Built to support Airbus's far-flung manufacturing needs, the company's fleet of Belugas numbers 5. One of them is at Oshkosh, in a rare US appearance.

The oddly-shaped machine (it looks a little like its progenitor, an A300, had a bad case of over-pressurization) does most of its work still for Airbus and parent EADS, but a recent development is its availability to outside customers. Roughly 10% of its labors are now expended, flying special missions, like delivery of subassemblies for the International Space Station, or a special mission flown this week to Oshkosh, as the big hauler brought five priceless aircraft from France, for Socata's special showing.

Daniel Tremosa, Airbus Transport's Chief Pilot, who flew the big machine to Wisconsin, told us that the machine was not hard to fly. One particular question of ANN's had to do with the airplane's crosswind component.

Captain Tremosa said, "At first, we expected it to be nearly... nothing; but it is quite good." That whale can handle 20 knots steady, with gusts of 32. [In contrast, the A300 from which it is derived, carries numbers of 27 and 38, respectively --ed.]

FMI: www.airbus.com