BelugaXL aircraft’s maiden flight that took off and ended at Toulouse-Blagnac airport in France. Credit: Airbus/JB Accariez.

Airbus has successfully completed the maiden trip of its BelugaXL aircraft, part of a series of test flights for the aircraft type over the next ten months.

The first of five aircraft to take part in the flight test programme, the BelugaXL flew for four hours and 11 minutes before landing at France’s Toulouse-Blagnac airport.

The flight’s captain was Christophe Cail, the co-pilot was Bernardo Saez-Benito Hernandez and the test-flight engineer was Jean Michel Pinonboard.

Laurent Lapierre and Philippe Foucault were monitoring the aircraft systems and performance in real-time at the flight-test-engineer’s (FTE) station.

The flight test programme will enable BelugaXL to achieve Type Certification and entry into service later in 2019.

“The flight test programme will enable BelugaXL to achieve Type Certification and entry into service later in 2019.”

Airbus started the BelugaXL programme in November 2014 with an aim of meeting the company’s transport capacity requirements in view of the A350 XWB ramp-up and single-aisle production rate increases.

The company is expected to build five BelugaXL aircraft between 2019 and 2023 to gradually replace its five BelugaST.

The BelugaXL fleet will operate from 11 destinations in line with Airbus’ method of transporting large aircraft components.

Based on an A330-200 Freighter, the BelugaXL is powered by Rolls Royce Trent 700 engines.

Their lowered cockpit, cargo bay structure and rear-end and tail have been newly developed in collaboration with various suppliers.

In a separate development, Airbus has received new orders including 93 firm orders and 338 memoranda of understanding for 431 aircraft at the Farnborough Airshow 2018.

The newly secured commitments covered 60 A220-300s, 304 A320 Family aircraft, 42 A330neos and 25 A350 XWB aircraft.