Sixth and final Beluga XL to be built expected to touch down at Hawarden for first time today

The sixth and final BelugaXL to be built is expected to touch down at Hawarden airfield for first time today.

Airbus celebrated the maiden flight of its sixth and final BelugaXL earlier in the summer, marking a notable milestone in its production schedule.

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

Based on the Airbus A330-200 model, the six-strong XL fleet is set to replace the Beluga ST fleet.

The latter 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.

This lends an extra touch of charm to its distinctive appearance.

Beluga 6’s arrival at Hawarden today is scheduled for 1:21 pm according to Flightradar24, but as always that could change.

Originally, Airbus planned to build five BelugaXLs, each equipped with Rolls-Royce Trent 700 engines, to replace the older A300-600ST Beluga fleet.

However, a sixth was later ordered. Launched in late 2014 to aid in the A350 ramp-up and other production rate increases, the BelugaXL made its maiden flight in 2018.

The XL made a memorable debut at Airbus Broughton on Valentine’s Day 2019.

After securing the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) airworthiness authority’s type certification in November 2019, the first BelugaXL entered service in January 2020.

By the end of 2023, the six BelugaXLs will have replaced the current BelugaST fleet.

The improved BelugaXL offers 30% more transport capacity than its predecessor, the BelugaST, thanks to its seven-metre-longer and one-metre-wider dimensions.

This considerable size allows it to accommodate two A350 jetliner wings, as opposed to the BelugaST’s single-wing capacity.

Like the BelugaST, the BelugaXL fleet will operate across 11 European destinations, assisting Airbus in upholding its production and delivery commitments.

The BelugaXL, with a maximum payload of 51 tonnes and a range of 4,000 km, stands ready to redefine the standard for oversized air cargo transport and pave the way for Airbus’s industrial capabilities.”