Editing Airbus Beluga (section)

===Construction and further development===
[[File:DSC 3913-F-GSTD (10386768453).jpg|thumb|Side view of Beluga ''F-GSTD'', climbing with gear retracting, 2012]]

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In September 1992, construction work began on the first aircraft, the [[maiden flight]] of which took place in September 1994. Following a total of 335 flight hours being performed during the test program, restricted certification of the type was awarded by the [[European Aviation Safety Agency]] (EASA) in October 1995, enabling the A300-600ST "Beluga" to enter service shortly thereafter.<ref name=TCDS/> Originally a total of four aircraft were to be built along with an option for a fifth aircraft being available, which was later firmed up.<ref name=Flight5May1998/><ref name=Flight31May1994/> Apart from the first Beluga, each airframe took an average of three years to complete from start to finish; they were built at a rate of one per year. Modification work was performed at Toulouse using components provided by the Airbus assembly line.<ref name=Flight5May1998/>

The fleet's primary task is to carry Airbus components ready for final assembly across Europe between Toulouse, Hamburg, and nine other sites, and they do so 60 times per week.<ref name=Flight5May1998/><ref name="Morrison2014" /> The Beluga fleet is owned by Airbus Transport International (ATI), a wholly owned subsidiary of Airbus Group that was established specifically to operate the type; through this organisation, the fleet is made available for hire by third parties for [[charter]] flight.<ref name = "giz mag"/> In May 1998, ATI reportedly had an annual revenue target of $15 million to be achieved via leasing spare capacity.<ref name=Flight5May1998/> Over time, the Beluga has been used to carry a variety of special loads, including space station components, large and delicate artwork, industrial machinery, and intact helicopters.<ref name=Flight5May1998/><ref name = "giz mag"/><ref name="Superguppy" /> The A300-600ST's freight compartment is {{cvt|7.4|m}} in diameter and {{cvt|37.7|m}} long; maximum payload is 47 tonnes.<ref name="BelugaSTspecs"/>

In late 1997, in response to the positive performance of the A300-600ST Super Transporter program, SATIC announced that it was in the process of evaluating several different prospective outsize freighter conversions; company chairman Udo Dräger indicated that a larger freighter based on the [[Airbus A340]] could be developed in a similar manner to that of the A300-based Beluga.<ref name=Flight5May1998/> At the time, derivatives of both the [[Airbus A330]] and the A340 were studied, including combining the upward-swinging hinged door of the Beluga with a conventional upper deck as an alternative to a side-mounted cargo door in traditional freighter missions.<ref name=Flight5May1998/> During the 1990s, as a result of reported inquiries to Airbus regarding the type, a niche market for selling Beluga-type aircraft to military customers and freight operators was also examined; but sales were considered 'unlikely' to take place by the late 1990s.<ref name=Flight31May1994/><ref name=Flight5May1998/> Its unit cost is €183 million.<ref>{{cite web |title = Airbus Beluga |publisher = AERTEC Solutions |url = http://www.aertecsolutions.com/download/infographics/Infographic-AirbusBeluga-ENG.pdf |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170708175907/http://www.aertecsolutions.com/download/infographics/Infographic-AirbusBeluga-ENG.pdf |archive-date = 8 July 2017 |language = en-gb}}</ref>

In November 2014, Airbus announced that it was proceeding with the development of a larger replacement based on the Airbus A330-200, planning to replace the BelugaST fleet entirely by 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |url = http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/airbus-starts-a330-beluga-development-406160/ |title= Airbus Airbus starts A330 Beluga development |first = Michael |last = Gubisch |date = 17 November 2014 |publisher = Reed Business Information |language = en-gb |work = [[Flightglobal]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url = http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/airbus-logistics-from-tiny-fish-to-small-whale-and-now-a-bigger-406205/ |title = Airbus logistics: from tiny fish to small whale – and now a bigger Beluga |first = Dan |last = Thisdell |date = 18 November 2014 |publisher = Reed Business Information  |language = en-gb |work = [[Flightglobal]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141119182326/http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/airbus-logistics-from-tiny-fish-to-small-whale-and-now-a-bigger-406205/ |archive-date = 19 November 2014 |url-status = live}}</ref><ref>{{citation |last = Eiselin |first = Stefan |url = http://www.aerotelegraph.com/airbus-baut-neuen-beluga-mega-transportflugzeug-details |title = Das bietet der neue Beluga |language = de |publisher = aeroTelegraph |date = 19 November 2014}}</ref> The [[Airbus BelugaXL|BelugaXL]] entered service in 2020.<ref name="flightglobal20200113">{{cite news |url = https://www.flightglobal.com/airframers/airbus-begins-belugaxl-operations/136116.article |title = Airbus begins BelugaXL operations |date = 13 January 2020 |language = en-gb |work = flightglobal}}</ref> Airbus previously considered the A330-300 and A340-500, but each required too much of the limited {{cvt|1,663|m}} runway at [[Hawarden Airport]] near [[Broughton, Flintshire|Broughton in Wales]].<ref>{{Cite web |url = http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/airbus-leans-towards-a330-200-to-replace-beluga-fleet-382215/ |title= Airbus leans towards A330-200 to replace Beluga fleet |first = David |last = Kaminski-Morrow |date = 12 February 2013 |publisher = Reed Business Information |language = en-gb |work = [[Flightglobal]] |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141014080924/http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/airbus-leans-towards-a330-200-to-replace-beluga-fleet-382215/ |archive-date = 14 October 2014 |url-status = live}}</ref><!--decision matrix at http://i39.tinypic.com/2rr1ac3.jpg --> In May 2015, Airbus confirmed that the new aircraft would have a {{cvt|1|m}} wider cross-section than its predecessor and provide a 12% increase in payload. The BelugaXL is intended primarily for [[Airbus A350XWB|A350]] work, designed to ship two A350 wings simultaneously. The first two aircraft were considered essential to facilitate mass production of the A350, while the following aircraft were to be progressively introduced as the A300-600 Beluga fleet was withdrawn.<ref>{{Cite web |url = http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/a330-based-beluga-to-have-larger-cross-section-412896/ |title = A330-based Beluga to have larger cross-section |date = 29 May 2015 |language = en-gb |work = [[Flightglobal]]}}</ref>