**2.7 Logistics**

Boeing knew that the transport time required by land or marine shipping methods would not support a supply chain that included major partners located in Japan, Korea and Italy and that air transport would be the primary shipping method [7]. The Dreamlifter started as the Large Cargo Freighter (LCF) program and is a

**113**

**Figure 25.**

*Beluga and Dreamlifter [7]. Source: Boeing, Airbus.*

*The Evolution of the Composite Fuselage: A Manufacturing Perspective*

modified 747-400 freighter. The Dreamlifter and follows a historic trail of oversized or outsize aircraft, which includes the Airbus Beluga, that were borne out of the adage "necessity breeds invention". The Dreamlifter is a dedicated transport used to deliver full 787 fuselage sections, wings, and horizontal tail from suppliers located across the US and the world. There are four Dreamlifters in operation supporting

The innovation that was the Dreamlifter (**Figure 25**), also required equipment

Airbus was originally a consortium formed by British, French, German, and Spanish aerospace companies. Historically, each of the Airbus partners makes an entire aircraft section, which would then be transported to a central location for final assembly—even after integration into a single company, the arrangement remained largely the same. When Airbus started in 1970, road vehicles were initially used for the movement of components and sections. As production volume grew quickly, a switch to air transport was required. Beginning in 1972, a fleet of four highly modified "Super Guppies" took over. These were former Boeing Stratocruisers from the 1940s that had been converted with custom fuselages and turbine engines. Airbus' use of the Super Guppies led to the jest that that every

Today this need is handled by the Airbus A300-600ST (Super Transporter) or Beluga (**Figure 25**). The Beluga is a modified version of the A300-600 airliner adapted to carry aircraft parts and oversized cargo. The official name was originally Super Transporter, but the name Beluga, a whale, gained popularity based on the appearance of the airplane and has been officially adopted. Interestingly, the Beluga cannot carry most fuselage parts of the A380, which are instead transported by ship

to support the loading and unloading of such large cargo. Hence was born the largest cargo loaders in the world. The first one designated DBL-100 (DBL has been reported as an acronym for "Damn Big Loader"), were designed for use exclusively

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.82353*

Airbus took its first flight on a Boeing [8].

the 787 program.

with the Dreamlifter.

and road.

**Figure 24.** *Ultrasonic inspection.*
