Broughton, United Kingdom, January 29, 2026 — Airbus marked this Wednesday the withdrawal of its first A300-600ST BelugaST, ending a historic cycle in European aeronautical logistics.
The aircraft registered F-GSTF, known as “Tango Foxtrot”, made the final flight and landed at Hawarden airport (CEG/EGNR), in north Wales.
The fifth and last “Beluga” in the fleet was supposed to make a farewell flight over the Broughton factory — the place where, for decades, it carried wings —, but the aerial tribute was canceled due to adverse weather conditions. Still, the milestone symbolizes the end of an era for one of the world’s most recognized specialty aircraft.
Legacy that continues
As part of an Airbus “relocation” program, Beluga No. 5 will be transformed into a dedicated Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education center in Broughton. The space will function as an interactive learning laboratory, opening the doors to the world of aviation for schools and community groups across the UK. Other aircraft from the BelugaST family are expected to go to Airbus facilities or museums. The program is scheduled to be completed in 2027.
Brief history of the “Beluga”
Derived from the A300-600, development of the A300-600ST Super Transporter began in 1991. The first example began construction in September 1992 and flew for the first time on September 13, 1994. In total, five aircraft were produced (F-GSTA, F-GSTB, F-GSTC, F-GSTD and F-GSTF).
Since entering service in 1995, the BelugaST has replaced the Super Guppy and revolutionized the transport of large components between European factories, connecting production and final assembly lines in Toulouse and Hamburg. The nickname “Beluga” became an official brand of Airbus, such is the public’s identification with the plane’s unmistakable shape.
From BelugaST to BelugaXL
With the increase in production and the aging of the original fleet, Airbus introduced the BelugaXL, based on the A330. Larger and more capable, the BelugaXL can carry, for example, two A350 wings in a single flight — compared to one on the BelugaST.
Historical numbers and missions
“Tango Foxtrot” turned 25 years old on December 12, 2025. Throughout its career, it has accumulated notable achievements:
- 1,700 wings transported from Broughton and numerous other components from different Airbus sites
- Around 13,300 flights between group facilities
- Main BelugaST used to transport satellites to the Kennedy Space Center
Special missions include:
- 1997: World record for largest payload transported by air, carrying a chemical tanker onto a merchant ship
- 2003: charter flight lasting more than 25 hours to transport three Airbus helicopters from France to Australia
- 1999: transport of the work Freedom Leading the People, by Eugène Delacroix, from Paris to Tokyo
- Deliveries of the Columbus module to the International Space Station and large telecommunications satellites, such as those from Inmarsat
With a load capacity of 40 tons — equivalent to the weight of an adult humpback whale — the A300-600ST BelugaST ends its trajectory leaving a technical, logistical and symbolic legacy that helped shape the modern Airbus.
Source and images: Airbus. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
