Which Airbus aircraft is known as the BelugaXL?

The aircraft known as the Airbus BelugaXL has the formal designation A330-743L.

Airbus created the BelugaXL by heavily modifying the A330-200 airliner. The resulting aircraft has an enlarged upper fuselage, a raised cockpit, and a large forward cargo door so it can transport wings and other oversized components between Airbus factories. Its official designation reflects its A330 basis and specialized configuration.

The BelugaXL replaced the A300-600ST Beluga, which had served Airbus’s internal logistics network since the 1990s. The nickname refers to the white beluga whale because of the aircraft’s rounded shape and large upper body. The BelugaXL is a transport aircraft for Airbus production rather than a passenger airliner, despite its origins in a commercial wide-body design.