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  1. Air Transport

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Gallery: Airbus Beluga Super Transporters To Serve Outsized-Cargo Demand

Linda Blachly January 26, 2022
Airbus S.A.S.

The launch of the BelugaST service took place during the last week of December 2021, when Beluga “No. 3” delivered a new helicopter from Airbus Helicopters’ manufacturing site in Marignane, France to Kobe in Japan. Along the way, the Beluga stopped to refuel at various transit points—including Warsaw (in Poland), Novosibirsk (in Russia) and Seoul (in Korea). Notably, the whole helicopter could be accommodated inside the Beluga without any prior disassembly—only needing its long rotor blades to be folded back.

Airbus S.A.S.

Beluga #3 takes off from Novosibirsk Airport in Russia on its final destination to Kobe, Japan.

Airbus S.A.S.

Airbus advertises the aircraft as having the biggest cross-section in the market at a width of 6.7 m (22 ft.), height of 7.1 m and a length of 39 m. The maximum payload is 40 tons. The new airline will also have access to one of the BelugaXLs should a piece of cargo be too large for the smaller variant. The XL’s freight compartment is 8.1 m by 7.1 m by 46 m.

Airbus S.A.S.

To maximize the BelugaST’s reactivity and short turnaround capability required by its targeted international customer base, new loading techniques and equipment are being developed for the operation. To this end, an automated on-board cargo loader (OBCL) will enable missions from/to airports that do not have available any suitable loading/unloading platform, and for payloads weighing up to 20t. This OBCL—available from 2022—will be transportable inside the aircraft (stored in front of the internal payload hold area) and be able to load and unload the payload autonomously.

Airbus S.A.S.

The third loading innovation is the new Multi-Purpose-Pallet (MPP) recently developed and produced by Airbus at its sites in St Eloi and Nantes. Compatible with a range of payloads, the MPP, when it is already carrying the cargo, is raised by around five meters above the apron level and loaded through the Beluga’s nose opening using either the OBCL or OB described above. The MPP’s underside subsequently interfaces securely to the Beluga’s load-bearing floor attachment points. Notably, this inaugural mission to Kobe is another first in that it marks the very first time that the MPP has been used for an operational mission—following its recently completed successful development-testing stage.

Airbus S.A.S.

Beluga #3 stopped off at Novosibirsk Airport in Russia to refuel before heading to its final destination in Kobe, Japan.

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Airbus launched a new air-cargo service using its BelugaST fleet to offer freight companies and other potential customers a solution to their outsized freight transportation needs. The new service—Airbus Beluga Transport—will provide commercially contracted customers in a variety of sectors, including space, energy, military, aeronautic, maritime and humanitarian sectors, with a solution to their large cargo transport needs.

Airbus is in the process of replacing its five A300-600-based BelugaSTs with six larger A330-based BelugaXLs that will more easily accommodate Airbus’ internal need to transport large aircraft parts between its various industrial sites. The company has been studying options for the STs for some time and has decided against retiring the aircraft, and instead entering the market for voluminous cargo. 

The new Airbus business will be rolled out gradually. Two aircraft will be operating in 2022, three in 2023 and all five of the STs in 2024 or 2025 latest. The two aircraft, registered F-GSTB and F-GSTC, will launch the operation.

All photos ⒸAirbus S.A.S.
 

Linda Blachly

Linda Blachly is Senior Associate Editor for Air Transport World and Aviation Week. She joined the company in July 2010 and is responsible for producing features for Air Transport World’s monthly magazine and engaging content for the aviationweek.com. She is based in the Washington DC office.

Comments

1 Comment
jeffreyhastings
Fri, 01/28/2022 - 23:44
Probably a superb special purpose air freighter in every way but aesthetically perhaps the ugliest airplane ever to take flight. Even more hideous than the 747 based Dreamlifter.
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