Airbus Beluga XL first visit to the UK
On Friday 15th of February 2019 the Beluga XL made its first visit to Airbus' Broughton manufacturing facility in the UK. This was in fact, the first time the new replacement for the existing Beluga aircraft had visited the UK since it first rolled off the production line in January 2018. Since 2018 the Beluga has undergone ground testing culminating in its maiden flight in July 2018 after which it underwent a rigorous flight test certification campaign.
Beluga XL F-WBXL is the first of 5 super transporters to be built in order to carry aircraft sections between the various manufacturing facilities spread right across Europe. The new Beluga XL aircraft will work alongside the existing Beluga fleet until they are finally withdrawn in 2021.
Once the Belgua XL is fully commissioned it will become a regular visitor to Broughton as has its predecessor for more than 20 years. The Broughton facility manufactures wings for all of Airbus's commercial aircraft including the A350 and A380.
One of the main constraints with the existing Beluga fleet is their wing carrying capacity, currently only able to carry 1 A350 Extra Wide Body wing at a time. The Beluga XL with 30% more capacity than the existing Beluga will be able to carry 2 A350XWB wings at a time to the aircraft manufacturing facility in Toulouse.
While the large bulbous upper fuselage was manufactured specifically for the Beluga XL, the aircraft actually uses other sections from existing Airbus commercial jets. Its aft sections for example is based on the A330-300 while the forward section on the A330-200. The floor structure which is reinforced comes from the A300-200F which is the freighter variant of the A330-200.
Airbus Beluga XL facts and figures
A380
None of the existing or new Belugas have or will have the ability to carry the wings for the A380 Super Jumbo, they have always been transported from the factory over land and sea. The journey begins by special barge along the River Dee to the Port of Mostyn, at which stage the wings are loaded onto a roll-on/roll-off vessel for the journey by sea to the French port of Pauillac. From there they are transferred to another barge which carries them up the Garonne River from Pauillac to Langon. The last section of the journey to the factory in Toulouse is completed by road.
Sadly it was announced on the same day as the Beluga XL visited the UK, that Airbus will stop making the A380, surely a bitter bittersweet day for the employees at Broughton and around the UK who currently manufacture parts for the A380. Airbus will stop making the A380 in 2021 after it has delivered the final super jumbo to Emirates. It is unclear how this will impact on jobs at Broughton as it will continue (as far I know) to make wings for all of Airbus' other commercial airliners. However the future of those workers involved in the complex logistics by road, river and sea is less clear.
Although the end of A380 production is concerning news for employees throughout Airbus, the fact that the Beluga XL is being built specifically to help support the ramp-up in production of the A350XWB should come as some comfort to the 12,000 skilled men and women who work for Airbus in the UK alone.
Beluga XL F-WBXL is the first of 5 super transporters to be built in order to carry aircraft sections between the various manufacturing facilities spread right across Europe. The new Beluga XL aircraft will work alongside the existing Beluga fleet until they are finally withdrawn in 2021.
Once the Belgua XL is fully commissioned it will become a regular visitor to Broughton as has its predecessor for more than 20 years. The Broughton facility manufactures wings for all of Airbus's commercial aircraft including the A350 and A380.
[click to enlarge]
First dummy landing approaching Broughton
One of the main constraints with the existing Beluga fleet is their wing carrying capacity, currently only able to carry 1 A350 Extra Wide Body wing at a time. The Beluga XL with 30% more capacity than the existing Beluga will be able to carry 2 A350XWB wings at a time to the aircraft manufacturing facility in Toulouse.
While the large bulbous upper fuselage was manufactured specifically for the Beluga XL, the aircraft actually uses other sections from existing Airbus commercial jets. Its aft sections for example is based on the A330-300 while the forward section on the A330-200. The floor structure which is reinforced comes from the A300-200F which is the freighter variant of the A330-200.
Airbus Beluga XL facts and figures
- Length: 63.1 m
- Wingspan: 60.3 m
- Height: 18.9 m
- Capacity 50,500 kg
- Max takeoff weight: 227,000 kg
- Cargo hold: 2,209 cubic metres
- Engines: 2 × Rolls-Royce Trent 700
- Cruise speed: 737 km/h (458 mph)
A380
None of the existing or new Belugas have or will have the ability to carry the wings for the A380 Super Jumbo, they have always been transported from the factory over land and sea. The journey begins by special barge along the River Dee to the Port of Mostyn, at which stage the wings are loaded onto a roll-on/roll-off vessel for the journey by sea to the French port of Pauillac. From there they are transferred to another barge which carries them up the Garonne River from Pauillac to Langon. The last section of the journey to the factory in Toulouse is completed by road.
Sadly it was announced on the same day as the Beluga XL visited the UK, that Airbus will stop making the A380, surely a bitter bittersweet day for the employees at Broughton and around the UK who currently manufacture parts for the A380. Airbus will stop making the A380 in 2021 after it has delivered the final super jumbo to Emirates. It is unclear how this will impact on jobs at Broughton as it will continue (as far I know) to make wings for all of Airbus' other commercial airliners. However the future of those workers involved in the complex logistics by road, river and sea is less clear.
Although the end of A380 production is concerning news for employees throughout Airbus, the fact that the Beluga XL is being built specifically to help support the ramp-up in production of the A350XWB should come as some comfort to the 12,000 skilled men and women who work for Airbus in the UK alone.
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