
The aircraft, known for its distinctive whale-like design, completed its last flight on Thursday, January 29.
It arrived from Bordeaux and landed at 11am after a farewell flyby over Chester.
Gareth Davies, head of Airbus Broughton, said: “It’s a proud and incredibly exciting moment for Broughton.
“This particular Beluga first took flight 25 years ago and since then has played a crucial part in transporting our wings from Broughton to Airbus’ mainland European sites.
“By transforming this aircraft into an education facility, we aren’t just preserving our history, we are using it to fuel the future of UK aerospace and inspire the talent of tomorrow.”
The BelugaST will now begin a new chapter as a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths (STEM) education centre.
The facility will be developed in collaboration with local schools to ensure STEM activities align with the national curriculum.
He said: “Flying the Beluga has always been a unique privilege, and bringing the ST5 home to Broughton for the last time was no different.
“Knowing this aircraft will now stay here to inspire future pilots and engineers makes this touchdown one of the most rewarding of my career.”
With that in mind, enjoy a gallery of your pictures from today’s historic landing.
