The Beluga XL, the largest cargo plane in the world, landed at Kolkata airport for the second time in a week on Monday, according to an official. It arrived at 5:47 AM after flying in from Tianjin Binhai International Airport in China.
The purpose of the stop is crew rest, FDTL (Flight Duty Time Limitations) and refuelling, an Airports Authority of India (AAI) spokesperson said.
It is scheduled to depart at 3.30 pm on Tuesday and head to Bahrain International Airport, he said.
The overall length of the aircraft is 207 feet, with a height of 62 feet and a wing span of 197 feet and 10 inches, according to data on the Airbus website. It also boasts a maximum payload of 51 tonnes, exceeding the Beluga ST's 44-tonne capacity.
Kolkata got its first glance at the Beluga XL, which is also the biggest Airbus Beluga series aircraft, when it landed at the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata on October 8.
The plane, carrying critical components for the Airbus A321, had departed at 5:19 PM on October 9, and headed towards Tianjin Binhai International Airport in China.
The aircraft was expected to return to Kolkata on October 13 but it got delayed by almost 24 hours, the AAI spokesperson said.
The Beluga XL is the upgraded and bigger version of Beluga ST.
“For the first time, Kolkata's NSCBI Airport welcomed the Airbus Beluga XL, the largest in its series, carrying essential aircraft components. The flight stopped in Kolkata for crew rest, FDTL and refuelling, as it's the only airport in Eastern India equipped to handle this aircraft,” the airport authorities had earlier posted on X.
(With inputs from PTI)
The DNA app is now available for download on the Google Play Store. Please download the app and share your feedback with us.
