Spot a Beluga in Toulouse, France (in the sky!)

Jeanne Marie Hoffman January 21, 2014 Flights Leave a comment

When Keri went to Alaska, she was very excited to spot a beluga whale in the sound. Â But people in Toulouse, France are spotting a beluga in the sky.

Behold, the Airbus 300:-600ST:

This oddly-shaped (and yet, adorable) plane is how other plane parts get to fly around.

According to CNN:

Each of the five Belugas in operation are, actually, Airbus A300-600 jets that have been modified to carry large cargo.

The top section of the aircraft was cut and an additional, wider fuselage section — resembling a bubble — was added to the airframe, giving it its characteristic hump.

The cockpit was lowered, making it possible for the cargo hold to be loaded and unloaded through the front of the aircraft.

The result is an incredibly spacious cargo hold.

Click through for more information about the history and the future of this aircraftÂ from CNN.

In addition to pieces of planes, the Beluga carries large objects otherwise difficult to fly, such as large pieces of art work.