[Closed] Woohoo, just seen the Beluga Airbus

Bummer missed it by about 60 seconds (1049 near Holmfirth). Seen it before though.

See it all the time as I work about 2 miles down the Dee from the Broughton factory, had a couple of very low passes direct overhead on my way hone a couple of times. The wing barge is a regular visitor too, though the likely demise of the A380 will probably put paid to that. [img] [/img]Looking forward to the new improved smiley face Beluga soon.

Flies over the house every day as part of it's circuit before landing at Hawarden - it's remarkably quiet really. If I look over my monitor I look straight towards Wales and can watch it complete it's circuit before decending to land.

edit: looks like it may be about to take off again.

Look out for this that is about to take to the skies any day. The new A330 based Beluga...

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Yup, about to track down the coast of East Anglia, in the south, 12.48. Though even if it had passed this way on the return, we now have a lot more cloud.

Yup, another local here..
Often see it whole out riding.
Truly is a sight to behold.

It's definitely a day for the odd stuff, AN12 Antonov just gone over too, but just the big turboprop sound to give it away now it's dark.

Interesting aircraft! I used to work at the Finkenwerder Airbus site and would see it coming and going quite regularly.

It was actually a bit of a pain because to get to my hotel (in Jork) the road went past the end of the runway and it always seemed to be arriving or departing at commute time so I'd get stuck in a massive queue while the road was closed...

Fairly sure I saw the [url= https://www.oilspillresponse.com/news--media/news/osrl-boeing-727/ ]Oil Spill Response 727[/url] coming out of Farnborough today.

Nice looking old girl with a snazzy red nose.

Saw it doing a couple of circuits over Stockport last year, assume something was keeping it up there or training.

You sure it wasn't a Norwegian Airlines aircraft doing touch and go's at Manchester? They have snazzy red noses too....

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The oil response 727 is much more orangey in real life than the pics, plus it's orange both ends, and is LOUD compared to a modern wide body.

Curiously another AN12 arrived at Finningley half an hour after the first one left, somebody wants some big kit shifting.

Strange theyre so quiet landing and cruising in low from quite a distance, huge number on the rear upright wing,just incase they load the wrong one.

For a plane, they look like they where designed by a thunderbird 2 designer, eg it will never fly.

I didn’t realise the a380 was in trouble or planned to stop making until I googled it, also but should of guess how popular the new Boeing Dreamliner was, saying that have only seen one of each at Birmingham, but the a380 is massive when flying over you!

I was at fort Dunlop when it flew over it’s stupidly big for a passenger plane and in our modern day world can see why the smaller Boeing is more popular with airliners.

I believe there’s a conveyor belt Inside the Beluga........cue some crazy Singletrack theory of flight discussions!

Saw the Beluga on the tarmac at Toulouse airport last year, it's one crazy looking bird.

You sure it wasn't a Norwegian Airlines aircraft doing touch and go's at Manchester? They have snazzy red noses too....

I was talking about the Beluga.

Let’s not forget the original

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and by original I mean successor to this of course:

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LMT - Member
I didn’t realise the a380 was in trouble or planned to stop making until I googled it, also but should of guess how popular the new Boeing Dreamliner was,

Is the 380 really stopping production soon?

I've been on a dream liner a few years back. My son and I had water dripping from behind the window fascia plastic. Dripping all over the movie screen on rear of the seat in front. When we looked close the aircrew has stuffed hundreds of stacked paper serviettes behind the plastic to attempt to stop it.lol 😀

Is the 380 really stopping production soon?

Unless Emirates* order more, almostt certainly. The A350 and 787 allow airlines to operate better yields, and keep seat price higher, while also being more efficient/quieter, etc.

*Only Emirates have really been able to make the 380 "work". Partly because their marketing is so very good, but also it works with their routes and schedules. For most other airlines, they are often running A380s three quarters full at most. Very rarely get an upgrade on a 380, as they hardly ever get overbooked.

I'm local so see them all the time but am super stoked for the replacement Beluga XL ..or rather it's fantastic paintwork.
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Not just the A380 though - the 747 is on similarly shaky ground/treadmill

The problem with the A380 is it is chuffing expensive to run so unless you can fill it every flight it can bankrupt an airline pretty quickly. If you fill it, it'll make you a fortune, if you can't it'll kill you, and its a lot of seats to sell every day. There are not many airlines who can actually get the best out of it. I've flown on many an empty A380. Emirates are the only airline that has done the A380 properly in terms of its cabin configuration and integration into the airport terminal. The way that if you are business class or first class you to upstairs in the terminal building and board the aircraft directly from the lounge. It's a fantastic experience if you're lucky enough to fly them on business or first. You never have to mix or rub shoulders with the economy rabble! It is a beautiful aircraft to fly on though, far superior passenger experience to the 787 and definitely the ageing 777 which is like stepping back in time in terms of cabin noise and vibration levels compared to the latest generation of aircraft despite new interiors. Shame, but at the end of the day airlines are ruthless and they have no time for sentiment when it comes to planes. They have to pay their way.

I guess the Beluga's are quiet because they're shipping mostly fresh air around. They're not carrying a lot of weight shipping aero structures about so always on low power settings. Also the huge bulbous fuselage probably creates a lot of lift so the thing is basically a huge wing.

Beluga is common sight for me too as I live about 4 miles from the BAe factory. I've quite often been directly underneath it on its approach when I'm walking the dog down by the Dee at the end of the runway at Hawarden airport. Must keep a lookout for the new one.

Pretty sure I saw it over Chester yesterday, I got plenty of tuts as I stood in everyones' (in their opinion!) way whilst staring up at it. Didn't know its name so today is a school day!

Pretty sure I saw it over Chester yesterday

Airbus Super Guppy doing its thing. ISTR seeing it land at Manchester

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Then one day in 1983 the ultimate transporter came [s]to [/s]through town and I got a day off school.