Big Door Takes Seaward Swing

The largest flying door in aviation history, the two-ton, 24-ft-diameter nose door for the Beluga Super Transporter, was handed over a few days ago at Dowty's Hamble Aerostructures factory in England to Heinz-Holger Hahn, president of SATIC, which builds the mammoth transports-based on the Airbus A300-600-to carry outsize loads.

The multi-million big door is being taken by sea to Bordeaux for onward road transport to Toulouse, where it will be fitted to the fifth, and last contracted, Beluga, now being assembled. Once in place, the upward-swinging door will be opened and closed by two actuators supplied by Hamble Aerostructure's sister company Dowty Aerospace Hydraulics.