[3], Since entering service, the Beluga has been subject to several infrastructure upgrades. From 1972 onwards, a fleet of four highly modified "Super Guppies" took over. [7] The vertical stabilizer uses a modified Airbus A340 fin with a 1.12 m (3 ft 8 in) base extension while the tailplane was strengthened and fitted with auxiliary fins to maintain directional stability. On April 15, 2019, Airbus’ second Beluga XL took flight. The Beluga XL is the successor to the Beluga, or Airbus A300-600ST, which has been in operation since 1995. It actually competes with the new Embraer plane that looks like a shark in the eye-catching big fish stakes. [4] Another reason for faster loading times was the adoption of a roll-on/roll-off loading system, as well as the ability to unload the aircraft in winds of up to 40 knots. With more than 20 years of reliable service, the BelugaST airlifts complete sections of Airbus aircraft from different production sites around Europe to the final assembly lines in Toulouse, France and Hamburg, Germany. Airbus is developing the successor of the Beluga, called Beluga XL. [7] A key requirement of the new air transporter was the need to accommodate every major component being manufactured by Airbus, including the then-heaviest planned part, that being the wing of the larger variants of the Airbus A340. [4][5], To provide access to the cargo area from the front without having to disconnect all electrical, hydraulic and flight control connections (and also avoiding the lengthy recalibrations before each flight that reconnection entailed), the standard A300 cockpit was relocated down below the cargo-floor level. (* ) Aircraft weights and capabilities shown are the highest values. XL has extensions on the top of aircraft such as Beluga. [4] The qualities and improved capabilities of the Beluga resulted in the costs associated with transporting Airbus components dropping to only one-third of those achieved by the Super Guppy. Featuring one of the most voluminous cargo holds of any civil or military aircraft flying today, the Airbus BelugaST offers a unique way to transport oversized air cargo. The new Beluga, to be based on the A330-200F, will primarily be used to transport A350 parts and, in time, replace the older Beluga altogether. [4] Amongst the early customers chartering Beluga flights was Boeing. The aircraft is operated by a crew of three – two pilots and a loadmaster. Exactly how big is the Beluga? The Airbus Beluga XL flys past Airbus in Bristol, Thursday 14 February 2019, as Airbus announces that the A380 aircraft will be limited in production. The parts for the A300–600ST (the official name for the Airbus Beluga) were provided by 15 companies, including CASA, from Spain (upper fuselage), Dornier, … The massive cargo plane was on its way to Hawarden from Germany when it declared an emergency on Friday afternoon. cookies policy. [22][23], The Beluga has seen recurrent use to transport bulky objects, including vehicles, for various different space programs. The Airbus Beluga is truly one of its kind. This King of Cargo is an astounding sixty-three meters long, which is seven meters longer than its predecessor, and eight meters wide, where the former Beluga was seven meters wide. The Airbus Beluga XL is a planned large transport aircraft based on the A330-200 airliner, to be the successor to the Airbus Beluga. The Airbus A300-600ST (Super Transporter), or Beluga, is a version of the standard A300-600 wide-body airliner modified to carry aircraft parts and outsize cargo. The Airbus Beluga is a sight to behold when it flies over the Merseyside skies - and now you can have a closer look at it. The distinctive aircraft, that has been given a smiley face because it looks like a Beluga whale, made its first appearance in the UK as part of its testing programme. ", "Big ideas: Megalifters prove you’re never too fat to fly. Airbus settled on the Airbus A300, a capable and proven wide-body airliner that originally debuted in the mid-1970s. The Beluga carried the Columbus Module in March of 2006. [4] In 1997, the second year of Beluga operations, the fleet accumulated in excess of 2,500 flight hours across more than 1,400 flights. [3] On at least one occasion, a pressurized container has been used for cargo (see Operational history). Airbus Beluga - Patrouille de France 1. Airbus Beluga XL Price, Engine, Cabin Interior, and Capacity - The Airbus Beluga XL (Airbus A330-743L) is a large transport aircraft based on the Airbus A330 aircraft. The A300-600ST's freight compartment is 7.4 m (24 ft) in diameter and 37.7 m (124 ft) long; maximum payload is 47 tonnes. Engineers got to work modifying the A300 for oversize cargo transport. Airbus had made five of the original Beluga aircraft by 2013. Oh yes. For further information, please refer to our [18] In 2015, a dedicated Beluga loading station was opened at Hawarden Airport, preventing high winds from disrupting future operations. The Beluga XL, based on the Airbus A330 with similar modifications and dimensions, was developed by Airbus to replace the type in January 2020. 