C-160D Transall; Nowadays Quite A Rare Aircraft

[redskin301]

The C-160D Transall of the German Luftwaffe is a type that is seen less and less often. That's because the Transalls are slowly being phased out in Germany. The German airbase Hohn in the north of the country is the only airbase where the C-160D Transall is still based in Germany. The unit flying here with this type is Lufttransportgeschwader 63 (LTG-63). The other two units are no longer flying the Transall. LTG-61 at Landsberg in the south of the country has meanwhile been disbanded and LTG-62 at Wunstorf is already operational with the Airbus A400M. Through the years, the C-160 Transall is now an outdated aircraft. The German C-160 Transall fleet will be replaced by the Airbus A400 Atlas. Due to drastic cuts in funds, 2 of 3 transport airfield will close down in Germany. Wunstorf will remain the only active transport airbase in Germany. This means Hohn and Landsberg will close when the A400M enters service. The entire A400 fleet will therefore be based at Wunstorf. The preparations for the A400 are already started at Wunstorf. The platforms at Wunstorf will be increased and a complete new hangar complex is under construction. The first A400 will be delivered at Wunstorf in 2014 according to the expectations. The delivery of more than 40 aircraft will take place between 2014 and 2020. Originally, the German government had plans to purchase 60 A400s. Due to budget cuts this number was reduced to 40 aircraft. The French Air Force started to fly the first operational A400 in 2013; Germany and Great Britain will quickly followed in 2014. The basic pilot training for the A400 of these 3 countries will be based at Wunstorf. The tactical training on this type will take place at the French base Orleans-Bricy. The Airbus A400M has a much bigger load capacity compared to the C-160 Transall. The aircraft has also a larger operational range than its predecessor. This is a great advantage for the Luftwaffe, because they are now able to operate much quicker over the entire world.