Airbus testing new Beluga plane over the UK!

[r2y2a2n]

I've just noticed this weird looking plane on FR24 and I thought I'd post it here.

It's called a beluga and it's being flown by Airbus themselves.

http://fr24.com/BGA1TA

Check it out!

[r2y2a2n]

With a little research it turns out these aren't new. They're just for transporting plane parts. Still pretty weird...

[Tony15]

It flew North over Torbay on Tuesday afternoon, couldn't see for cloud so didn't note details. Flew South from Broughton to Toulouse Flight BGA4TD, reg F-GSTD, Wednesday 3rd April, passed over Torbay at 14.16 BST. excellent view in clear air with sun shining on it.

[MAS-A380]

Just for your information:

There are 5 Beluga's. They are former A300-600 and fly for Airbus between their plants. Sometimes they also get chartered. Currently there is a discussion, whether there will be new ones in 2020, whcih could befomer A330-200s.

Here are the callsign and the registrations:

No.1---BGA1TA---F-GSTA
No.2---BGA2TB---F-GSTB
No.3---BGA3TC---F-GSTC
No.4---BGA4TD---F-GSTD
No.5---BGA5TF---F-GSTF

[Tony15]

[QUOTE=MAS-A380;30452]Just for your information:

There are 5 Beluga's.

Hi MAS-A380,
Thanks for the info. I thought there was only the one, didn't realise that Airbus had their own airline. I shall have to acquire an airliner ABC soon.
Regards, Tony15

[Tony15]

Tuesday 23rd April, Flight BGA1TA Beluga F-GSTA went North over Torbay at 16.53 and returned South at 19.46, it cannot have been on the ground at Broughton long enough to load anything. There have also been two flights going North by French Air Force A310 F-RADB (Flights CTM1071 and CTM 1072), originated at Toulouse.

[MAS-A380]

Tuesday 23rd April, Flight BGA1TA Beluga F-GSTA went North over Torbay at 16.53 and returned South at 19.46, it cannot have been on the ground at Broughton long enough to load anything. There have also been two flights going North by French Air Force A310 F-RADB (Flights CTM1071 and CTM 1072), originated at Toulouse.

Is Torbay at the South of the UK at the coast?? That was the only thing I found on Google Maps. Let's say it takes about 1 hour from Torbay to Broughton...then the Beluga had about an hour in Broughton. This is enough time to 'unload' and 're-load' this plane, from my experience of spotting at Hamburg-Finkenwerder.

[Tony15]

Hi MAS-A380,
Yes Torbay (Paignton where I live) is on the South coast, 30 miles South of Exeter airport. Today was perfect contrail spotting weather with aircraft visible up to 70 miles away (at 37,000 feet).
The only problem was that the trans-Atlantic traffic was all routed via South Wales !