The BelugaXL is the successor of the current generation of Beluga, the BelugaST. The program was launched in November 2014 to address the transport capacity requirements in view of the A350 XWB ramp-up and other aircraft production rate increases. Airbus decided to expand its existing BelugaST fleet with the development and production of five new BelugaXL aircraft, derived from the company’s versatile A330 widebody product line.

FAA is projecting significant rises in US air passenger and air cargo traffic, as well as a doubling of the hobbyist unmanned aircraft vehicle (UAV) fleet in the next five years, according to its annual Aerospace Forecast for fiscal years 2018-2038.

Lufthansa Group subsidiary Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) has established an entry-into-service process for its future Airbus A320/321neo fleet.

Ryanair—which agreed to take a 24.9% stake in Niki Lauda’s new Austrian carrier LaudaMotion—also sees the new airline as a test to see if the Airbus A320 would make sense one day for the all-Boeing Irish LCC.

Boeing has not appealed the US International Trade Commission’s (ITC) rejection of its CSeries price-dumping claims against Bombardier. Boeing confirmed the March 22 deadline to appeal the Jan. 26 vote passed without it filing an appeal.