European plane maker Airbus last BelugaXL 6 took off at its home place, Toulouse, France to replace its older Beluga fleet for oversized cargo. The first Beluga XL entered into service on Jan 13, 2020, and marked a historical event in the aviation industry.
Airbus said in a LinkedIn update: “Big week for our BelugaXL. As our 6th and final gentle giant takes to the skies for the first time, we also celebrate the 5 year anniversary of the first flight of our first outsized super transporter.
“We can’t wait to see her join her XL siblings flying aircraft sections between Airbus production sites and supporting outsized cargo missions.”
The BelugaXL is a heavily-modified A330, developed to replace the older A300-600ST Beluga fleet. It is designed to fly aerostructures between the airframer’s manufacturing facilities.
Airbus operated five Belugas and originally intended to build five BelugaXLs. But it later opted to extend production to six of the type. All six aircraft are fitted with Rolls-Royce Trent 700 engines.
Airbus’s first BelugaXL conducted its maiden flight almost exactly five years ago, in July 2018.
On July 3, 2023, Airbus revealed the new and final Beluga XL fresh out of the paint shop. Further, it is the sixth aircraft added to its whalish fleet of Belugas. The aircraft rollout of the factory is the final one, making the end of the Beluga XL final assembly line.
Boeing’s biggest rival has shared stunning images of its final aircraft. Subsequently, it wrote, “Something BIG has just sneaked out of our paint shop. Check out our latest (and last) #BelugaXL as she gets ready to support outsized cargo operations!”
