Aviation

10 things about Beluga Cargo Aircraft

1. How beluga linked with A300 and A330

10 things about Beluga Cargo Aircraft : 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 oversized cargo.The Beluga XL, based on the Airbus A330 with similar modifications and dimensions, is being developed by Airbus to replace the type around 2020.

Beluga no 1

2. The Name Beluga:

It received the official name of Super Transporter early on, however changed the name Beluga, a whale it resembles

3. Beluga completed 24 years.

The first beluga was taken maiden flight on 13^th September 1995 and It derived from Airbus A300 version

1994 first beluga tested
Oct 1996 first entry No 1
April 1996 No 2
May 1997 No 3
July 1998 No 4
Jan 2001 No 5

Since 1994- 2018 Beluga completed 24 years of outsized cargo transport with the Airbus

4. New Beluga XL has smiling livery

This initial BelugaXL is expected to be flying by mid-2018. “The whole team is really looking forward to seeing its first flight and, of course, it’s smiling livery,” said George, referring to the supersized smile that will be painted across the ‘face’ of the transporter, the winning design of six options presented to Airbus employees for a vote in early 2017.

Beluga XL smiling livery

5. The Beluga XL

Beluga XL will be able to carry larger sections of Airbus aircraft between European production sites and to the final assembly lines in Toulouse, France and Hamburg, Germany – including a full wing-set for the A350 XWB’s latest A350-1000 version. It ranges around 4000km. MTOW (maximum take of weight) is 227Tonns

Image result for Beluga xl Airbus unit price

10 things about Beluga Cargo Aircraft

6. The beluga Size:

Main deck cargo volume of the Beluga is greater than that of the C-5 Galaxy or the Antonov An-124

but still smaller than Antonov An-225. Enlarged fuselage “bubble” section that is six metres longer and one metre wider than on the Beluga ST

Read about : First BelugaXL transporter rolls out

7. Difference between Beluga ST and XL

Among the physical differences between the Beluga ST and XL versions is the dorsal fin that connects to the vertical tail plane. St is derived from A300 fuselage and XL is from A330. At six metres longer, one metre wider and with a payload lifting capacity six tonnes greater than the BelugaST transporter version it is replacing

Height

Beluga: 17.24m

Beluga XL: 18.9m

Wing span

Beluga: 44.84

Beluga XL: 60.3m

Length

Beluga: 56.15m

Beluga XL: 63.1m

10 things about Beluga Cargo Aircraft

8. Where it flies

It carries the parts from different Production Sites around Europe to the final assembly

Lines in Toulouse, France and Hamburg, Germany. [read more about beluga (Airbus )]

9. Unit Price:

Current Beluga ST Unit price is around $285 million and Airbus built only 5 aircraft models since from 1994. And Beluga XL would cost more than $335 million. The company has not yet disclosed any price list.

10. Beluga XL replaces Beluga ST.

The initial BelugaXL is expected to be flying by mid-2018 after a sequence of jet engine tests and a paint job. With the first plane rolled out of the way, a second conversion will now begin at the hangar in Toulouse. The Beluga fleet will rise to eight when three XLs will be delivered as the five originals stay in service before being withdrawn from 2021.

Aviation

Lost Tool Found in Qantas A380 After 34 Flights

An Australian Transportation Safety Bureau (ATSB) investigation recently revealed that a Qantas A380 operated 34 flights with a 1.25-meter nylon tool lodged in one of its engines.

This turning tool, used during borescope inspections to rotate the intermediate-pressure compressor, was left behind during scheduled maintenance at Los Angeles on December 6, 2023. It remained inside the engine until it was discovered by maintenance staff during a subsequent check at Los Angeles on January 1, 2024.

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The ATSB report highlights two critical lapses. First, maintenance engineers failed to notice the tool during final checks for foreign objects after the borescope inspection. Second, the lost tool procedure was not activated when the tool was identified as missing.

The certifying engineer ultimately cleared the aircraft for service without accounting for the misplaced tool. During the time qantas films the tool was inside, the A380 completed 34 flight cycles, accumulating nearly 294 hours without any noticeable effect on engine performance.

Although the tool was deformed by high-energy airflow within the engine, there was no reported damage to the engine itself. ATSB Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell commented.

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“This incident underscores the importance of following established maintenance protocols. Engineers missed the tool during foreign object checks, and the required lost tool procedure wasn’t started after realizing the tool was missing.”

Following the investigation, the airline issued a safety directive, urging all engineering and tool storage teams to adhere strictly to these protocols to prevent similar incidents in the future.

A qantas spokesperson stated, “While the tool didn’t impact engine performance, we take this incident very seriously. It is critical to follow the correct lost tool procedures.”