The flight crew and workers involved with the maiden flight of Airbus’ no. 2 BelugaXL – performed 15 April 2019 – celebrate this achievement in Toulouse, France

The first flight of Airbus’ second BelugaXL is celebrated by the flight crew that performed it (from left to right): Karl-Heinz Mai, Experimental Test Pilot – Captain for the flight; Michel Gagneux, Experimental Test Pilot; Gérard Maisonneuve, Test Flight Engineer; and Jaime Angoloti; Flight Test Engineer

Airbus’ no. 2 BelugaXL oversize airlifter takes to the skies for the first time, commencing its maiden flight from Toulouse-Blagnac Airport – which is adjacent to the company’s headquarters in southwestern France

The no. 2 BelugaXL – which performed its maiden flight on 15 April 2019 – will join a six-aircraft fleet that carries complete sections of Airbus aircraft from different production sites around Europe to the final assembly lines in Toulouse, France and Hamburg, Germany

Airbus’ next-generation oversize airlifter programme marked another key milestone with the successful first flight of the no. 2 BelugaXL, which took off from, and landed at, Toulouse-Blagnac Airport in southwestern France

Airbus’ no. 2 BelugaXL – whose livery features beluga whale-inspired eyes and an enthusiastic grin – taxis at France’s Toulouse-Blagnac Airport before its maiden flight, performed on 15 April 2019

Airbus’ second of six next-generation BelugaXL oversize cargo airlifters – which performed its maiden flight on 15 April 2019 – stops for a “family photo” alongside one of the five in-service Beluga ST versions

Airbus’ no. 2 BelugaXL – which took off and landed at Toulouse-Blagnac Airport in southwestern France on its 15 April 2019 first flight – carried a four-person crew (from left to right): Karl-Heinz Mai, Experimental Test Pilot – Captain for the flight; Michel Gagneux, Experimental Test Pilot; Gérard Maisonneuve, Test Flight Engineer; and Jaime Angoloti; Flight Test Engineer

Test Flight Engineer Gérard Maisonneuve walks alongside the no. 2 BelugaXL oversize cargo airlifter on the day of its maiden flight

The first-produced BelugaXL – shown in flight, with the no. 2 aircraft in the foreground – performed its maiden take off in July 2018

Two of the six BelugaXL airlifters that will make up Airbus’ next-generation fleet are undergoing testing ahead of the 2019 service entry

Airbus first two BelugaXL airlifters – shown together in Toulouse, France – form the basis of a next-generation fleet that will grow to six overall

The first two BelugaXLs – highly-modified A330 jetliners tailored to carry large airframe components within the Airbus aircraft production network – meet up in Toulouse, France

The blue-and-white livery for Airbus’ second BelugaXL cargo airlifter was applied during activity at the company’s Toulouse, France paint shop

The second BelugaXL cargo airlifter rolled out from Airbus’ Toulouse, France paint shop bearing its blue-and-white livery

The second BelugaXL showed off its newly-applied livery after rolling out from the Airbus paint shop in Toulouse, France

Airbus marked an important achievement with the first flight of its next-generation BelugaXL carrying a set of A350 XWB wings, which was performed in February 2019

Airbus’ BelugaXL transported two A350 XWB wings from Bremen, Germany to Toulouse, France on its milestone flight, performed in February 2019

The BelugaXL’s first flight carrying a set of A350 XWB wings, performed in February 2019, highlighted the growing responsibilities for Beluga loadmasters

The first BelugaXL flight carrying a set of aircraft wings concluded at Airbus’ Toulouse, France headquarters