[mbertschler]

Does anyone know what kind of payloads this plane is used for? Something relatively light but requiring a large volume?

As there are only 5 of those built, there doesn’t seem to be a big demand for these, and the payload capacity is the same as the standard body version.

[byroot]

Aircraft parts such as wings etc. Airbus facilites are split across several countries, so it's simpler to move oversize parts like this.

[kingosticks]

There are also now 6 Beluga XLs with approx 30% larger cargo hold than original Beluga.

I'm curious if Airbus ever lease them out to others for transporting big things other than wings.

[Symbiote]

You might consider reading the linked article, or the one for the Beluga XL, which would answer your question.

[kingosticks]

Thanks so much for the tip. I looked at it but it's all folded on the mobile view and I totally missed it. However, the beluga xl article holds no information regarding this that I can see.

Other than other vehicles and containers, this is pretty cool:

> In 1999, a Beluga carried a large painting, Liberty Leading the People by Eugène Delacroix,[20] which had hung in the Louvre in Paris since 1874

[sofixa]

> I'm curious if Airbus ever lease them out to others for transporting big things other than wings.

There are multiple airlines specialising in that business, like Antonov Airlines, who use huge An-225(largest plane in the world by most metrics) and An-124(second or third largest by most metrics) for outsized cargo.

[marcellus23]

The linked article goes into quite a bit of detail on why these planes were developed and what they’re used for.

[xvf22]

The payload capacity is more based on volume/dimensions and not strictly weight.

[Brian_K_White]

article said