Special Aircraft Transport International Company GIE, formed October 1991 as joint venture between Aerospatiale of France and Daimler-Benz Aerospace Airbus of Germany to develop a successor to the Super Guppy outsized freighter used to carry large Airbus airliner assemblies between factories in Europe. Resulting A300-600ST Super Transporter, known also as Beluga, based on A300-600R but with many important modifications including a completely new upper fuselage section to provide a freight hold of 24 ft 3 in (7.4 m) cross-section, with access via the largest door ever installed on an aircraft (upward-opening); cockpit moved forward and below cargo deck; new tailplane with endfins. First Beluga flown September 1994 and four of five ordered now in service (last for delivery in 2001); also used for charters when not engaged on main work.