AIR International – June 2018

(Jacob Rumans) #1

26 | http://www.airinternational.com @[email protected]


SCENE


BelugaXL ground tests


The first flight is approaching of the
Airbus’ new-generation Beluga in-
house transport aircraft after the
recent completion of key ground
tests. The first BelugaXL, F-WBXL
(msn 1824), passed the Ground
Vibration Test (GVT) requirement.
The objective was to measure
the aircraft’s dynamic behaviour
and confirm theoretical models
of various flight conditions, such
as manoeuvring, flying in gusty
conditions and landing.
The GVT work was carried out
by French aerospace research
centre ONERA and the Deutsches
Zentrum  für Luft- und Raumfahrt

(DLR, German Aerospace Centre)
over eight days. It was conducted
in two configurations: with an
empty fuselage and loaded with a
heavy, tuneable payload. More than
600 sensors, 7,000m (22,965ft)
of cable and 300m (984ft) of
optical fibres were installed on the
fuselage, empennage, engines and
wings to measure the vibrations in
the aircraft generated by external
shakers and seismic exciters.
The GVT is a key part of the work to
certify the BelugaXL, as it will help
to clear the aircraft’s flight envelope
and assess its structural behaviour.
The DLR said: “The experimental

test data provided by GVTs are
useful to update the mathematical
structural model of the aircraft;
they are then valuable to predict the
vibration amplitudes in operation,
and necessary to demonstrate
freedom from flutter risks
throughout the flight envelope.”
The test team performed
assessments quickly, with
measurements taking only
four days for each structural
configuration. The DLR reported
the measurements were captured
with a high degree of reliability,
with the data processed in near
real time. ONERA and the DLR have

jointly conducted GVTs for Airbus
since 1999, most recently on the
A320neo and A350.
The BelugaXL, based on the A330-
200 Freighter, was launched
in November 2014 to address
Airbus’ requirements for increased
transport capacity requirements
as it ramps up production rates.
The first of five BelugaXLs will fly in
summer 2018 and enter service in


  1. The aircraft will replace the
    current Belugas (based on the A300
    and in service since the mid-1990s)
    on a one-for-one basis with the
    entire fleet due for replacement by
    the mid-2020s. Mark Broadbent


The nose of the first Airbus BelugaXL F-WBXL was lifted off the ground by around 11ft (3.5m) during the Ground Vibration Test to determine the aircraft’s
empty-weight centre of gravity. Airbus

Air Italy spreads wings


Air Italy is undertaking a major
international expansion. The carrier
has started its first long-haul services
with new routes from Milan-
Malpensa to New York JFK and Miami
using Airbus A330-200s. Other
services from Milan to Bangkok and
Mumbai will follow from September
and October respectively.


Air Italy is the rebranded Sardinian
airline Meridiana and is 49% owned
by Qatar Airways. As the aviation
consultancy CAPA recently noted,
the renaming is a further example
of a current trend in Europe to use
national branding for new airlines.
Other start-up carriers across
the continent named in this way

include Air Albania, Air Belgium, Blue
Slovakia, FlyBosnia, Air Andorra and
Italian Airways.
In line with its network expansion,
Air Italy’s fleet is undergoing an
overhaul. Three more A330-200s
and three further Boeing 737 MAX
8s are due to arrive by the end of
the year (the carrier currently has

two A330-200s, one 737 MAX 8,
eight 737-800s and three 767-300s,
with the latter aircraft due to be
phased out by the end of the year).
The airline is planning to receive
50 new aircraft by 2022, including
more Boeing 737 MAX-series jets
and Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners from


  1. Mark Broadbent


One of Air Italy’s new aircraft is Airbus
A330-202 EI-GFX (msn 571), formerly
operated by Qatar Airways, the 49%
shareholder in the recently rebranded
Italian carrier. Marco Finelli
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