The BelugaXL airlifter is put through its paces

BelugaXL Entry to service in Getafe

BelugaXL Entry to service in Getafe

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 Fans in front of BelugaXL with Patrouille de France (PAF) flying over BelugaXL 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

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 commercial aircraft family in formation with Patrouille de France 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The BelugaXL received its Type Certification from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) in November 2019, paving the way for entry-into-service of six aircraft to replace the previous-generation BelugaST

BELUGAXL-INFOGRAPHIC

BELUGAXL-INFOGRAPHIC

The first of five BelugaXL transport aircraft will fly in mid-2018 and enter into service in 2019