ICAO A337

Airbus A330-700 Beluga XL

Airbus

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Oversized freighter built to transport Airbus aircraft components.

First flight

2018

Category

Oversize transport jet

Range

4,000 km

Engines

Two CFM International CFM56-5C4 turbofan engines

Status

In service

The Airbus A330-700L Beluga XL is a large transport aircraft derived from the A330-200 airframe, designed specifically to carry oversized aerospace components between Airbus production facilities across Europe. It replaces the older Airbus A300-600ST Beluga as the primary inter-factory transporter for the Airbus manufacturing network. The aircraft features an enormous bulbous fuselage with a cross-section significantly larger than the A330 on which it is based, allowing it to carry two A350 XWB wings simultaneously—a key improvement over its predecessor. The forward fuselage is lowered to permit top-loading of large cargo through a hinged nose section. Airbus BelugaXL Transport, a subsidiary of Airbus, operates the fleet commercially, and the type has also been offered to third-party customers for outsized cargo missions. A fleet of six aircraft was planned to support Airbus production ramp-up.

Notable operators

Operated exclusively by Airbus BelugaXL Transport (a subsidiary of Airbus) for intra-Airbus component logistics.

Notable facts

›Capable of carrying two A350 XWB wings simultaneously, unlike its predecessor the Beluga ST.
›The cargo hold volume is approximately 2,209 cubic metres, the largest of any cargo aircraft at the time of introduction.
›Based on the A330-200 airframe but heavily modified with an enlarged upper fuselage.
›Six aircraft were ordered to eventually replace the five-aircraft Beluga ST fleet.
›The distinctive whale-like appearance led to the BelugaXL being decorated with a smiling face livery.