First of all, this Beluga is the last iniBuilds (Airbus) aircraft that I had not yet tested in my Xbox/MSFS2024, which prompted me for this post. You might know, among all the (payware/freeware) iniBuilds a/c for MSFS2020/2024, there is a total number of 6 Airbus types (if I counted right) that are all available by "default" (and "Streamed in") in MSFS2024: Airbus A310-300, Airbus 330-200/300, A320neo, A321LR, A400M, and A330-743L Beluga XL (subject of this post). Unless you are puritan simmer...🙂...with expectations of professional grade fidelity and rendition, this is, indeed, an impressive collection of "free" (Airbus) aircraft, perfectly suitable for the average simmer...as I am one...🙂...a feature, I do not recall in any of my previous SIMs. In fact, I would venture to say, I could have easily spent (US) $30-$35 for each one of these add-ons in my (early) FSX days, totaling to more than $200. 

And I am glad to say, so far, I'm 5 for 5, having (already) test-flown the first 5 of the (above) 6 Airbus types in my Xbox/MS2024, all flying without any issues in my system, of course, within my limited knowledge and domain of SIM expertise...🙂...So, here, in this post, I am now flying the (remaining) 6th (iniBuilds) Airbus type...a unique conversion (cargo) airplane, the A330-743L Beluga XL. It's worth noting that this a/c was introduced into service only 4 years ago in 2020 and was granted permission to operate in U.S. just last year in 2024. 

Now, if you have been around the SIM long enough...you might notice that such cavernous (and bulbous) design (converted) airplanes for transport of heavy and large cargo, is not new ...! I'm not talking about the Boeing Dreamlifter, officially the (converted) 747-400 Large Cargo Freighter (LCF). My mind here e.g., is (nostalgically) drifting back to (Sir) Freddie Laker's ATL-98 Carvair, which was a Douglas DC-4 based air ferry conversion (with a bulbous-nose, completely out-of-proportion with the rest of its body, so, might compete for the world's weirdest-looking aircraft ever...🙂...). While some might make fun of it as "weird-looking", I recall the (Flight Replicas) ATL-98 Carvair sure looked good, I think, flying in our virtual skies especially in the BAF (British Air Ferries) livery...🙂...

Introduced back in 1961, the Carvair was Freddie Laker's (pragmatic) idea of an inexpensive solution to replace the ageing Bristol 170 Freighter, which was similar, endowed with a bit more rounded nose and also a distinctive (boxy) fuselage...competing for good looks with the Carvair...🙂...The ATL-98 was purpose-built to carry "cars" and their (British) owners alongside, who, in the 1960s, wished to hop over the continent by air (instead of the rough seas) - car and self, included (22 pax and 5 cars per transport, to be exact). And some of us might also recall the film "Goldfinger" of 1964... (bit of a fan here of that British agent...🙂...), Sir Sean Connery's main (fictional) antagonist had his Rolls-Royce Phantom III transported via the (BAF) Carvair ATL-98, seen loaded through that bulbous nose...

Since then, times and transport needs have changed...so, replace that DC-4 (with Pratt & Whitney R-2000 Wasp Radials) by an Airbus A330-200 (with Rolls-Royce Trent 700 Turbofans; see close up engine shots below), increase the cargo capacity by 5-6 times more, and you get what you see below in my images...an (over-sized aka XL) Beluga whale...🙂...Please note this Airbus Beluga is a more modern version of the original (A300-600 based) Airbus Beluga, that had flown 25 years before this one. The Airbus Beluga XL can carry complete airliner wings and fuselage sections (e.g., that of the A350), or helicopter bodies, satellites, and large industrial equipment etc. While reviewing this airplane, I came across an interesting comparison study on-line i.e., if it were to be (hypothetically) used for Pax transport alone, how would it compare with e.g., the Jumbo A380-800? Here is the conclusion: An all-economy twin-deck configuration Beluga XL can fit over 1,200 pax (vs. 850 for the A380), and a 3-class configuration can fit 730 pax (vs. 525 for the A380). So, indeed, this is one massive (super) transporter, and, I hope, you get the same impression from the collection of my images below...

For test-flight locale, I've used the default (MSFS) OMDB airport (wish to get a payware version of OMDB scenery, sometime). I've (RW) visited OMDB/Dubai once, transiting through in an Emirates 777. All I recall...a massive airport complex, with seemingly endless chain of duty-free shops inside (never seen so many such shops all together within an airport, enough to put my KORD/O'Hare Duty Free section in the International Terminal 5, to shame...🙂...), dealing with cosmetics, fragrances, chocolates, electronics, and what not, and yes "jewelry"...all ideal for window-shopping...🙂...as I just ended up picking a box or two of (liquor filled) Chocolate brands, not seen in my local grocery stores...Oh well...

So, here we go, as I've lifted off with my Airbus Beluga XL, from OMDB Rwy 30R, for a short distance, westward, in dusk light, into the adjacent Persian Gulf, while manually controlling the a/c heading and altitude, and (easily) intercepting the LOC/GS signals of ILS Rwy 12L, guided by the (IF) waypoint (UKRIM) of this ILS Approach, used as my reference (see ND display). I've finally landed my (iniBuilds) Beluga (safely) on the terra firma of Dubai Airport, while reminiscing a bit about those duty-free shops and the sprawling airport complex, of my memory, one of the world's largest (if not the largest) airport for international travel...

It was a fun test-flight today...with no (apparent) issues encountered in my Xbox/MSFS2024. So, the iniBuilds (default) Airbus a/c are now 6 per 6, in my system, having passed my (limited litmus tests) with flying colors, and best of all, these a/c are all free in MSFS2024...worth flying again and again...

Thanks for viewing...!

Nice set of shots from the Whale in the sky !

cheers 😉

Great pics! 😉 

On 1/23/2025 at 12:42 AM, pmplayer said:

Nice set of shots from the Whale in the sky !

cheers 😉

Thanks. Yes, this Whale XL is nice to fly... looks odd in the sky, but after all, beauty is in the eyes of the beholder...🙂...

 

On 1/24/2025 at 8:46 PM, Alaska738 said:

Great pics! 😉 

Appreciated the note, Will.

Cheers...!

Nice set and narrative (as ever) P_7878. Personally, I can't go near that thing, way too ugly for me, but you mentioned a friend of mine, so this is for you -

(from the P3D days)

And then I found these as well -

(sorry, not wanting to hijack your post, just thought you might like to see these)

On 1/26/2025 at 5:21 PM, andy1252 said:

(sorry, not wanting to hijack your post, just thought you might like to see these)

Absolutely NP...Andy...The more the merrier...🙂...

You've got it all here...the BAF Carvair, the Bristol Freighter, and the (rarely seen) AW Argosy ... I'm impressed how quickly you dug these up...Mine are now resting within a desktop in the basement...with a touch of cobweb on top...🙂...but I do wish to see these a/c again someday in MSFS...

Thanks...!