said a series of "mitigating actions" have been decided to keep the program on schedule, but it did not elaborate. Air forces from seven European NATO countries have ordered a total of 180 four-engined A400Ms, while South Africa has ordered eight and Malaysia four. Airbus recently angered customers by doubling the estimated production delay blighting the double-decker A380 to two years, prompting a 4.8 billion euros ($6.3 billion) EADS profit warning. </tbody> ----------= ------------------------------------------------------------ Copyright 2006 AP