{"id":146815,"date":"2024-01-08T13:48:58","date_gmt":"2024-01-08T13:48:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/?p=146815"},"modified":"2024-01-08T13:49:00","modified_gmt":"2024-01-08T13:49:00","slug":"airbus-beluga-transport-earns-its-air-operator-certificate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aviacionaldia.com\/en\/2024\/01\/airbus-beluga-transport-earns-its-air-operator-certificate.html","title":{"rendered":"Airbus Beluga Transport earns its Air Operator Certificate"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Just under two years ago, in January 2022, Airbus<\/strong> launched its outsized air-cargo service, Airbus Beluga Transport (AiBT), operated by Airbus Transport International (ATI). However, the vision was always to create a dedicated airline with its own Air Operator Certificate (AOC).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFor our final dossier we had been compiling many documents during the first half of this year, encompassing Flight Safety, Flight Operations, Ground Operations, Technical Operations and Crew Training,\u201d recalls Beno\u00eet Lemonnier, managing director of AiBT.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe submitted it at the end of June 2023 following which we answered questions and fine-tuned over the summer. Of course, we didn’t start from scratch, since we had built on the documentation and processes of ATI.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once the decisive audit by the authorities was passed successfully on the 26th of September, there remained one important \u2018box to tick\u2019 \u2013 the \u201cContinuous Airworthiness and Maintenance Organisation\u201d certificate (CAMO), which came at the beginning of November. With all these approvals successfully achieved, AiBT could at last really call itself an \u2018airline\u2019 and operate under its own AOC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Operating as an autonomous freight airline<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe of course developed our facilities which included the new main office headquarters, close to Blagnac airport,\u201d says Beno\u00eet. \u201cWe also secured our aircraft operational base at Francazal airport near to Toulouse, with two dedicated parking spots. From there our ground crews have been developing the capacity and capabilities to prepare the Beluga and its missions, especially in terms of loading and unloading the transport pallets as well as managing and maintaining the aircraft.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2192 Why 2023 was a record-breaker for the A320 Family<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The other major pillar of the fledgling operation was the official transfer of the BelugaSTs from ATI\u2019s fleet register to AiBT\u2019s (on lease from Airbus). Currently AiBT\u2019s fleet includes three aircraft, with the fourth one due for induction in 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn short, we now have the aircraft, we have the people and we have the facilities \u2013 and the certificate. So now we can operate missions as our own airline!\u201d enthuses Beno\u00eet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ramping-up operational experience<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Initially, AiBT is starting with flights on the existing Airbus network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s quite important that we don’t start with long complex worldwide flights, but rather that our flying crews and ground teams gain experience with short flights contracted by ATI. These flights commenced in November for routes to Saint Nazaire, Hamburg, Bremen, Sevilla etc. This approach allows AiBT to test its internal procedures and to train everyone, especially the new pilots, before it resumes its core business of long-haul missions,\u201d notes Beno\u00eet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recruiting and training new Beluga pilots<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Since the BelugaST is unique to Airbus, there is no immediate \u2018ready qualified\u2019 source of pilots on the external job market. Consequently, pilots of other types commonly operated would need to be brought in and trained-up to be type-rated on the Beluga \u2013 which takes some time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To bridge this gap, AiBT has reached an agreement for 12 of ATI\u2019s pilots to join AiBT as captains or first officers for up to three years. After this interim period, these pilots will return to ATI to fly the expanding fleet of brand new A330-200 BelugaXLs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In parallel, AiBT is actively recruiting pilots from the external world \u2013 of which nine have already been inducted, contributing towards an eventual total requirement of around 36 pilots by 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe are mostly looking for pilots with some experience of flying A300s and A310s \u2013 a family which shares the same cockpit and systems as the Beluga,\u201d notes Olivier. \u201cHowever, there’s nevertheless quite a long training path to be followed to become a first officer on BelugaST, then to be promoted to captain. And this is why we need this collaboration with the Airbus ex-ATI pilots who will accompany our development for up to three years.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

AiBT is therefore fortunate to have forged a close relationship with the Airbus Training Center in Toulouse \u2013 aimed at being its official EASA-designated \u201cApproved Training Organisation\u201d \u2013 where AiBT pilots are able to use the A300\/A310 full-flight simulator for type rating and for recurrent training and checks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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