It’s built for oversize cargo, but it also sports a smile: The Airbus BelugaXL took off on its maiden flight on Thursday, creating a unique sight as the jet with the bulbous upper half rolled down the runway.
The BelugaXL’s paint job “features beluga whale-inspired eyes and an enthusiastic grin,” the aircraft company says. That whale flew over southern France, soaring over the coast and mountainside.
The jet is the first of a handful that Airbus will use to shuttle large aircraft components between its manufacturing facilities in Europe. Crucially, its expansive cargo area — the fuselage is nearly 30 feet in diameter — can carry two wings for the Airbus A350 jetliner.
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