Airbus Beluga ST vs Beluga XL: A Comparison of the Two Aircraft

The Airbus Beluga ST and Beluga XL are two unique aircraft designed for oversized cargo transportation. The Beluga ST has a maximum takeoff weight of 150 metric tons.

The Beluga XL, on the other hand, has a maximum takeoff weight of 227 metric tons, making it significantly heavier. This allows the Beluga XL to carry larger and heavier cargo.

The Beluga ST has a maximum payload capacity of 51 metric tons, which is relatively lower compared to the Beluga XL. The Beluga XL's maximum payload capacity is 51.5 metric tons.

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The Beluga XL is based on the Airbus A330-200 airliner platform, making it a significant upgrade from its predecessor. It's designed to transport aircraft components between Airbus factories and assembly plants across Europe.

The Beluga XL program was officially launched in November 2014 to meet the changing logistical transport requirements of Airbus. This new aircraft had to have even greater payload capability than the Beluga ST to carry bigger wings and other components.

The Beluga XL had its maiden flight five years ago this month, in July 2018. It then entered service with Airbus Transport International (ATI) in February 2021.

Airbus originally used a fleet of four Super Guppies to transport aircraft components, but they were replaced by the Beluga ST due to their limited cargo capability. The Beluga XL is now replacing the Beluga ST fleet.

The Airbus Beluga is a modified version of the standard A300-600 widebody airliner to carry aircraft parts and outsize cargo. It's called the Super Transporter, but the name Beluga - a whale it resembles - has gained popularity and is widely adopted.

The Beluga's design is similar to the A300-600, but with some substantial differences. The wings, engines, landing gear, and lower part of the fuselage remain identical to those used in a conventional A300.

Its upper part of the fuselage forms an enormous horseshoe-shaped structure 25ft in diameter. This unique design facilitates the loading of large sections of fuselage and entire wings into its cargo compartment.

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The Beluga has a fuselage length of 207 ft (63 meters) and a width of 29 ft (8.8 meters), with a cabin height of 24.6 ft (7.5 meters). This allows for a large cargo door located above the flight deck.

The Beluga's cargo hold measures 7,247 cubic ft (2,209 cubic meters), the largest among all civil or military aircraft currently in service worldwide.

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The BelugaST fleet was a crucial part of Airbus's logistics operation, flying more than 8,000 hours in 2017, doubling from 2014.

However, the five BelugaST aircraft were only halfway through their planned service life, leaving room for another operator to use them for civil or military logistic applications.

The combined Beluga fleet reached eight aircraft with the delivery of the first three BelugaXLs, as the five original BelugaSTs stayed in service until being withdrawn in 2021.

The BelugaST fleet was flying five times daily, six days a week, for 10,000 hours in 2017, which was a testament to their reliability and efficiency.

Airbus aimed to raise A320neo output to 63 per month by 2021, which led to the expansion of the BelugaXL fleet with a sixth aircraft in June 2019.

The Beluga XL is a game-changer for Airbus' industrial network, providing an additional 30% in transport capacity.

It's based on the A330 jetliner, which is a significant upgrade from the A300-600 used in the Beluga ST.

The Beluga XL has an enlarged fuselage "bubble" that's six meters longer and one meter wider than the Beluga ST.

This means it can carry larger sections of Airbus aircraft between European production sites.

The bigger "bubble" will allow the Beluga XL to transport a full wing-set for the A350 XWB's latest A350-1000 version.

Payload was the main driver for the development of the Beluga XL, as explained by Jean-Marc Passuello.

The Beluga XL's dorsal fin was increased in size and produced in three parts to ensure stability.

A distinctive "kink" in the diagonal was added to the dorsal fin for added stability.

The auxiliary fins on the outside of the horizontal tailplane are a meter higher than those on the Beluga ST.

The horizontal tailplane was also updated with extension boxes, adding a meter to each side.

These changes will provide better stability for the larger Beluga XL.