Airbus tests military cargo loading system for BelugaST

Airbus tested a new loading system for military cargo designed for the BelugaST as oversized cargo capacity demand remains high. Airbus partnered with the German armed forced to test the system, loading a Ch53 military helicopter into the whale of a plane, according to a Sept. 21 release from Airbus. [caption id="attachment_56859939" align="alignright" width="560"] Airbus has five BelugaSTs. (Photo/Airbus)[/caption] “The demand for outsized air cargo capability is on the rise,” Michael Schoellhorn, chief executive officer of Airbus Defense and Space, said in the release. “Capacity is scarce and, in light of current geopolitical developments, many customers are looking for new, fast and efficient solutions.” Since the start of the war in Ukraine, oversized cargo capacity has tightened, with much of the Antonov fleet grounded and the largest plane in the world, the An-225, destroyed . The BelugaST is shorter than an An-124, but has the largest cross section in the freighter world. Prior to this year, Airbus was utilizing its five BelguaSTs to transport aircraft parts between its own production sites, but with the addition of the newer, larger BelugaXL , the company commercialized the BelugaSTs and launched transport services for its customers in January. So far, Airbus Beluga Transport has moved cargo for industries including engine manufacturing; space, helicopter and machinery manufacturing; oil and gas; humanitarian supplies as well as military equipment. The company hopes to eventually operate more than 150 flights per year . A BelugaST landed in Latin America for the first time earlier this summer, transporting an ACH160 helicopter to Viracopos Airport (VCP) for a Brazilian operator, according to a July release from Airbus. Airbus announced in January that it would pass its five BelguaSTs on to a new, subsidiary airline with its own air operator certificate and staff as it commissions a total of six new BelugaXLs. 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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