To support the A350 XWB ramp-up and other production rate increases, Airbus is expanding its existing A300-600ST fleet with the development and production of five new BelugaXL aircraft, derived from the company’s versatile A330 widebody product line.
The BelugaXL incorporates newly-developed elements including its lowered cockpit, cargo bay structure, and rear and tail section.
The first A330-based BelugaXL aircraft is planned to enter service in mid-2019 – operating in parallel with the existing five-aircraft A300-600ST fleet, which is to be progressively retired through 2025.
Starting in mid-2019, the BelugaXL will gradually replace the existing five-member Beluga ST fleet – which is used for carrying complete sections of Airbus aircraft from different production sites around Europe to the final assembly lines in Toulouse, France and Hamburg, Germany.
Source – Airbus
