FAQ | Airbus Beluga Lands in Mumbai: What You Need to Know About the Aircraft
Standing at over 56.15 metres, the Beluga is one of the largest commercial aircraft currently plying the skies.
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Video Producer/Editor: Shohini Bose
One of the largest aircraft, the Airbus Beluga, landed at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) in Mumbai late on Tuesday, 22November.
Hailed as a super transporter, Airbus A300-600ST is one the latest cargo planes, a commercial service provided by the European company Airbus. The airbus instantly became an object of curiosity due to its sheer shape and size.
Sharing pictures of the aircraft, airport officials took to Twitter and wrote, “Look who made a pitstop at @CSMIA_Official! The Airbus Beluga Super Transporter made its first appearance at #MumbaiAirport and left us all awestruck. Tell us what you think of its unique design.”
What are the dimensions of the aircraft?
The length of the aircraft is 56.15 metres. It has a height of 17.25 metres, while the wing span is a stunning 44.24 metres. The cargo hold of the A300-600ST is 7.08 metres high and 7.04 metres wide with a usable length of 37.70 metres.
What is the amount of cargo that the aircraft can handle?
The aircraft can carry 47,000 kg of cargo, the most voluminous hold for any civil or military plane flying today, according to Firstpost.
The position of the main deck allows easy roll-on and roll-off for the transfer of cargo. It comes with a large single-piece main cargo door, which swings forwards and upwards providing ample access to the cargo compartment, according to Aerospace Technology.
In 2022, the aircraft delivered a new satellite to Kennedy Space Centre in Florida, United States. In 2004, it transported the Eutelsat W3A satellite to the Baikonur Cosmodrome launch site in Kazakhstan. It has carried large and delicate space systems like the aluminium fuel tank, weighing over 3,500 kg and 9 metres in length, for the NASA X-33 Venture Star spacecraft.
What is the cost of the aircraft?
The estimated cost of the aircraft is $284 million.
(With inputs from Firstpost and Aerospace Technology)
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