The plane you are about to see it’s one of its kinds. It’s both a plane and… a whale?
This kind of airplane is designed to look as the cartoonish beluga whale. The whale is an intelligent marine mammal with a uniquely bulbous head. So making a plane resemble the cartoon creature is for sure going to raise a lot of eyebrows and attract many people’s attention now isn’t it?
The design of the Airbus Beluga XL wasn’t a decision that was agreed upon on a whim. In fact, Airbus employees gave people a chance to decide between several options of design. The beluga whale option however won 40% of the vote, hence was chosen as the new plane of the Beluga lines.
Beluga XL took its first test flight in the skies over France. The plane is currently undergoing some tests before officially being launched for travel.
Beluga XL however isn’t designed for human passengers. We are sorry to disappoint. The plane is meant to carry cargo and is uniquely designed to fit more cargo within the allowed space limit.
The plane’s head also makes it more aerodynamic, improving its efficiency. Accounting for the fact that airplanes are a major contributor of pollution and greenhouse gases, this new design can help combat these environmental side effects.
Not to mention that on top of the practical functions and its environmentally friendly design, the Beluga XL has brought a lot of smiles on people’s faces.
Bertrand George, head of the Beluga XL line has claimed that kids especially are in love with the new airplane design and they recognize it everywhere. For sure, this plane stands out for good, and it also looks super cute. If only us humans could ride in it, that would have been a magical ride.
