Dimensions of passenger aircraft. The largest passenger aircraft in the world

People love speed and size. We admire giant planes. Next to the aircraft that are in the top 10 largest aircraft in the world, most flying machines will seem like corncobs. Each of them is so huge that you need to think well in aircraft design and aerodynamics, so as not to wonder why these giants do not fall on our heads.

For convenience, we have divided the rating into two parts. In the first of them, you will find out which is the largest passenger aircraft in the world. The second will answer the question of who got the title of "the largest transport aircraft."

Dimensions can be measured in different ways. Aircraft are characterized by weight, wingspan, length, height, passenger capacity, carrying capacity, etc. We took the length of the largest aircraft in the world as the basis for the ranking - the longer the equipment, the higher it is in the top. Or, on the contrary, below, since we start the description of each section with smaller devices, gradually approaching the leader.

But you can arrange the top five differently, based on other parameters.

The largest passenger aircraft

5th position - Airbus A330

This is a wide-body aircraft developed by one of the largest aircraft manufacturing companies in the world - the French company Airbus. The first flight of the giant took place in 1992. The project was developed for 20 years. And not in vain for so long - the car turned out to be successful, in terms of the ratio of flight performance.

But not everything is so smooth. Getting into the top is good, but the model has rather sad loss statistics. For a couple of decades, 8 devices crashed. Some of the planes were destroyed by terrorists, which makes the statistic less troubling when viewed from an engineering perspective.

A330 parameters:

• length - 63.7 m;
• passenger capacity - 440;
• wingspan - 60.3.

4th position - Airbus A380

It is the largest airliner on the planet. It could be put in first place, based on a set of characteristics. But, since we took the length as a basis, the A380 takes the fourth line.

Aircraft parameters:

• length - 73 m;
• passenger capacity - 853;
• wingspan - 80;
• height - 24.

A characteristic feature of a large, but not very high-speed aircraft is the possibility of a non-stop flight of 15,000 km. At the same time, the double-deck apparatus is also quite economical. Fuel consumption per hundred kilometers and one passenger is only 1 liter.

The designers spent more than 10 years and $12,000,000,000 to develop the model. Before the advent of the A380, the Boeing 747 was the leader in terms of overall characteristics. And the French device was developed just as an alternative to the leader. Looking ahead, let's say that Boeing is in the lead in our rating according to the stated criterion. But it loses significantly to the A380 in terms of cost, efficiency and spaciousness. French liners turned out to be almost twice as spacious, 15% cheaper and less voracious.

The device costs about 400 million dollars. More than a third of the machine is made of graphite. Thanks to this, the developers were able to significantly reduce the weight of the model. Summarizing about this aircraft, we note that this is the largest passenger aircraft in world aviation. But not the longest.

3 position — Boeing 777-300ER

Model from the family of three sevens. The device has been in operation since 1995. This is the largest twin-engine passenger aircraft. It is equipped with the most powerful and largest gas turbine engines from GE.

Boeing options:

• length - 74;
• wingspan - 64.8;
• height - 18.7.

Designed for 365 passengers. These airliners can be admired endlessly - photos and videos demonstrate the impeccability of the lines.

2 position - Airbus A340-600

As you can see, the French love large sizes and know a lot about them. Most big planes in the world - the top 10 - can not do without the third representative of the family.

Aircraft parameters:

• length - 75;
• height - 17;
• wingspan - 63.5;
• passenger capacity (maximum) - 475;
• top speed - 900 km / h.

Before the appearance of the leader, this apparatus was the longest on the planet. Over the years of production, the company has produced more than 370 machines. In 2011, the car was discontinued. During the operational years, 5 aircraft were lost, but not a single person was injured.

1 position — Boeing-747-8

This is probably the most famous aircraft. Most of you have seen him in at least a few Hollywood movies. Many flew on this handsome giant. This is the longest passenger aircraft.

Boeing options:

• length - 76;
• wingspan - 68.5;
• height - 19;
• passenger capacity - 580;
• top speed - 988 km / h.

Boeing-747-8 is a modification of the 747 model. The dimensions and spaciousness of the cabin are increased here. Here, the designers have applied more advanced technologies. Improved aerodynamics. In addition to the passenger version, there is also a cargo one. He also entered this list.

The largest cargo aircraft

And here, too, we will first of all rely on the length of the car. In the case of transport equipment, this parameter coincides with the overall overall characteristics - in the first place is the longest, and generally the largest device. Let's start, again, from the last place.

