Airbus rolls out its new BelugaXL with engines installed ready for summer testing

Two Rolls-Royce engines have now been fitted to the first BelugaXL.

Airbus posted a picture of the new high-capacity transporter on Twitter with its twin Rolls-Royce Trent 700 engines installed.

Flight tests for the first of the five BelugaXL’s to be built will begin this summer.

The planes will be able to carry two A350 wings from Broughton to Airbus assembly lines in Europe, the current Beluga can only carry one.

The second BelugaXL is currently undergoing conversion work from its A330 base.

Mikä se siellä pilkistää?
Onko se #pörriäinen? Ei.
Onko se #valas? Ei.
Onko se #Airbus’in uusi rahtikone? On!#BelugaXL on onnellinen, koska se sai moottorit siipiensä alle.https://t.co/SqhYa9QEzP pic.twitter.com/2TTphO7Wtp

— Tiedetuubi (@Tiedetuubi) April 9, 2018

The two BelugaXLs will be delivered to Airbus logistics operator ATI next year, with all five scheduled to be in service in 2022.

Airbus is aiming to have all five on the new XLs in service by mid-2022.

As part of the parallel planning for the new BelugaXL the runway surface at Broughton is set to be replaced, the turning pad will be extended and apron lights changed.

The line stations – where wings are loaded onto the transporter will also be adapted to accommodate the new transporter which will carry wings from Broughton to Germany and Spain.

Picture: Airbus/Twitter