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Airbus Beluga

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Re: Airbus Beluga

#41

Post by sofixa »

kingosticks wrote: post #14
mbertschler wrote: post #5

Does anyone know what kind of payloads this plane is used for? Something relatively light but requiring a large volume? As there are only 5 of those built, there doesn’t seem to be a big demand for these, and the payload capacity is the same as the standard body version.

There are also now 6 Beluga XLs with approx 30% larger cargo hold than original Beluga. I'm curious if Airbus ever lease them out to others for transporting big things other than wings.

> I'm curious if Airbus ever lease them out to others for transporting big things other than wings.

There are multiple airlines specialising in that business, like Antonov Airlines, who use huge An-225(largest plane in the world by most metrics) and An-124(second or third largest by most metrics) for outsized cargo.

Re: Airbus Beluga

#42

Post by larusso »

One of my favorite weird plane. I saw it multiple times at the ILA in Berlin. Last time it was positioned between an A380 and the AN-225 (if I was not mistaken).

Re: Airbus Beluga

#44

Post by jacquesm »

Eikon wrote: post #32
jacquesm wrote: post #2

I saw this plane once in person, no picture will ever do it justice. That something that size can fly at all without being a dirigible is absolutely amazing.

This must be because you haven't seen the AN-225! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonov_An-225_Mriya

I occasionally visits NL, but I've always missed it. I would be happy to drive out for that.

Re: Airbus Beluga

#46

Post by robhawkes »

I live near the Airbus factory in Broughton, Wales (near Chester) and you used to see the previous generation Beluga flying over once or twice a day as they picked up new wings.

I still occasionally get to see the new XL variant coming in to land and they are absolutely gigantic, especially as they pass by roughly a mile or so from my house.

Such a weird and wonderful sight, I get excited every single time.

Re: Airbus Beluga

#47

Post by benhurmarcel »

sdoering wrote: post #4

Living near Hamburg, Germany and working in the city (pre Covid) I saw it quite often when it approached for landing at the Airbus facility. Compared to all other air traffic going to the regular airport it definitely looks quite interesting, when in flight. I actually enjoy seeing it as something of engineering ingenuity. When my SO and me bought our house the seller was working at Airbus and told me that he found i…

> he found it pleasant to fly in as a passenger when he needed to visit the French facility for work

He must have worked there a long time, Airbus haven’t done that for decades.

Re: Airbus Beluga

#48

Post by sdoering »

benhurmarcel wrote: post #47
sdoering wrote: post #4

Living near Hamburg, Germany and working in the city (pre Covid) I saw it quite often when it approached for landing at the Airbus facility. Compared to all other air traffic going to the regular airport it definitely looks quite interesting, when in flight. I actually enjoy seeing it as something of engineering ingenuity. When my SO and me bought our house the seller was working at Airbus and told me that he found i…

> he found it pleasant to fly in as a passenger when he needed to visit the French facility for work He must have worked there a long time, Airbus haven’t done that for decades.

I am not absolutely sure if he flew to the French site with the Beluga or if this were different situations I mixed up. He told both. Him flying to France and him finding the Beluga experience pleasant.

So maybe it was me mixing things up.

Re: Airbus Beluga

#49

Post by jacquesm »

kergonath wrote: post #34
jacquesm wrote: post #2

I saw this plane once in person, no picture will ever do it justice. That something that size can fly at all without being a dirigible is absolutely amazing.

I saw it a couple of times from the mountains near Toulouse, and this was my impression as well. It is fascinating to watch; it does not look like it should be able to fly, with its oversized belly and (relatively) tiny wings. It really looks more like a zeppelin than an aircraft.

Also, and this is probably an optical illusion, it appears to move so slow.

Re: Airbus Beluga

#50

Post by Tijdreiziger »

___q wrote: post #37
game_the0ry wrote: post #28

Planes are weird. Sometimes I look at like 747 or a monster like the beluga, and think - how the fuck does something that big and heavy even move on the ground, and then fly across the ocean? A plane transporting another plane inside is almost too much process.

lift

Do you even lift, bro? :P
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