The story
The BelugaXL is the original Beluga's bigger replacement, built on the A330 with 30% more room — enough to swallow two A350 wings instead of one. The painted beluga face on the nose, eyes and smile included, was chosen by a vote of Airbus employees. Six fly the parts shuttle between Airbus plants across Europe.
Airbus let its employees vote on the BelugaXL's livery — the smiling whale face won, and every aircraft in the fleet wears it.
Quick answers
How do you identify a BelugaXL?
Look for the painted whale face: eyes beside the cockpit, a grin along the nose. Bigger and longer than the original Beluga, and the only whale in the sky that smiles back.
What does a BelugaXL sound like?
Rolls-Royce Trent 700s — an ordinary A330 sound attached to an extraordinary silhouette.
How fast is the BelugaXL?
Top speed is Mach 0.69 cruise.
How many people does the BelugaXL carry?
Typical configuration: 2 pilots + courier seats.
How far can the BelugaXL fly?
Range is about 2,300 nmi at max payload.
How big is the BelugaXL?
It is 207 ft 0 in long and 197 ft 10 in across the wings.
When did the BelugaXL first fly?
Its first flight was in 2018.
How many BelugaXLs have been built?
6 built.
How rare is a BelugaXL in Bogey?
LEGENDARY. The top tier. Spotters plan trips around a catch like this. Your first BelugaXL catch is worth 1,000 points.
