Posted: Thu 27th Apr 2017

Updated: Wed 13th Feb

Beluga XL maiden flight scheduled for next Summer

News and Info from Deeside, Flintshire, North Wales
This article is old - Published: Thursday, Apr 27th, 2017

 

The first flight of Beluga XL the eventual successor to the current Beluga transport plane, will take place sometime between July and September next year Airbus has said.

In an update, the company said work on assembling the first BelugaXL large transporter is progressing well, and attachment of its main cargo door is set to commence in mid-November, it expects to achieve ‘power-on’ before the end of this year.

Recently received parts for the aircraft’s specially designed tail section which have been installed on the aircraft include the horizontal tailplane, the tail cone and the vertical tailplane.

Airbus has launched the electrical and mechanical systems installation for the whole fuselage, in readiness for electrical power-on at the end of the year and ground tests early in 2018.

The first BelugaXL is scheduled to fly in Q3 2018, ahead of a 10-month flight test certification campaign and will enter service with Airbus Transport International (ATI) in 2019.

Aircraft ‘number one’ is the only aircraft which will take part in this campaign and so it is being equipped with a ‘full’ flight-test instrumentation (FTI).

The Beluga XL project was launched in November 2014, the transporter is derived from the freighter version of Airbus’ A330-200.

It is six metres longer, one metre wider and has a payload lifting capacity six tonnes greater than the current Beluga A300-600ST.

When operational, the fleet of five BelugaXLs will take over transporting wings from Broughton to the company’s aircraft assembly lines in France, Germany and Spain.

 

Airbus starts to assemble new Beluga XL ready for the first flight in 2018

Spotted something? Got a story? Send a Facebook Message | A direct message on Twitter | Email: [email protected]


Latest News

  • Clwydian Range: Visitors urged to swap barbecues for picnics to prevent wildfires
  • Chester Zoo welcomes rare African ‘unicorn’ calf
  • Natural Resources Wales demands urgent action as Welsh Water pollution hits decade high




  • LATEST NEWS...

    Clwydian Range: Visitors urged to swap barbecues for picnics to prevent wildfires

    News

    Chester Zoo welcomes rare African ‘unicorn’ calf

    News

    Natural Resources Wales demands urgent action as Welsh Water pollution hits decade high

    News

    Access barrier changes on Flintshire Coast Path prompt anti-social behaviour concerns

    News

    Nursing applications in Wales rise by 13% despite UK-wide drop

    News

    UK Government follows Wales in giving 16 year olds right to vote – with expanded voter ID

    News

    Police step up patrols at Flint Retail Park to curb shoplifting

    News

    Officers respond to reports of suspicious male in Sychdyn

    News

    ‘Political deckchair rearranging at its worst’: Senedd set to dissolve Covid committee

    News