The first A400M, MSN 001, has been through different assembly stations on its way to First Flight. At station 40, all the aircraft systems' interfaces were connected and the electrical system successfully tested with power-on. From station 40 the aircraft was moved to station 35 where all the systems on board were checked for compliance with design requirements, and data automatically recorded for later analysis and evaluation. This represented an important step forward as station 35 was one of the few stations left before First Flight.

In previous operations undertaken at station 40, the complete airframe was assembled with the wings and the vertical and horizontal tail planes being joined to the fuselage. On this particular first aircraft, the work at this station was temporary interrupted to proceed with the required structural ground test prior to First Flight..