An oil leak that grounded an Airbus A400M military plane with a German government minister on board does not point to a fundamental new problem with the West’s largest turboprop engines, three sources close to the matter said.

Last week’s breakdown was on a trip that was meant to showcase the aircraft’s capabilities as Airbus seeks to win back confidence in the troubled A400M project from its largest purchasing nation.

German military officials initially said the leak appeared to be linked to the hydraulic system used to adjust the turbine blades in one of the four powerful A400M engines. [nL5N1FV4TJ]

However, two of the three sources said the leak had been found between the propellers and the nacelle, or engine housing, which are part of the power system but not components of the engine itself.

“It doesn’t look like it came from the core of the engine,” the third source said.

The German air force declined to comment.

SOURCE REUTERS, Read  more..