Airbus (AIB, Toulouse Blagnac) has said in a press release that it has received the type certificate for its new in-house freighter A330-700ST BelugaXL from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), paving the way for the type's entry into operations in early 2020.
The BelugaXL is based on the A330-200 and has a 30% higher capacity than its predecessor, the A300-600ST Beluga. Airbus Transport International currently operates five Belugas, which are 22.4 years old on average, the ch-aviation fleets advanced module shows.
Airbus has so far built two BelugaXLs. It plans to eventually operate six freighters of the type, replacing all five Belugas. The aircraft will be used by Airbus exclusively for in-house transportation needs, carrying large structures such as wings and fuselages between the manufacturer's sites. Airbus said the aircraft will regularly serve eleven airports in Europe. Deliveries to Airbus Transport International are scheduled to continue through 2023.