Airbus Suggests Civilian A400M Relief Operations
Relief organizations currently rely largely on old, environmentally unfriendly Russian airlifters.
During the ILA Berlin airshow, Airbus Defence & Space demonstrated the loading of specialist relief vehicles on an A400M airlifter. (Photo: Chris Pocock)
During the ILA Berlin airshow, Airbus Defence & Space demonstrated the loading of specialist relief vehicles on an A400M airlifter. (Photo: Chris Pocock)

Airbus has suggested civilian operation of the A400M airlifter for disaster relief flights. At a media briefing during the ILA Berlin airshow last week, Norbert Kolvenbach, vice president for public affairs Germany, noted that the aircraft is already certified by the EASA. He floated the idea of a “supranational” operator, such as the United Nations. “The A400M could be interesting,” said Birgitte Stalder-Olsen, head of logistics for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), at the same briefing.