Aircraft
Airbus To Build New A330-Based Belugas
First of five airplanes scheduled to enter service in 2019
Crews in Hamburg, Germany, load the first A320neo fuselage into one of Airbus's existing Belugas. (Photo: Airbus)
Crews in Hamburg, Germany, load the first A320neo fuselage into one of Airbus's existing Belugas. (Photo: Airbus)

Airbus has launched development of a new Beluga oversize transport aircraft to accommodate accelerated aircraft production including the A350 XWB, the company announced Monday. Airbus plans to build five new Belugas, all based on the A330 widebody. The five Belugas it now uses trace their design to Airbus’s first airliner, the A300.