The Beluga XL, Airbus’s super-transporter, took to the air for the first time from France’s Toulouse-Blagnac Airport on Thursday. The over-sized aircraft took a low pass on the airport wiggling its wings “Hello,” during its four-hour flight over the coast and mountains in south France. Following its maiden flight, Jumbo craft landed at the Toulouse-Blagnac Airport once again.

The aircraft, which is a highly modified version of the A330 cargo plane, was built to transport very large aircraft components to and from Airbus’s manufacturing facilities in different locations throughout Europe and can fit two Airbus A350 jetliner wigs in its bulbous fuselage. 

The aircraft, with its resemblance to its namesake the  Beluga Whale, can transport over 50 tons a distance of 2,485 miles and can take off with a maximum load of 227 tons.

After a polling of 20,000 persons on the paint design, the paint job that resembles a Beluga Whale’s head was chosen.

Thrilling to see our #BelugaXL taking to the skies for the first time – a truly outstanding piece of technology from nose to tail. Congrats to everyone involved in this programme that is so instrumental in achieving our production ramp-up. pic.twitter.com/toMllNDiKe

— Guillaume Faury (@GuillaumeFaury) July 19, 2018

The “forehead” of the craft opens on hinges above the cockpit for loading and unloading. The cockpit is situated below the cargo hold of the aircraft in what resembles a “beak.”

Beluga XL over the runway. WorldVarieties/Youtube

The Beluga XL, one of five being built, will undergo ten months of testing before going into commercial service sometime in 2019.

  airbus, aircraft, beluga xl, cargo, europe, parts, super, whale