Airbus Beluga XL Makes Historic Stop at Kolkata Airport

The Kolkata International Airport witnessed a momentous event on Tuesday as it hosted the Airbus Beluga XL for the first time. The massive aircraft, known for its distinctive design and impressive cargo capabilities, landed at 10:43 p.m. IST after a journey from Bahrain International Airport.

Originally taking off from the Airbus Factory in Toulouse, France, the Beluga XL was en route to deliver critical equipment and parts to another Airbus facility located in Tianjin, China. The choice of Kolkata as a stopover was primarily due to the airport’s suitability for accommodating an aircraft of this size and its requirements for refueling and crew rest.

According to sources at the airport, the Beluga XL needed to comply with flight duty time limitations, necessitating a “technical stop” for the crew’s rest and the aircraft’s refueling. “Kolkata is the only suitable airport in eastern India for such a large aircraft to make a stop,” reported an airport official.

On Wednesday evening, the aircraft is scheduled to be refueled before it departs for Tianjin Binhai International Airport in China. The expected departure time is set for 5:50 p.m. with a crew comprising three pilots and one engineer.

The Airbus Beluga XL, also known as the Beluga A330-743L, was specifically designed by Airbus to handle oversized cargo, particularly aircraft components such as wings and fuselages. As an upgrade from its predecessor, the Beluga ST, the XL model offers enhanced performance and a larger capacity.

Measuring 63.1 meters long with a wingspan of 60.3 meters, the Beluga XL boasts a payload capacity of approximately 51 tons. Its expansive cargo hold is capable of transporting two A350 wings simultaneously, streamlining Airbus’s logistics and reducing the number of trips needed for transportation.

The Beluga XL’s visit not only underscores Kolkata airport’s capability to manage large aircraft but also highlights its role in facilitating Airbus’s global operations. The airport had previously hosted the original Beluga ST, but this marks the inaugural arrival of the larger XL version.