Photo essay from a 2008 business trip to Airbus assembly plant and headquarters in Toulouse, France. Airbus and Toulouse-Blagnac Airport share an airfield, with the public airport on one side of the two runways, and the assembly plants for Airbus and ATR, another commercial aircraft manufacturer, on the other side.

These photos were taken on arrival to Toulouse-Blagnac Airport on a gray, rainy day, but it was still quite a treat to get a glimpse of the A380 superjumbo before it entered commercial service.

Landing at Toulouse-Blagnac Airport. Airbus headquarters is in the center of the picture, just beyond the A624 motorway.

Two Airbus A380 planes undergoing final assembly.

A380 planes, from a different angle.

Airbus Beluga, a freighter designed to carry aircraft parts between various Airbus assembly sites. The Beluga is based on the A300, the world’s first twin-engine widebody aircraft.

Another Beluga, with no Airbus markings.

Airbus assembly building.