The Beluga XL is among the most captivating cargo airlifters in global aviation history developed by Airbus. In November 2024, this super transporter made a technical stop at Noi Bai International Airport for refueling before continuing its voyage. According to the Hanoi Radio and Television portal, this also marked the very first time this extraordinary freighter had ever touched down in Vietnam. The Beluga XL’s appearance at Noi Bai captured widespread public attention thanks to its unconventional silhouette, starkly distinct from conventional jetliners. Yet behind this quirky design lies a specialized workhorse crafted by Airbus for a vital mission: shuttling oversized aircraft components among its manufacturing facilities worldwide.
Accordingly, the Beluga XL resembles a colossal white beluga whale, featuring a lowered cockpit section alongside a completely redesigned main fuselage and cargo hold that produce its signature profile.
Airbus states that each Beluga XL boasts a maximum payload capacity of 51 tons and an operational range of 2,200 nautical miles—approximately 4,000 kilometers. The aircraft measures 63.1 meters in length, 18.9 meters in height, with a wingspan of 60.3 meters and a fuselage diameter of around 8.8 meters.
(Photo: Airbus)
To put its sheer scale into perspective, Airbus once compared this giant bird to being as long as two blue whales and as tall as a three-story office complex. Its gargantuan cargo hold is spacious enough to accommodate 26 compact cars or seven full-grown elephants.
Armed with such immense volume, the Beluga XL can transport the largest fuselage sections of the A350, or simultaneously carry both wings of an A350, each measuring 30 meters in length. By contrast, the predecessor Beluga ST could haul only a single A350 wing per sortie.
Consequently, this capability grants the Beluga XL a 30% increase in transport capacity over the older Beluga ST. Airbus notes that the Beluga XL is approximately 7 meters longer and 1 meter wider than the aircraft it succeeds.
The nose of the aircraft features a bespoke front-loading door that swings upward, allowing massive cargo to glide directly inside. This architectural feat enables the Beluga XL to swallow components whose immense proportions would overwhelm conventional air cargo haulers.
(Photo: Airbus)
The Beluga XL is powered by twin Rolls-Royce Trent 700 turbofan engines and utilizes the baseline wing structure of the Airbus A330.
“This aircraft is an icon of our company. It is Airbus’s workhorse. Far more than just a cargo plane, it allows Airbus to build airplanes every single day,” Bertrand George, head of the Beluga XL program, once told CNN.
The Beluga XL entered full-time commercial service in January 2020. Today, Airbus maintains an active fleet of six Beluga XL freighters, operated by Airbus Transport International (ATI), the manufacturer’s specialized internal airline. These behemoths connect production hubs across Europe, ferrying major subassemblies and flight structures to support the aerospace giant’s global assembly line.
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