7. [21], In 2004, a Beluga was used to deliver relief supplies to the Indian Ocean region following widespread devastation of coastal areas by a major tsunami. The Beluga is massive, bigger than any standard cargo jet, and is known for having one of the biggest cargo holds in the world. The new, bigger version of the Airbus Beluga cargo aircraft, the Beluga XL came to the UK for the first time today with a flight from Toulouse, France. [7], Several different types of aircraft were examined for potential use, including the Antonov An-124, Antonov An-225, Ilyushin Il-86, Boeing 747, Boeing 767, Lockheed C-5 Galaxy, and McDonnell Douglas C-17 Globemaster III; the use of any existing aircraft was eventually discounted due to a lack of internal space to accommodate the desired components, the use of a piggyback arrangement was also dismissed as impractical. The Beluga has a cargo hold of 53,000 cubic feet, placing it between the C-5 Galaxy and Antonov AN-124 in terms of volume capacity. It encloses the forward section including the open large cargo door for less weather restrictions and faster 1h 20min turnaround down from 2h 30min. The new Airbus Beluga XL is an exception though, because with its twinkly-eyed, smiley-faced appearance, it can really only be described as adorably cute. [14] In May 2015, Airbus confirmed that the new aircraft will have a 1 m (3 ft 3 in) wider cross-section than its predecessor and provide a 12% increase in payload. They are based on the A330-200 Freighter, with a large re-use of existing components and equipments. [5][6] As time went on, the Super Guppies grew increasingly unsatisfactory for Airbus's ferrying needs: their age meant that operating expenses were high and ever-increasing, and growing Airbus production required greater capacity than could be provided by the existing fleet. Several major aircraft manufacturers are multinational, and it is not unusual for them to have plants in widely separated locations. Also included in the cockpit are controls for a transportable heating module that can be installed in the main deck cargo compartment. It’s not a plane with a horrible, disfiguring growth that nobody likes to talk about. [4], In June 1997, a world record was set for the most voluminous payload to be carried by an aircraft when a Beluga was used to transport a chemical tank for a merchant vessel from Clermont-Ferrand to Le Havre, France. [5][16] Despite this width, the Beluga cannot carry most fuselage parts of the Airbus A380, which are instead normally transported by ship and road. [4] Following a pre-design period by SATIC, detailed design work was performed by Aérospatiale and DASA while subcontractors were selected to complete the 15 separate work packages; amongst these subcontractors, CASA was selected to produce the upper fuselage, Dornier provided the hydraulic systems, and Sogerma performed the final assembly work. Ranges shown are at max payload. The Beluga XL will replace the current Beluga ST airlifters but will feature a fuselage seven metres longer and an enlarged upper fuselage that is one metre wider. Airbus Beluga & Beluga XL. Its proper name is the Airbus A300-600ST (Super Transporter), and it’s based on the A300-600. [13] Airbus previously considered the A330-300 and A340-500, but each require too much of the limited 1,663 m (5,456 ft) runway 04 at Hawarden Airport near Broughton in Wales. [7], In September 1992, construction work began on the first aircraft, the maiden flight of which took place in September 1994. The new Airbus Beluga XL 3 at Broughton (Image: Daily Post Wales). Celebrating 50 years since Airbus’ creation, representatives from each of the company’s in-production commercial jetliner families – A220, A320, A330, A350 XWB and A380 – are joined in a May 2019 formation flight by France’s Patrouille de France aerobatic demonstration team, Airbus commercial aircraft family in formation with Patrouille de France And now the third one was freshly painted and presented to the public. I can tell you that the beast is even more impressive in person than it is via photos. Airbus Beluga The Beluga line of aircraft serves a crucial role for Airbus. 