Iconic Airbus Beluga aircraft to become STEM centre at Broughton
One of Airbus’ BelugaST aircraft will be rehomed at Broughton and transformed into a Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths support facility.
The aircraft touched down in Broughton, at around 11am after completing its final flight from Bordeaux, marking the end of a 30-year career supporting Airbus’ industrial operations.
First launched in 1994, the BelugaST fleet has been used primarily to transport aircraft wings made in the UK to Airbus facilities across Europe.
The aircraft arriving in Broughton has spent much of its working life moving wings from the site to mainland European production centres.
Gareth Davies, Head of Airbus Broughton, said: “It’s a proud and incredibly exciting moment for Broughton. This particular Beluga first took flight 25 years ago, and since then has played a crucial part in transporting our wings from Broughton to Airbus’ mainland European sites.
“By transforming this aircraft into an education facility, we aren’t just preserving our history, we are using it to fuel the future of UK aerospace and inspire the talent of tomorrow.
“The focus will be to promote STEM in a fun and interactive way to inspire young people to consider a career in science, technology, engineering and maths.”
Davies added that the STEM activities will be developed in conjunction with local schools to ensure they align with the national curriculum.
Didier Puxeddu, the BelugaST pilot who flew the aircraft on its final mission, said: “Flying the Beluga has always been a unique privilege, and bringing the ST5 home to Broughton for the last time was no different.
“As we made our final approach, we were all too aware of the history behind us. Knowing this aircraft will now stay here to inspire future pilots and engineers makes this touchdown one of the most rewarding of my career.”
Airbus has confirmed that while the BelugaST fleet is being retired, the newer and larger BelugaXL will continue to operate, transporting aircraft components to 11 sites across Europe.
The company announced the retirement of the BelugaST fleet earlier in 2025, with the BelugaXL becoming the sole transporter from mid-2027.
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