Safran delivers electric harnesses for the first BelugaXL

Safran Electrical & Power program teams and Airbus representatives came together at the Villemur-sur-Tarn site to celebrate the delivery of the last harnesses needed for the final step in the assembly of the BelugaXL. Airbus' jumbo aircraft will shuttle major parts for the manufacturer's products between its various production sites.

The BelugaXL is the successor of the current BelugaST. The program was launched in November 2014 in an effort to meet higher transport capacity needs caused by a faster pace of production. Against this backdrop, Airbus decided to develop and produce five new BelugaXL aircraft based on the design of its versatile jumbo craft, the A330. These new planes would gradually replace its fleet of BelugaSTs.

"The electric harnesses for the fuselage of the BelugaXL were designed and manufactured in collaboration with the Chihuahua (Mexico), Temara (Morocco), Hamburg (Germany), and Ajaccio, Villemur-sur-Tarn and Toulouse (France) sites. By following the existing processes for the A330, the teams demonstrated their excellent ability to adapt and innovate in order to become more agile, faster, and more competitive," says Benoît Gagey, BelugaXL Program Manager with Safran Electrical & Power.

 "With this first plane, the BelugaXL adventure has only just begun. Such great performance on either side further strengthens the bonds between our two companies. New milestones are on the horizon, so we need to stay focused and involved throughout the development process to ensure the plane's first in-flight tests go well next summer," says Alain Sauret, President of Safran Electrical & Power.