Airbus Beluga in Muscat: How well do you know?

Muscat: Muscat International Airport witnessed a major event, the arrival of the world’s largest cargo aircraft, the Beluga Airbus A300.

Oman Airports said this highlights the airport’s preparedness and the efficiency of its operations team, reaffirming the strategic role that Muscat plays on the global air cargo landscape.

The Airbus A300-608ST Beluga flight numbered ‘BCO4003’ flew from Muscat to Hyderabad at 7:27 pm.

The aircraft began its flight on August 27, taking off from Toulouse, France, and landing in Marseille, France.

The aircraft continued its route on August 28, departing from Marseille and landing in Cairo, Egypt. On August 29, the aircraft took off from Cairo and landed in Muscat.

According to FlightRadar24.com, Airbus uses the A300-608ST Beluga to transfer aircraft parts from manufacturing to final assembly, while @Airbus said its #H175 The helicopter was on its way to its destination, making several stops along the way, and it took nearly six days for the “Beluga” to reach its destination.

Airbus says its #H175 helicopter is on its way to its destination

Airbus says its #H175 helicopter is on its way to its destination

Airbus says its #H175 helicopter is on its way to its destination

About Beluga

The BelugaST retains the same cockpit as the Airbus A300-600 and A310 in global operations.

The cockpit houses the controls for a removable heating module that can be installed in the main deck cargo hold. This module provides temperature control for sensitive payloads carried by the BelugaST, including satellites and even paintings.

In 2004, a beluga whale delivered relief supplies to coastal areas in the Indian Ocean following a tsunami.

In 2005, the aircraft carried British and French humanitarian aid and medical supplies to the U.S. Gulf Coast as part of relief efforts following Hurricane Katrina.

Beluga is often used to transport large objects, including vehicles, for various space programs.

In 2001, components of the unmanned Automatic Transfer Vehicle (ATV) spacecraft were transported aboard a Beluga spacecraft from Turin, Italy, to Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

In 2004, Beluga made several flights to the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, delivering satellites built by Astrium.

In 2009, a Beluga spacecraft transported the International Space Station’s Tranquility module from Turin to the Kennedy Space Center in the United States.