News / Airbus

City of Bristol soars over Suspension Bridge

By Pamela Parkes  Monday Feb 9, 2015

The UK’s first A4000M Atlas, whose wings were designed and manufactured at the Airbus factory in Filton, has been named City of Bristol by the RAF.

Military planes are rarely named and the RAF took the decision in honour of the important role Bristol has played in the delivery of the aircraft.

A total of 22 A400M Atlas aircraft have been ordered by the Ministry of Defence.

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Speaking at a ceremony in Filton, where the aircraft completed a fly-past, defence minister Philip Dunn said: “The A400M programme has created or secured work for around 900 people at companies based in Bristol.”

The A400M Atlas will replace the existing fleet of C-130 Hercules and is capable of flying considerably faster than it predecessor, twice as far and can carry almost twice as much cargo.

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