IT’S the world’s weirdest looking aircraft. The aptly named Airbus Beluga, also known as the A300-600ST Super Transporter, is the whale of the skies and provides a unique way of transporting oversized cargo.
Developed to carry sections of Airbus aircraft from different production sites around Europe to their finally assembly line in Toulouse, France and Hamburg, it is also used to transport special delivery items.
The fleet of five Beluga aircraft perform more than 60 flights each week and each plane can carry a load of 47 tonnes over a range of 1667 kilometres.
This is how you transport your oversized luggage. Source: AP
Its special cargo has included a famous painting from the Musee du Louvres in Paris to Tokyo, helicopters to Australia and a 17.6 metre long chemical tank weighing 39 tonnes.
Space hardware manufacturers also use the Beluga for transporting its space station modules, launch vehicle hardware and delicate satellites as the aircraft can provide temperature controlled conditions for its sensitive cargo.
The Beluga is operated by a three-member crew including two pilots and a loadmaster and has one of the biggest cargo holds of any civil or military aircraft flying today.
Transporting the tail piece of a China Southern plane. Picture: Airbus. Source: Supplied
The specially designed plane is used to transport military equipment. Picture: Airbus. Source: Supplied
Just a little top heavy. Picture: Airbus. Source: Supplied
It is specially used for transporting spacecraft. Picture: Airbus. Source: Supplied
Inside the Beluga sits an aircraft tail piece. Picture: Airbus. Source: Supplied
Aircraft pieces arriving at Toulouse, France. Picture: Airbus. Source: Supplied
A plane inside a plane. Source: AFP
SOURCE::: news.com.au
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