5th position - Hughes H-4 Hercules

This is a rarity built by G. Hughes according to the principle "the queen gave birth on the night of either a son or a daughter." This is a large combat boat-plane. There is also an aircraft museum – today anyone can get acquainted with the device, designed back in the forties.

The 136-ton giant was created to transfer more than 700 soldiers - this is a very large military aircraft. The designers limited themselves to just one machine - at that time the production of such a giant was extremely expensive.

Machine parameters:

• length - 66.5;
• height - 24;
• wingspan - 97.5;
• wing area - more than 1000 m 2.

4th position - An-124 "Ruslan"

This unit became the predecessor of the current leader. It is operated mainly in Russia and Ukraine. At one time, the heavy Ruslan was the largest aircraft. The primary task of the machine was the transportation of ICBM launchers.

But this is not only almost the largest military aircraft in the world. There are also civilian versions, which are operated mainly by the Russian industry. They are designed for the transportation of oversized cargo at all geographical latitudes. One Ruslan costs $300,000,000.

An-124 parameters:

• length - 69;
• height - 21;
• wingspan - 73;
• load capacity - 120 tons.

3rd position - Lockheed C-5 Galaxy

The Americans did not develop this car for military needs yesterday either - the project was launched in 1968. Until 1982, Lockheed was the largest transport flying equipment in the world. In one approach, the aircraft is able to transport 6 Apaches (helicopters), 6 armored personnel carriers, a couple of tanks and 4 infantry fighting vehicles. Or a whole bunch of trucks.

The once largest transport aircraft is distinguished by the following parameters:

• length - 75.5;
• height - 20;
• wingspan - 68;
• top speed - 920 km / h.

2 position — Boeing 747-8

The cargo version of the device, with the passenger modification of which you are already familiar. The characteristics of the machine are similar:

• length - 76;
• wingspan - 68.5;
• height - 19;

1st position - An-225 "Mriya"

An 225 is the largest cargo aircraft in the world. He is able to cope with such a heavy load, which is too tough for any other aircraft in the world.

The parameters of the giant aircraft, whose name translates as "dream":

• length - 84;
• height - 18;
• wingspan - 88.5;
• maximum takeoff weight - 640 tons;
• flight range with a 200-ton load - 4,000 km;
• cruising speed - 850 km / h;
• weight of the empty apparatus - 250 tons.

Like the older, but smaller, "brother", the largest aircraft in the world was conceived as a transporter military equipment. The main task that the designers faced was to create a machine capable of lifting at least 250 tons into the sky at a time.

The largest aircraft in the world (the photo only partially conveys the dimensions of the machine) so far exists in a single copy.

Airbus A380 is the largest passenger aircraft in the world. In a single-class layout, it can take 853 passengers on board, there is also the A380-1000 project, which can accommodate 1073 passengers in economy class.

2. The Airbus A380 made its first flight on April 27, 2005, and began operating on October 25, 2007. This month we will celebrate our 10th anniversary.

3. Several countries are involved in the production of the liner. The main sections of the airliner are being built at factories in France, Great Britain, Germany and Spain. Russia also did not stand aside. The design of the A380F was attended by employees of the Airbus ECAR Engineering Center in Moscow - the first design office, created by the concern in Europe outside the territories of its member countries in June 2003. Russian designers perform a significant amount of work on the design of fuselage parts, strength calculations, placement of on-board equipment and support for serial production of aircraft.

4. Airbus is very open and often organizes events for aviation enthusiasts. On October 1, together with Domodedovo Airport, another spotting was held. To get to spotting, follow the accounts of Airbus and Domodedovo Airport. But if you don't want to wait, you can take a picture of the Airbus from behind the fence, now you can do it during daylight hours and every day.

5. Wingspan Airbus A380 is 79.75 m, and the wing area is 845 m². The wing size of the A380 is designed for a maximum takeoff weight of over 650 tons. The flight range for the A380-800 model is 15,400 km.

6. The length of the takeoff run of the airliner is 2050 m, the length of the run is 2900 m.

Cruise speed is 900 km/h and top speed is 1020 km/h.

7. Domodedovo Airport became the first airport certified to receive the A380. For this, special equipment had to be purchased. For example, the height of the aircraft is 24.09 m - this is an eight-story building. You need to get to such a height, for example,.
By the way, to deliver the equipment due to large sizes.

