The "old" Airbus BelugaST, these exceptionally large humpback planes well known to Toulouse residents, are not retiring with the arrival of the manufacturer's XL version fleet of cargo planes.
The first five "whales" of the sky, which until last year had only ever been used to transport sections of aircraft for internal needs, want to make their mark in non-standard freight.
Already at the beginning of the year, Airbus had announced their conversion into a commercial activity, with the transport of entire helicopters for wealthy customers.
But now a military perspective opens up to them.
Airbus Defense and Space (ADS) indicates that it has just tested “successfully” and in collaboration with the German army a new loading system for the Beluga to “lift non-standard military cargo”.
The experiment took place on a tarmac in Manching, Bavaria, with a military transport helicopter.
It demonstrated that, without a crane and without having to dismantle the helicopter in question too much, it can be in the hold, ready to leave, in 1h30.
“The demand for oversized air cargo capacity is on the rise.
Capacity is scarce and, in light of current geopolitical developments, many customers are looking for new, fast and efficient solutions,” said Michael Schoellhorn, CEO of ADS.
After the German test, which has yet to be debriefed, the new system was unveiled "to representatives of customers of the international armed forces", adds the manufacturer.
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