Since the mid-1990s, the Airbus Beluga has played a key role in the company's growth.
It is difficult to imagine that an aircraft model that is little known to the general public, and which is not used for passenger transport, could become strategic for an aircraft manufacturer. But this is precisely the case with the A300-600STalso known as Belugafor Airbus.
The large European aircraft manufacturer has a highly decentralised production. For the development of its various models, it relies on parts and sections manufactured in a dozen countries. All components converge at each of the assembly plants, mainly those located in Toulouse, Hamburg and Seville.
The logistics required to do so are enormous, especially in relation to the transport of large aircraft sections. While initially the transport was by road, rail or ship, it soon became clear that air transport was needed to optimise the availability of components on the final assembly lines and to increase the production rate.
Airbus initially acquired the services of an aircraft named Super Guppy. This was an aircraft built on the fuselage of a C97J Turbo Stratocruiser, the military version of the Boeing 377, with a series of modifications that significantly increased its cargo capacity. Once Airbus acquired the production rights for this aircraft, which had been further developed (SGT or Super Guppy Turbine version), it built two more units and operated them until the end of the last century.
However, as early as the 1990s, Airbus found it necessary to design its own cargo aircraft. It needed to improve aircraft performance to meet the increasing pace of aircraft production while reducing high maintenance costs.
In August 1991, two of Airbus Group's partners, France's Aérospatiale and Germany's Deutsche Aerospace AG (DASA), formed SATIC (Super Airbus Transport International) in Toulouse for the development of a new transport aircraft to meet logistical requirements of the group. The result was the Beluga.
It is a specialised aircraft for the transport of high volume cargo that was developed on the basis of the Airbus A300-600R. The experience gained in previous years was crucial to the design of this aircraft. an aircraft tailored to Airbus' performance requirements. The cabin was moved down, a "hump" was installed on top, deck access pontoons were built to optimise cargo manoeuvrability, and other adaptations were made. The result is the A300-600ST (Super-Transport ST).
Since the mid-1990s, the Airbus Beluga has played a key role in the company's growth. With more than 60 weekly flightsThe five operational units of this model move large parts, components and sections of different Airbus models between eleven different locations. It also serves third parties for cargo that, due to its exceptional volume, cannot be transported by other aircraft.
Now, however, Airbus's logistical needs require a larger Beluga, better suited to the new models and growing demand. For this reason, the Airbus Beluga XL has already been added to the fleet. This new aircraft is based on the A330-200 model and is larger, more powerful and has greater range. It entered service in 2019 and will coexist with the previous Beluga until 2026, when the five new XL units will be operational.
In this infographic, we show you some interesting facts about the Airbus Beluga, both the original model and the XL, as well as some interesting tidbits.
