Giant of the sky: Beluga XL brings aircraft parts to Bremen!

Giant of the sky: Beluga XL brings aircraft parts to Bremen!

A highlight for aviation lovers is at Bremen Airport on Tuesday, September 2nd, 2025, between 6:15 p.m. and 6:45 p.m. The northern report entitled “Airport Adventure” provides exciting insights into the fascinating world of air freight and special cargo planes such as the Airbus BelugaXL. NDR reports that the BelugaXL is often compared to a whale due to its above-average size. She's a real eye-catcher, adorned with eyes and a smiling mouth on the sides. In addition, the nose of the aircraft has the special ability to be folded upwards.

But what can the BelugaXL actually do? With a cargo volume capable of carrying two A350 wings, this aircraft stands out far from traditional aircraft. In total, there are currently only six BelugaXLs in Europe, and their flights take place several times a week from the Bremen location. Clearance requires a lot of preparation and depends on various factors. Weather conditions, the availability of support vehicles and the timely provision of the tanker must be well coordinated in order to maintain a period of 70 minutes between landing and new takeoff.

From idea to reality

When you look at the history of the BelugaXL, it quickly becomes clear that disabled people don't have to complain. In 2014, a dedicated standard aircraft modification program was initiated to create five new BelugaXL aircraft. This line cost around 1 billion euros for development and production. In 2019, the BelugaXL was finally officially introduced, and the original BelugaST aircraft remained in service until 2021.

The new machines not only offer more space, but also impress with their efficiency. The BelugaXL can transport 30% more than its predecessor, the BelugaST. It is 6.9 meters longer and 1.7 meters wider, which means an additional load capacity of six tons. These differences are particularly noticeable in Airbus' air traffic, where parts and components for production have to be transported every day.

Technical masterpiece

The Airbus BelugaXL is based on the A330-300 and A330-200 and has an unpressurized cargo hold with an impressive maximum diameter of 8.8 meters. These dimensions enable efficient transport of large parts, which led to over 8,000 flight hours for the current BelugaST fleet in 2024. This is a double compared to 2014! This mixed fleet will continue to be needed over the next five years to ensure all parts arrive on time and efficiently for production lines.

In summary, the planned northern report provides an exciting insight into the world of air freight and shows how the BelugaXL plays an important role in the transport of aircraft parts. The NDR promises exciting stories and fascinating insights into the processes at Bremen and Hanover airports. It will be interesting to see how this modern air freight technology will continue to develop and whether it will open up new horizons for aviation. For further information and background information about BelugaXL, visit [NDR](https://www.ndr.de/ Fernsehenen/versanden/die_nordreportage/xxl-fracht-fuer-die-beluga-in-bremen,versand-9830.html) and Wikipedia.