Would you fly in it
quote:Airbus?s BelugaXL made its first flight on Thursday.
The transporter is a highly-modified version of the Airbus A330-200 jetliner.
20,000 people voted for its "whale face" paint job.
a large passenger jet sitting on top of a runway
Airbus? BelugaXL made its first flight on Thursday, circling the skies over southwest France.
The super-transporter is one of the largest aircraft in existence, six meters longer (19.6 feet) and one meter (3.2 feet) wider than its predecessor, the BelugaST transporter.
The flight, which took-off from Blagnac in Toulouse, signified the start of a 10-month testing period before the plane can start flying commercially. Typically, the Beluga series has been used by Airbus to transport aircraft wings from factories to its assembly lines in Europe.
One wing factory is sited at Hawarden airport in North Wales. To allow the supersized plane to land, Hawarden is erecting new blast fences and resurfacing its runway.
The announcement came soon after Airbus revealed the super transporter?s new paint job, which was designed to represent its name sake, the Beluga Whale. The design was voted for in a poll by 20,000 people.
Airbus said the aircraft is the first of five BelugaXL?s to enter service during 2019.
From what little I remember about and how Airplanes fly that thing scares me. How do those wings provide enough lift.
Lose one engine and does it drop like a rock.
The transporter is a highly-modified version of the Airbus A330-200 jetliner.
20,000 people voted for its "whale face" paint job.
a large passenger jet sitting on top of a runway
Airbus? BelugaXL made its first flight on Thursday, circling the skies over southwest France.
The super-transporter is one of the largest aircraft in existence, six meters longer (19.6 feet) and one meter (3.2 feet) wider than its predecessor, the BelugaST transporter.
The flight, which took-off from Blagnac in Toulouse, signified the start of a 10-month testing period before the plane can start flying commercially. Typically, the Beluga series has been used by Airbus to transport aircraft wings from factories to its assembly lines in Europe.
One wing factory is sited at Hawarden airport in North Wales. To allow the supersized plane to land, Hawarden is erecting new blast fences and resurfacing its runway.
The announcement came soon after Airbus revealed the super transporter?s new paint job, which was designed to represent its name sake, the Beluga Whale. The design was voted for in a poll by 20,000 people.
Airbus said the aircraft is the first of five BelugaXL?s to enter service during 2019.
From what little I remember about and how Airplanes fly that thing scares me. How do those wings provide enough lift.
Lose one engine and does it drop like a rock.
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that's a REAL whale 0 -
Being loaded. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFjlxsyyJoo0 -
Why not as long as I didn't have to get groped at TSA[:0] 0 -
Just noticed that at the back either there is something open or those as small wings below the tail. 0 -
that's the "OHHH CHIT" dump 0 -
[:0][:0][:0]momma mia,,,, 0 -
Yeah I'd fly in it.
I've seen that design as a prototype before, can't remember where.0 -
We need a bigger picture. 0 -
Yeah they seemed to have named it correctly. Say are they stacking folks "middle passage" style since there's no windows or they're just for packages? 0 -
quote:Originally posted by yoshmyster
Yeah they seemed to have named it correctly. Say are they stacking folks "middle passage" style since there's no windows or they're just for packages?
Watch the Video I posted.0 -
quote:Originally posted by Smitty500mag
We need a bigger picture.
Fits just fine on my Laptop. Maybe you need a bigger screen.[:D]0 -
I want at least two more engines. 0 -
Well I have flown in the Super guppy, taken a JATO shot in the Blue Angels Fat Albert, and I have my share of traps and cat shots on an aircraft carrier. So yeah I figure if I had the chance I would ride in it.
The Super Guppy:0 -
If I didn't have to go thru TSA I would 0 -
That's one ugly aircraft! 0 -
Why not, they wouldn't allow it to fly ccommercially if it wasn't safe. 0 -
Probably takes longer to get your luggage than the flight. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by yoshmyster
Yeah they seemed to have named it correctly. Say are they stacking folks "middle passage" style since there's no windows or they're just for packages?
It's a cargo plane0 -
No...i will not ride in an Airbus if I can help it....if it's not Boeing I'm not going!
Pilots on a scarebus are voting members and the computer (on many models) can override the pilot....not cool.0 -
quote:Originally posted by kidthatsirish
No...i will not ride in an Airbus if I can help it....if it's not Boeing I'm not going!
Pilots on a scarebus are voting members and the computer (on many models) can override the pilot....not cool.
I agree with you on the Airbus, but I ain?t riding no aircraft made by a company named Boeing either. Say Boeing three times fast. It sounds like they expect their airplanes to bounce.
Seriously though, I won?t voluntarily get on another airplane in this lifetime.0 -
I?ve seen Lufthansa?s Airbus Beluga taxiing on the ground at Frankfurt Main in Frankfurt Germany.
One ungainly looking aircraft on the ground, yes I would tie myself to it.
Mule0 -
Looks more like a BLIMP than an airplane to me!
They must be inflating that thing with helium to make it light enough to be supported by those teeny tiny landing gears![:0]
Those Frenchmen need to dig their old SST's out of mothballs in order for me to accept their aerodynamic designs!0 -
quote:Originally posted by remingtonoaks
quote:Originally posted by yoshmyster
Yeah they seemed to have named it correctly. Say are they stacking folks "middle passage" style since there's no windows or they're just for packages?
It's a cargo plane
Designed to transport airplane wings to a final assembly aircraft factory.0 -
Planes like that carry bulky but light cargo, like rocket bodies, satellites, and other aircraft parts. Not people. 0 -
Very cool aircraft. I would surmise that the underbody has some lift capability also. Now for me to fly in it as a passenger, no unless they add one or two more power plants.
I am with RK on flying. But I would fly either in a Stearman Biplane or F15 Eagle. Ok SR71, YA12, F14, F16, F18, A couple others. X15 P38 P40 T Bolt 1 and 2, Super Marine Spitfire, F4U, F6F, B1B, B2, Wow the possibilities.0 -
As a scout (a weblos and later a boy scout) in the early 1980's I had the opportunity to volunteer some labor (our small troop) on the restoration of a B-17 called shoo shoo baby (during several summer vacations)
We would take a bus charter trip that allowed us to visit McGuire and Dover Air Force base and volunteer as test dummy subjects - simulated escapees or prisoners / infiltrators / sappers for the guard dog training programs (wearing padded leather and cloth body armor and football padding)
We also had the chance to visit and climb through a super guppy and the plane that transported the space shuttle externally on her back / spine
Also got to touch and sit in an X15 that I think later went to the Smithsonian for display - built a cardboard shipping tube replica as a combo school project and merit badge work (it was as tall as I was and got hung up in school for awhile)
Just for general knowledge - general interest
Mike0
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