The Beluga, which took its maiden flight on September 13, 1994, has been transporting Airbus component parts between the company's European manufacturing sites for the last 20 years.
Happy birthday, Beluga —
The Beluga, which took its maiden flight on September 13, 1994, has been transporting Airbus component parts between the company's European manufacturing sites for the last 20 years.
Airbus
Designing the Beluga wasn't easy. The top section of an Airbus A300-600 was cut off. A wider fuselage section was added, giving the plane its characteristic hump. The cockpit was lowered, allowing cargo to be loaded through the front of the aircraft.
Frankenstein of cargo planes —
Designing the Beluga wasn't easy. The top section of an Airbus A300-600 was cut off. A wider fuselage section was added, giving the plane its characteristic hump. The cockpit was lowered, allowing cargo to be loaded through the front of the aircraft.
Miquel Ros/CNN
With a diameter of 7.1 meters, the Beluga has an incredibly large cargo hold. Though its maximum payload of 47 tons is surpassed by only a handful of cargo aircraft, the hold makes it good for oversized cargo, such as this A350 XWB tailplane.
Built for volume, not weight. —
With a diameter of 7.1 meters, the Beluga has an incredibly large cargo hold. Though its maximum payload of 47 tons is surpassed by only a handful of cargo aircraft, the hold makes it good for oversized cargo, such as this A350 XWB tailplane.
Airbus
Airbus operates five Beluga cargo planes, which together perform more than 60 flights each week.
Fleet of five —
Airbus operates five Beluga cargo planes, which together perform more than 60 flights each week.
Airbus
The Beluga has brought many a plane spotter to Toulouse, France. Visitors can often be found sitting on the grass near Toulouse Blagnac Airport waiting for one of the five big beauties to take off or land.
Plane spotter's dream —
The Beluga has brought many a plane spotter to Toulouse, France. Visitors can often be found sitting on the grass near Toulouse Blagnac Airport waiting for one of the five big beauties to take off or land.
Miquel Ros/CNN
The Beluga has special stabilizer fins, found near the plane's tail.
Special wings —
The Beluga has special stabilizer fins, found near the plane's tail.
The Beluga isn't serially produced, making each an "artisan" product. The A300-600ST Super Transporter can carry a payload of 47 metric tons (103,616 pounds) over a range of 1,500 nautical miles.
The Beluga takes off —
The Beluga isn't serially produced, making each an "artisan" product. The A300-600ST Super Transporter can carry a payload of 47 metric tons (103,616 pounds) over a range of 1,500 nautical miles.
Airbus
The A300-600ST Super Transporter is operated by a crew of three: two pilots and a loadmaster.
Cockpit —
The A300-600ST Super Transporter is operated by a crew of three: two pilots and a loadmaster.
Miquel Ros/CNN
It's easy to see how the Beluga got its nickname.
Flying white whale —
It's easy to see how the Beluga got its nickname.
Miquel Ros/CNN
Seriously, the resemblance is uncanny.
The real thing —
Seriously, the resemblance is uncanny.
Koichi Kamoshida/Getty Images
Only the cockpit is pressurized, not the cargo hold. A heating module provides a suitable environment for spacecraft and other cargo that requires temperature-controlled conditions.
Inside the Beluga —
Only the cockpit is pressurized, not the cargo hold. A heating module provides a suitable environment for spacecraft and other cargo that requires temperature-controlled conditions.
Miquel Ros/CNN
The Beluga's jet speed and efficiency allows "for short transport times to meet strict production schedules," says Airbus. "A semi-automated main deck cargo loading system ensures easy and efficient handling of aircraft components."
A300-600ST Super Transporter —
The Beluga's jet speed and efficiency allows "for short transport times to meet strict production schedules," says Airbus. "A semi-automated main deck cargo loading system ensures easy and efficient handling of aircraft components."
Courtesy Airbus
Signage at Airbus headquarters in Toulouse shows how the Beluga was built.
Sum of many parts —
Signage at Airbus headquarters in Toulouse shows how the Beluga was built.
Miquel Ros/CNN
A Beluga can carry the wings of an A340 airliner or fuselage for Airbus' wide-body <a href="index.php?page=&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftravel.cnn.com%2Ftags%2Fa350">A350</a>. It's not large enough to transport all parts for the A380 super jumbo. Those travel by boat, barge and road.
Aerial view —
A Beluga can carry the wings of an A340 airliner or fuselage for Airbus' wide-body A350. It's not large enough to transport all parts for the A380 super jumbo. Those travel by boat, barge and road.
Courtesy Airbus
Belugas can be chartered by third parties. In 2006, a container holding a five-meter-high granite statue of a Ptolemaic Pharaoh was flown from Berlin to Paris.
Transporting ancient art —
Belugas can be chartered by third parties. In 2006, a container holding a five-meter-high granite statue of a Ptolemaic Pharaoh was flown from Berlin to Paris.
JOHN MACDOUGALL/AFP/Getty Images
Airbus is looking at a potential replacement for the aging A300-600ST Super Transporter. Though no final decisions have been announced, the "Beluga XL" is expected to have a longer range and ability to carry heavier payloads.
Beluga's future —
Airbus is looking at a potential replacement for the aging A300-600ST Super Transporter. Though no final decisions have been announced, the "Beluga XL" is expected to have a longer range and ability to carry heavier payloads.
Courtey Airbus
Airbus' Beluga transporter aircraft took part in a formation flight with the French Air Force's "Patrouille de France" aerobatic demonstration team in May 2014.
Formation flight —
Airbus' Beluga transporter aircraft took part in a formation flight with the French Air Force's "Patrouille de France" aerobatic demonstration team in May 2014.
Airbus