Airbus’ Beluga celebrates 20 years in the air

The Beluga, both the oddest looking and one of the most popular aircraft in the Airbus family is celebrating its 20th anniversary in the air. The cargo plane affectionately named after the Arctic white whale is responsible for ferrying crucial parts including new wings and fuselage sections between factories across Europe. It will see its work rate double as Airbus ramps up production along its assembly lines to meet a backlog of orders that stretches nearly 8 years.