The Airbus A.300STA "BELUGA"
With larger Airbus aircraft in the design stage (A.330 & A.340) and the fleet of Guppy conversions aging, a replacement transporter had to be found. The answer was to completely redesign and convert A.300 aircraft. A total fleet of 5 being built, the first entering service October 1995. With better airfield performance, despite the extra bulk of the conversion, the A.300ST could operate out of Hawarden without the need to transport wings by road along the M56. As a result the number of visits by a Beluga to Liverpool are limited. Even so poor weather over the years has to led to a number of visits.
1995The first visit by a Beluga into Liverpool occurred not long after the type entered service. On 12th December
F-GTSA diverted into Liverpool due to the weather at Hawarden. Arrived at Liverpool from Toulouse 1154, departing to Hawarden 1650.
1999It was to be a while before the Beluga appeared again, this time
F-GTSB called on Saturday 6th November due to cross-winds at Hawarden. Arrived from Toulouse at 1034, positioning over to Hawarden at 1532.
2000F-GSTD/4 arrived at Liverpool on 31st October, inbound from Hamburg/Finkenwerder at 1727 on diversion from Hawarden. A combination of exceptionally heavy rainfall and very high tides on the River Dee caused the groundwater/water table to rise until the lower parts of Hawarden airfield were under water. The following morning, with the runways clear of standing water, the aircraft positioned across to Hawarden, departing at 0947.
2001On Wednesday 5th December
F-GSTA flight-planned in to Liverpool from Toulouse, arriving at 1929. Although officially stated to have been due to cross-winds at Hawarden, others stated that Chester ATC would not stay open 'after hours' and, as the aircraft had to leave Toulouse that evening or be trapped in France by a French ATC strike. Whatever the reason it was Liverpool's gain. At 0920 the next morning it positioned across to Hawarden to collect its load.
2002F-GSTD/4 visited twice in the year. On 7th March crosswinds forced a diversion when en route from Toulouse. At Liverpool 1019-1511, when 'TD departed to Hawarden. On 14th November
F-GSTD/4 returned on 14th November, again on weather diversion (snow shower?), from Toulouse to Hawarden, at Liverpool just over two hours, 1012-1226.
2007Another break in visits, however on 13th November due to high crosswinds at Hawarden,
F-GSTF, inbound from Toulouse diverted into Liverpool. After night stopping, it positioned out to Hawarden the next morning. F-GSTF was all white, not even fleet number '5' on the tail end-plates.
2008A year and one week later, on 20th November, again due to cross winds at Hawarden on runway 04/22. Inbound from Toulouse,
F-GSTF again night stopped at Liverpool before positioning to Hawarden the next morning once the winds had abated.
2009First visit of the year,
F-GSTD/4 diverted to Liverpool on 21st January, from Toulouse to Hawarden, 0942-1108. While
F-GSTF diverted a week later, 28th January, again from Toulouse to Hawarden, 1906-29/1009, so night stopped at Liverpool.
2010F-GSTD/4 diverted into Liverpool due to fog at Chester on Wednesday 17th February, stayed for several hours before positioning across to Hawarden in the early evening, once conditions there had cleared.
2011On Friday 7th January Beluga
F-GSTD/4, inbound from Toulouse, diverted to Liverpool at 0922, presumably due to snow on the runway. It continued onto Hawarden on Saturday 8th, after a night stop at 0933, calling BGA4TD. On Monday 10th January poor vis in low cloud and heavy rain forced a diversion to Birmingham, F-GSTD/4 continued to Hawarden after a night stop. On Saturday 4th February, the same aircraft
F-GSTD/4 diverted into Liverpool at 1041, again in conditions of low cloud and heavy rain.
2012F-GSTD/4 on Monday 24.9.12.
F-GSTB/2 also visited during the year.
2013F-GSTA/1 diverted in on Friday 11th January due to low visibility at Hawarden. Landed Liverpool on 09. Later in the year
F-GSTD appeared on diversion from Hawarden.
2014Beluga
F-GSTD/4 diverted in during 2014. With Monarch taking their final A.300s out of service during the winter 2014/15 season, it does appear that 2012 will rank as the final year of the type on passenger flights through Liverpool, however the A.300STA will remain in service for many years to come.
