Beluga XL First Flight.
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Beluga XL First Flight.
The Beluga XL had a 4 hour test flight from Toulouse this morning. It managed 410 knots and 32,000ft, but apart from the landing, I don't think they did any test stalls in it. There are another 40 test flights before it goes into service.
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Must be some interesting cockpit perspective from the converted avionics bay down below and some more than interesting vortex behind that wide fuselage. But those strakes seem to deal well with them.
The tail looks like they could install some gunner's position if attacked from behind.
The tail looks like they could install some gunner's position if attacked from behind.
Ah..thanks, that explains the Beluga plus one accompanying smaller aircraft we saw over our part of the world at medium level an hour or two ago (we were driving and only got a quick glimpse of the par into sun so couldn’t get the scale of those involved)..
The Dolphin!!!
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Texas, like a whole other country
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Ugly and cute at the same time! As someone who saw the Guppys and Super Guppys in their time I’m fascinated by purpose built mods like this. All the best to them.
What is that orange section on the tail for? Anything flight test related or just warning colours for low ceiling loading hangar ops?
I'm astonished that the massive increase in frontal area had such a small impact on performance on the Guppys - probably the same on this?
