Airbus Beluga XL Work Begins

22/12/2015 - 10:15

atwonline.com

The first metal cuts have been made for the forthcoming Airbus Beluga XL’s super-freighter’s rear fuselage. 

The development paves "the way for the final assembly to begin in early 2017," Airbus said.

The metal frames are being produced by Spanish components manufacturer Aernnova at its plant in Tarragona, Spain.

According to Aernnova, the first metal cut frames of the fuselage "are the first of the total 2000 different parts included in the three work packages to be delivered." Component manufacturing will take place at Aernnova facilities in Gasteiz, Tarragona, Toledo and Cadiz. Assembly of the rear fuselage is set to begin summer 2016 at the Aernnova Aeroestructuras Álava facility near Gasteiz in northern Spain. The launch aircraft is designated Beluga XL MSN001.

On completion, the rear fuselage will be the first part delivered to the Beluga final assembly (FAL) in Toulouse, France.  Beluga XL MSN001 is expected to enter service in mid-2019.

The Beluga XL was launched in November 2014 to address the transport capacity requirements to support the A350 XWB ramp-up and other aircraft production rate increases. Based on the A330-200 freighter with a large re-use of existing components and equipment, the Beluga XL will be powered with Rolls-Royce Trent 700 engines. The fleet of five Beluga XL aircraft will provide Airbus with an additional 30% transport capacity. According to Airbus, the new Beluga XLs will "incorporate newly-developed elements including its lowered cockpit, cargo bay structure, and rear and tail section."

The Beluga fleet is operated by Airbus Transport International, an Airbus subsidiary airline that, in addition to charter services, transports components such as fuselage sections, wings and tails for other Airbus aircraft being assembled in Airbus’s various assembly plants.

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