2015We did not have to wait long for the first visit of a Beluga in 2015, with
F-GSTF/5 arriving on 29th January at 1950 from Toulouse, staying overnight and to Hawarden the next morning at 1115 - due to winds at Chester. However conditions at Chester ere not as good as forecast, so at 1217 the aircraft landed back at Liverpool, departing at 1355 back to Toulouse empty. On 12th April
F-GSTB/2 was the Beluga diverting into Liverpool from Toulouse, due to winds at Chester, departing 0759 the following morning for Hawarden as BGA114B. The wind at Hawarden was again the cause of
F-GSTB/2 diverting to Liverpool on 8th July inbound from Hamburg at 1723, leaving 23 hours later at 1625 to complete the journey to Hawarden.
2016On 14th February
F-GSTD/4 arrived at 1725 for a precautionary landing with a flaps issue. Less flaps meant a higher landing speed, and there was not enough runway at Chester to ensure a safe stopping distance. The aircraft was at Liverpool for two days while a solution was found, leaving empty for Toulouse on 16th February at 1725.
Although Beluga aircraft had been diverting into Liverpool for a period of near 20 years, one of the fleet had eluded landing at Liverpool. That came to an end on 9th March when
F-GSTC/3 as flight BGA 114C from Toulouse landed at Liverpool at 1431 due to gusting winds at Chester. The flight departed Liverpool 1746 as the conditions at Chester had calmed considerably. Just over a month later it was
F-GSTF/5 en route from Hamburg that need to divert into Liverpool on 11th April at 2030, leaving for Hawarden the next day at 1132, call-signs BGA 134F/144F.
2017Two visits by Belugas during 2017, both during January. On 15th January
F-GSTC/3 landed at 1747 inbound from Toulouse due to winds at Chester, completing the flight at 1103 the following morning as BGA 214C. Ten days later
F-GSTF/5 inbound from Toulouse as BGA 114F diverted into Liverpool at 0936 due to morning fog persistently hanging over Deeside. Following clearance of the fog, the aircraft left Liverpool at 1221 to complete the journey to Hawarden. On 23 November it was again
F-GSTF/5 inbound from Toulouse at 1359. The reason for diversion is unclear, as at 1651 it departed, apparently direct back to Toulouse still empty!
2019With no visit by the type to Liverpool in 2018, it would be 16 months before the next arrival,
F-GSTC/3 on 28th March 2019 inbound from Hamburg at 1211 with a 'tech' issue that prevented landing at Hawarden. The aircraft leaving for Toulouse, still empty, at 1746. Flight numbers BGA 143C/141C.
On Sunday 29th September,
F-GSTC was back again on Sunday afternoon 29th September, this time due to low visibility at Chester. It arrived from Madrid Getafe and was on the ground for an hour and half until conditions improved.
By late 2019 the new Beluga XL had commenced services into Hawarden to collect Airbus wings - we will have to wait to see how it is before one of the new breed of Belugas first calls at Liverpool.
2020On Tuesday 11th February 2020,
F-GSTD/4 landed in the early afternoon at Liverpool after trying at Hawarden twice to land in strong gusting winds, the tail end of Storm Ciara. Under a fortnight later, it was winds again on Sunday 23rd February that brought in
F-GSTC/3 in the late morning (1105-1350) operating as BGA 164C/167C, arriving from Madrid/Getafe and departing for Toulouse/Blagnac empty as the weather at Chester had not improved.
2021 & 2022Despite the trend towards stormier winter weather, on no occasion during 2021 or 2022 did either a Beluga or the new Beluga XL have a need to divert to John Lennon. The was an occasion in 2022(?) when one diverted to Manchester as conditions at Liverpool were not much better than those at Chester.
(updated April 2023)SUMMARY NOTES:F-GSTA/1 1995, 2001, 2013
F-GSTB/2 1999, 2012, 2015x2
F-GSTC/3 2016, 2017, 2019x2, 2020
F-GSTD/4 2000, 2002x2, 2009, 2010, 2011x2, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2020
F-GSTF/5 2007, 2008, 2009, 2015x2, 2016, 2017x2
With now sixteen visits to date (mid 2013), and given the trend to stormier winters I have no doubt that Belugas will continue to divert into Liverpool on an occasional basis to wait out extreme weather at Hawarden. Updated early 2020, now standing at all five Beluga aircraft (but no Belgua XL as yet) having landed at Liverpool on thirty-two occasions at Liverpool over the years. Same figures and situation on the next update April 2023.
As is so often the case as I compile these accounts of visiting aircraft, I find my memory slightly at odds with the records. I seem to recall that for one of the Beluga visits that the wings were brought to Liverpool by road and loaded here. However every flight I've found a record for positioned across to be loaded at Hawarden. Have I missed a visit out?
