US EditionLargest aircraft in world makes final flight
After 25 years and 13,300 journeys, the Beluga ST5 retires to Broughton as a STEM education center to inspire future aerospace talent, replacing the retiring ST fleet.
- On Thursday, January 29 the Airbus Beluga ST5 touched down at Hawarden Airport at 11am, completing its final flight as crowds of aviation enthusiasts gathered in Flintshire.
- Airbus is phasing out Beluga ST fleet and replacing it with larger Beluga XL fleet, which from mid-2027 will be the sole transporter of Airbus components.
- The ST5 turned 25 on December 12, 2025 and logged around 13,300 journeys, mainly moving UK-made wings and occasionally carrying satellites.
- Airbus Broughton will retain the Beluga ST5 and convert it into a STEM education centre, with local schools collaborating on activities, said He said: `Flying the Beluga has always been a unique privilege, and bringing the ST5 home to Broughton for the last time was no different`.
- The Beluga ST fleet, which entered service in 1995 to replace the Super Guppy, carried payloads comparable to an adult Humpback whale and featured a whale-like design.
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Chester StandardRECAP- Follow as the Airbus BelugaST 5 makes its final journey to Broughton
Follow live updates as the iconic Airbus BelugaST 5 makes its final journey to Broughton. The aircraft is set to perform a flypast before landing…
Airbus today (Thursday) said goodbye to the iconic BelugaST No. 5 cargo plane, which was used for years to transport aircraft parts between the company's facilities across Europe. The plane is known for its unique structure, reminiscent of a beluga whale, and is capable of carrying unusually large cargo volumes that are not suitable for regular cargo planes. The iconic plane, the oldest in Airbus' Beluga fleet, made its final flight today, after…
Airbus BelugaST to perform final flight
Airbus’ last active BelugaST (“Super Transporter”) is set to perform its final flight on January 29, 2026, after more than three decades of service. This iconic cargo aircraft is an A300-600 aircraft which has been specially customized to carry oversized cargo, such as wings and other aircraft sub-assemblies, between the different Airbus production plants scattered across Europe. Its bulging shape is the result of having cut off the top of an …
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