Airbus A-300ST Beluga
The Airbus A300-600ST Beluga, named for its resemblance to the whale, was built to transport large aircraft sections, such as wings and fuselage barrels, between Airbus's factories scattered across Europe. Its oversized upper fuselage sits well above the A300 airliner it's based on, with the cockpit pushed down and forward beneath the cargo hold to keep sightlines clear. Cargo is loaded through a hinged nose that swings open, exposing the entire forward fuselage for oversized components too large for any conventional freighter door. It has since been succeeded in Airbus's own fleet by the larger BelugaXL, though some Belugas remain active.
Did you know?
The Beluga loads cargo through a hinged nose that swings fully open, exposing the whole forward fuselage for oversized parts.
Specifications
| Length | 56.2 m (184 ft) |
|---|---|
| Wingspan | 44.8 m (147 ft) |
| Height | 17.2 m (57 ft) |
| Persons on board | 10 |
| Maximum take-off weight | 150 t |
| Range | 1,500 NM (2,778 km) |
| Maximum speed | 460 kt (852 km/h) |
| Service ceiling | 35,000 ft (10,668 m) |
| Optimum ceiling | 27,000 ft (8,230 m) |
| Rate of climb | 1,300 ft/min (6.6 m/s) |
| Take-off distance | 939 m (3,081 ft) |
| Landing distance | 1,170 m (3,839 ft) |
| Fuel capacity | 55,000 l |
| Engines | 2x General Electric CF6-80C2 |
| Units built | 5 |
Curated by CatchFlights from manufacturer documents, ICAO Doc 8643 and reference works; values are left out where no source could confirm them. Sources are listed on our credits page.
In CatchFlights
In CatchFlights the Airbus A-300ST Beluga starts as a Legendary catch. The tier is an editorial judgement of how special a sighting of this type is. The more often you catch it, the closer it moves to Common for you. The first catch of a legendary type pays a bonus of its own.
A catch counts for the manufacturer Airbus, the A-300ST Beluga family and the model in your collection, and the daily Type Rating quiz asks about the types of each family.
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