Airbus Beluga Transport eyes over 150 flights annually

Airbus’ nascent airline Airbus Beluga Transport (ABT), which specializes in outsize cargo, is eyeing the operation of more than 150 flights annually with a five-strong fleet of BelugaST Super Transporter aircraft. The European aircraft manufacturer announced earlier this year that it would be entering the commercial market for large volume shipments with the creation of ABT. [caption id="attachment_56859783" align="alignright" width="560"] Airbus has five BelugaSTs. (Photo/Airbus)[/caption] The BelugaST fleet has been the backbone of Airbus’ inter-site transportation of oversize aircraft sections for more than twenty-five years. These aircraft, based on the A300-600 and built between 1995 and 2001, are gradually being replaced by six, newer-generation BelugaXLs based on the A330-200 to support Airbus’ ramp-up of its airliner production. The new ABT service will employ predominantly the ST fleet, but an XL may be used “occasionally and exceptionally for a specific mission if required,” Reza Fazlollahi, ABT’s business development strategy and commercial director of Airbus Services, told Cargo Facts . Three BelugaXLs are currently in service for in-house missions while a fourth is in test-aircraft mode. A fifth of the type recently had its first flight and will join the fleet before the end of the year, with a sixth BelugaXL to follow in 2023. The BelugaST fleet continues to service Airbus operations while the transition to a full XL fleet is completed. Only one BelugaST is currently dedicated to third-party outsize air cargo activity, but this will increase to five by 2024-2025. “There have already been several missions carried out by ABT — under the air operator certificate (AOC) of Airbus’ existing airline, Air Transport International (ATI) — to the Far East and South America, and more are planned before the end of the year,” Fazlollahi said. “The average annual flights will increase gradually to reach more than 150 from 2025,” Fazlollahi added. Once Airbus has commissioned all six new BelugaXLs, the fully released BelugaST fleet will be handed over to ABT, which will operate under its own AOC and staff. The plan is for this to be completed by mid-2023. While the maximum payload of the BelugaST and the BelugaXL — at 40 and 44 tonnes, respectively — is relatively modest for aircraft serving the outsize sector, they come into their own in terms of their high cube capabilities. For example, the BelugaST can accommodate shipments measuring up to 7.1 meters by 6.7 meters, while for the BelugaXL it is 8.1 meters by 7.1 meters. This compares with 6 meters by 3 meters and 6.4 meters by 4.4 meters, respectively, for the 747-8F and the An-124. “The Beluga Super Transporter provides freight forwarders and other potential customers with a new air transport solution for their outsized cargo that is not currently available in the market,” Fazlollahi noted. “Existing suppliers can offer payload weight capability, but none can compete with the Beluga on volume [or] cross-section dimensions. This is one of our unique selling points.” Cargo Facts Symposium, taking place LIVE Oct. 19-21 at the InterContinental San Diego, is the essential event for stakeholders in the air cargo industry. Learn more and register today .

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