Airbus' new giant cargo plane Beluga XL has received the green light from European safety chiefs - paving the way for wing deliveries to start from Broughton in North Wales early next year.
The huge aircraft has received its Type Certification from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).
Trials have been ongoing since February but this certificate will now see the plane joining the Beluga ST on operations.
It will become a regular visitor to Airbus Broughton - taking wings to final assembly sites in Europe.
The plane - which has made a number of trial runs to Broughton - is a key enabler for production ramp-up requirements beyond 2019.
It allows for 30% extra transport capacity - being seven metres longer and one metre wider than its BelugaST predecessor.
With the largest cargo bay cross-section of all existing cargo aircraft worldwide, the BelugaXL can carry two A350 XWB wings compared to the BelugaST, which can only carry one.
With a maximum payload of 51 tonnes, the BelugaXL has a range of 4,000km (2200nm).
The aircraft received its stamp of approval following an intensive flight test campaign that saw the BelugaXL complete more than 200 flight tests, clocking over 700 flight hours.
In total, six aircraft will be built between 2019 and 2023, gradually replacing the current fleet of BelugaST transporters.
Launched in November 2014, the BelugaXL is based on an A330-200 Freighter, with a large re-use of existing components and equipment, the BelugaXL is powered by Rolls Royce Trent 700 engines.
The lowered cockpit, the cargo bay structure and the rear-end and tail were newly developed jointly with partners, giving the aircraft its distinctive look.
Like the BelugaST, the aircraft will operate from 11 destinations in Europe, continuing strengthen industrial capabilities and enabling Airbus to deliver on its commitments.
