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

Aeroflot Buys Used Planes for Spare Parts Amid Sanctions

In the face of ongoing Western sanctions that have severely impacted Russia’s aviation industry, Aeroflot, the country’s largest airline, has devised a strategic plan to bolster its fleet’s spare parts inventory.

The airline is set to acquire five Boeing 737-800BCF freighters from Atran Airlines, a move that will allow it to dismantle the aircraft for critical components. The planes, which will be transferred to Aeroflot’s low-cost subsidiary Pobeda, will not be converted into passenger jets but instead will be stripped for valuable parts to support existing operations.

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Aeroflot’s plan to purchase these Boeing 737-800BCF freighters comes as part of a broader strategy to mitigate the effects of Western sanctions, which have crippled the Russian aviation sector. With the sanctions restricting access to essential aircraft parts and spare components, Aeroflot is exploring alternative ways to maintain and repair its fleet.

Instead of converting the freighters from cargo to passenger planes, a process deemed “unreasonably expensive” under current sanctions, the airline intends to focus on extracting high-value components such as engines, landing gear, avionics, and other essential systems.

The deal will be structured in a way that allows Aeroflot to indirectly purchase the freighters through an insurance settlement with the aircraft’s lessor, AerCap.

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The Russian government’s insurance company will reimburse the aircraft’s value, and the planes will then be leased back to local operators. This method circumvents some of the restrictions imposed by international sanctions while ensuring that the airline gains access to the necessary components to support its fleet.

By dismantling the aircraft for spare parts, Aeroflot aims to secure critical resources for the ongoing maintenance of its existing fleet. Components from the Boeing 737-800BCF freighters, such as engines and avionics, are expected to be reused in other aircraft within Aeroflot’s network, ensuring that the airline can keep its operations running smoothly