As the Airbus supply chain changes and expands, the work to design and create the next generation of carrier – the Airbus BelugaXL has taken shape over the past few months.
Today was it’s formal roll-out, and presentation of its paint job – and it’s a cutesy of a paint job.
The Airbus BelugaXL – Image, Airbus.
The BelugaXL rolling out of the paint shop. Note the other Beluga in the background – Image, Airbus.
The paintwork (which was selected by Airbus employees) features a smiling Beluga whale.
For passengers who think “where are the seats and windows”, this plane isn’t intended to carry passenger – rather it is to transport components that make other Airbus aircraft between its production plants.
The BelugaXL will now undertake ground tests, with. first flight planned in summer 2018.
The basis of the BelugaXL is the classic Airbus A330-200 Freighter – with the company utilising components from the model to be the basis of the carrier.
They will be powered using twin Rolls Royce Trent 700 engines.
This is the first of five carriers, with an entry into service expected in 2019. These will join the existing Airbus Beluga aircraft (based on the A300-600).
Whilst it won’t win the beauty content in plane designs (because if we want ugly, the Boeing Dreamlifter is always there to show you what happens when you don’t put a 747 on a diet occasionally), the paintwork adds an interesting dynamic to the plane.
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