Beluga.

It is a white toothed whale related to the narwhal, living in the Arctic coastal waters in herds. 

Beluga is an Airbus product, modified AB-300-600ST aircraft made to airlift heavy and voluminous cargo.

One of these days, an enthusiastic young blog reader asked me about this funny aircraft.  He was so curious   to know what an aircraft is this as it looks like a bird and a Dolphin? He is also of the impression that someone artistically created and also could be a fake.  Well, I told him, this is a real aircraft and is known as Beluga.

He never heard this name and felt something fishy. Yes. Like him, I am sure many of you would not have heard this name at all. Indeed, the word Beluga is not new as Oxford dictionary says it is a white toothed whale related to the narwhal, living in the Arctic coastal waters in herds. 

Beluga is an Airbus product, modified AB-300-600ST aircraft made to airlift heavy and voluminous cargo loads. There are currently five Beluga’s in operation and is one of the largest cargo carriers in the world. Beluga’s are basically built to airlift Airbus aircraft large parts like fuselage and wings from various Airbus plants in Europe to its final assembly plant in Toulouse, France. Airbus as we all know is a consortium formed by 4 European countries aerospace companies. Viz: British, French, German and Spanish. Generally Airbus aircraft’s wings and landing gears are made in the UK and tail and doors in Spain and fuselage in Germany, while the nose and center belly area in France. Hence Airbus is in need of a large aircraft to airlift these parts to its central plant which resulted in the birth of Beluga or the Super Transporter. 

Beluga’s have also been used to position French space station modules and launch vehicle hardware’s for its satellite payloads as its belly can contain very large and voluminous cargo loads. Beluga’s can carry 47 metric tonnes (103,616 lb.) over a range of 900 nautical miles (1,667 kms). This modified AB 300/600 aircraft cost USD. 285 Million, made its maiden flight in 1994. Beluga that looks like a bird, like a whale, like a plane with hump on its head celebrated recently 20 years in the sky. Beluga, the odd looking aircraft now makes around 60 flights per week in-between Toulous and various European Airports and is  expecting to increase its production to double the current number by 2017 since inquiries and work load increases steadily.

Beluga carries three crew members including 2 Pilots and a Load Master. Well, because of its odd size the plane reacts entirely different than the commercial aircraft’s in the time of turbulence as aircraft will move to sideways rather than up and down. The Beluga’s incredibly large cargo hold, the belly have 1,400 cubic meters, which is to accommodate 670 people, 36 cars or 7 elephants. As far as runway is concerned, Beluga with full load needs 3,080 ft only which is less than an average airplane needs, indirectly almost all the airports of the world can accommodate this aircraft.

So guys, next time when you see a picture of this Dolphin like aircraft, remember that it is nothing other than a Beluga…. Ok. It is time now for me to concentrate on other work of mine.   See you after few days with an other interesting subject. Good night.