1 Overview 2 Livery 3 Background 4 References This massive, rather odd looking cargo plane makes it distinct from other planes. [4] The selected starting point for the design was the Airbus A300, leading to the new airframe being designated as the A300-600ST Super Transporter. Review the list of most commonly asked questions for Airbus Commercial Aircraft, which are divided into separate categories: General, A220, A320, A330, A350 XWB, A380 and Beluga. In comparison with the Super Guppy, the payload was more than doubled and the volume increased by more than 30 per cent. [17], In January 1996, the Beluga was formally placed into dedicated service, ferrying components from various aerospace sites to the final assembly lines in Toulouse, France and Hamburg, Germany. Airbus A300-600ST Beluga in the flying-display at the 1999 Paris Airshow. It was transported in the vertical position inside a special pressurized container provided with isothermal protection and an anti-vibration device. Where the Dreamlifter looks like a 747 that ate too much, the Beluga looks like a plane with a really big forehead and a body to match. [7] The A300-600ST was not a like-for-like replacement, being larger, faster, and more efficient than the preceding Super Guppies. The Airbus Beluga was spotted circling Merseyside as it made several failed attempts to land in Chester. The first BelugaXL delivered to Airbus Transport International (ATI) performed its first operational flight on 9 January 2020, Service entry of the first BelugaXL occurred five years after the programme’s launch in November 2014, The lowered cockpit, the cargo bay structure and the rear-end and tail give Airbus’ BelugaXL its distinctive look, Airbus’ BelugaXL has the largest cargo bay cross-section of all existing cargo aircraft worldwide, Airbus’ BelugaXL is based on the company’s A330-200 Freighter, enabling the re-use of existing components and equipment, Airbus’ BelugaXL, which entered service in January 2020, has the largest cargo bay cross-section of all existing cargo aircraft worldwide, Celebrating the BelugaXL airlifter’s Type Certification in November 2019 are, from left to right: Florentino Bascunana, BelugaXL Project Certification Manager at EASA; Sébastien Freissinet, Airbus BelugaXL Type Certification Manager; Veronique Roca, Airbus BelugaXL Technical Director and Chief Engineer; Bertrand George, Airbus Sr. VP & Head of BelugaXL Programme; Jean-Brice Dumont, Airbus Executive VP - Engineering; Carla Iorio, EASA, Head of CT1.4 Special Aeroplanes & Projects, In celebration of the company’s 50th anniversary in 2019, Airbus conducted a special formation flight with representatives from each member of its in-production commercial aircraft product line – A220-300, A319neo, A330-900, A350-1000 and A380 – plus the next-generation BelugaXL airlifter, The BelugaXL was launched to address the transport and ramp-up capacity requirements for Airbus own industrial network beyond 2019, succeeding the predecessor Beluga ST versions currently in service, Airbus 50th Years Anniversary - Formation Flight - May 2019 It received the official name of Super Transporter early on; however, the name Beluga, a whale it resembles, gained popularity and has since been officially adopted. In 1997, ATI claimed that it had to reject eight out of ten requests for commercial Beluga flights, the fleet being able to spare only 130 flight hours for such duties that year. Five aircraft will be progressively assembled; the first two are considered essential to ramping-up production of the A350; the remaining three are to be introduced as the A300-600 Beluga fleet retires. [4] Airbus' use of the Super Guppies led to the jest that "every Airbus is delivered on the wings of a Boeing". Max Take Off Weight: 155,000 Kg 341,713 lbs Max Landing Weight: Max Payload: 47,000 Kg 103,616 lbs Fuel Tank Capacity: 15,600 gallon Also known as A300-600ST Super Transporter, the company’s five existing Belugas play a key role in keeping its production and assembly network operating at full capacity, with the fleet’s overall pace of operations – managed by the Airbus Transport International (ATI) subsidiary – growing to support production ramp-ups. ", "LOOK: Airbus' £30m Beluga station ensures wind does not halt play. It received the official name of Super Transporter early on; however, the name Beluga, a whale it resembles, gained popularity and has since been officially adopted. The fleet's primary task is to carry Airbus components ready for final assembly across Europe between Toulouse, Hamburg and nine other sites, and they do so 60 times per week.

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