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Airbus Releases BelugaST Into the Wild, All Willing and Able Can Now Use One

There are few transport airplanes that are as impressive (and equally bizarre) as the Airbus Beluga. In the skies of the world since the mid-1990s, the A300-600-based monstrosity has so far kept a rather low profile, being used primarily by Airbus itself, to shift large aircraft sections between its facilities.
Airbus BelugaST 6 photos
Photo: Airbus
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That will change soon, as the European airspace company is looking to replace the BelugaST variant with the newer BelugaXL. In doing so, the existing fleet of five aircraft will shift to become part of a new air-cargo service called Airbus Beluga Transport.

The company plans to make some money from the exploitation of the Belugas and targets mainly the freight, space, energy, military, aeronautic, and maritime sectors. In fact, the first mission under this new approach took place last year, when an undisclosed customer wanted his chopper delivered from France to Japan.

At 56 meters long (184 feet) and boasting the “largest interior cross-section of any transport aircraft,” the Beluga can carry cargo up to 7.1 meters (23 feet) in width, 6.7 meters (22 feet) in height, and weighing as much as 155 tons.

It’s one of the plane’s most notable features, the bulge on top, that makes it so versatile. Presently, loading and unloading can be done in a variety of ways, including through what may be seen as the thing’s forehead, but as it looks to expand the list of items it transports, Airbus says “new loading techniques and equipment are being developed for the operation.“

As for the BelugaST replacement, the XL, it’s a plane based on the A330, and it’s larger, more capable, and of course more modern. Six of them will be made over the coming years to replace the STs.

If the initial results of the new company are satisfactory, Airbus plans to create a new airline dedicated to oversized transportation needs.
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About the author: Daniel Patrascu
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Daniel loves writing (or so he claims), and he uses this skill to offer readers a "behind the scenes" look at the automotive industry. He also enjoys talking about space exploration and robots, because in his view the only way forward for humanity is away from this planet, in metal bodies.
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