Airbus: BelugaXL 6 makes Its first landing in Broughton

Broughton wingmakers witnessed a significant milestone as BelugaXL 6, the latest addition to the Airbus fleet, made its debut appearance.

Landing at 1.30 pm on Tuesday, 19 December, this event marked one of the first official duties for the new aircraft, transporting a pair of Broughton-made A320 wings from the plant.

BelugaXL 6 joins a pod of four other BelugaXLs, which are purpose-built to carry major aircraft assemblies from Broughton to Airbus’ final assembly lines in Germany and France.

The flight came five years after the first BelugaXL took to the skies.

The introduction of BelugaXL 6 is a key part of Airbus’ strategy to increase air transport capacity.

Based on the Airbus A330-200 model, the six-strong XL fleet offers 30% more capacity than its predecessor, the BelugaST, which it is replacing.

BelugaST has been a regular sight in the skies above Deeside for over two decades.

The XL6 sports the same Airbus tail colours and logo as XLs 1 to 5.

However, it also bears the prominent branding: ‘Also flying outsize cargo to your destination’.

The most noteworthy change is the addition of a winking eye to the Beluga’s smiley face on the forward fuselage.

Number six is actually the fifth aircraft to join the Airbus fleet, with BelugaXL 1 in the process of transitioning from a test aircraft to a production aircraft. It is set to officially join the wider Airbus Transport International (ATI) fleet in early 2024.

Paul Kilmister, Airbus VP Head of UK Supply Chain Operations, expressed his excitement over the BelugaXL landing in Broughton.

He noted, “It’s always a joy having the BelugaXL land in Broughton, and it was great to welcome XL6 on her first trip to the UK and load her up with wings made right here in Wales.”

Paul highlighted the significance of the increased capacity provided by the BelugaXLs, especially as Airbus scales up its production for aircraft wings.

He added that the installation of new wing transportation jigs would further enhance capacity and contribute to Airbus’ overall sustainability targets.

Airbus Beluga XL6 (F-GXLO) arriving on its First ever Visit to Broughton Today @AirbusintheUK @Airbus @AirbusPRESS @DeesideDotCom pic.twitter.com/YdUqJqfvFj

— Jed Ex (@TheJedex) December 19, 2023

Half the world’s aircraft flies on wings manufactured in the UK, with the Beluga playing a crucial role in ensuring these wings reach Airbus’ final assembly lines across Europe.

Airbus is in the process of retiring the BelugaST fleet from its operation and repurposing them for oversized cargo charter flights.

This transition marks a new chapter in Airbus’ efforts to streamline its operations and focus on enhanced efficiency and sustainability.