8. Currently, Domodedovo Airport remains the only airport in Russia that receives Airbus A380 on a regular basis. From 1 October Airbus A380 Emirates airlines flies on the route Dubai - Moscow - Dubai.

9. There are known cases of manufacturing A380 by special order of individuals. The first to order a personal Airbus A380 Super Jumbo was the Saudi prince Al-Walid ibn Talal, the nephew of King Abdullah. The price of the order is $488 million US dollars.

10. Now 215 have been released in the world Airbus aircraft A380, orders received for another 100 aircraft. On average, Airbus now produces about 30 A380 aircraft per year.

Thanks to the staff of Airbus and Domodedovo Airport for the invitation to spotting. It was very cool.

The double-deck giant of the aviation industry is one of the unique aircraft. It was developed back in the mid-eighties, and even then it was popular. Today, passengers of Rossiya Airlines can get on board this liner. Let's get acquainted with the parameters of the aircraft, determine the capacity of the Boeing 747 and best places in the cabin.

Options

This model entered service in 1985. Constructors in development this liner took the Boeing 747 300 project as a basis, repeating its unique modification. The new aircraft has received recognition due to more economical fuel consumption and improved sound insulation. In addition, until 2005, the capacity of the Boeing 747 was the largest among all the aircraft that existed at that time in the world. The cabin of this giant can accommodate 524 people.

Unfortunately for the Boeing company, in 2005 the Airbus company launched its new A380 airliner, which today is the leader in terms of the number of seats in the cabin.

The Boeing 747 400 we are considering, whose capacity is today in second place after the Airbus A380, has the following technical characteristics:

1. Length: 70.6 meters.
2. Wingspan: 64.4 m.
3. Cruise speed: 885 km/h.
4. Maximum range: 14205 km.

A unique feature of the liner is the engines (4 pieces) that emit a minimum of noise. Until 2009, the Boeing Company produced 1,358 such aircraft, which are successfully operated by various airlines around the world. Despite the fact that the ship has not been produced for 8 years, even today it is one of the most popular among Boeings.

Russian Airlines Owners of Boeing 747 400

The capacity of the aircraft makes it popular, including in Russia. Until 2015, only the Transaero company could boast of having this airliner in the fleet. However, as you know, on September 13, 2017, the company was declared bankrupt by the Arbitration Court of St. Petersburg. Consequently, the bankruptcy procedure was put in place. All 7 aircraft went to Rossiya Airlines. She is the one on this moment is the sole owner of aircraft of this class.

The airline offers its passengers 4 aircraft modifications:

1. 4 liners with 522 passenger seats.
2. 2 aircraft with seats in the amount of 477 pieces.
3. One model for 461 seats.

And although it was said above that the maximum capacity of the Boeing 747 is 524 people, there are fewer seats in these modifications. This is logical, since total number available seats determined by the class and number of seats of increased comfort. These chairs require more space than the standard version. Actually, now you can move on to considering the layout of these boards.

layout

Many passengers try to find the best seats on the Boeing 747 before the flight so that their flight is as comfortable as possible. This is by no means a useless exercise, because there really are more convenient and successful places in the cabin.

The lower tier of the vessel provides 470 seats - all of them belong to the tourist class. To put it simply, these are economy class seats, the price for them is usually low.

In the standard cabin, several variations of the configuration of the seats are possible, but the main scheme here is 3:4:3. In the rear of the cabin, a 2:4:2 scheme can be used, and in the nose of the aircraft - 2:3:2. Note that the most Not convenient places located precisely in the tail due to the location of the toilet next to it. They are never in demand, because people constantly pass near them, and the queues nearby can be annoying.

Quite convenient are the places that are in the middle block along the axis of the aircraft. In this sector, many passengers work comfortably without being distracted by other people. You can even sleep there, but it is worth considering that there are no windows near these places, so enjoy beautiful view out of the window is unlikely. But this does not play a big role if the flight is night.

On the lower deck there are 3 blocks of bathrooms: in the tail, between lines 43 and 44, and also at rows 20-22. Between sectors 31-35 and 54-59 there are food blocks and dressing rooms, so chairs with similar extensions are clearly not the best choice. Oh yes, at line 31 there is a descent from the upper tier, on which people can walk from time to time.

On the very upper deck the first three rows are for passengers who have bought business class tickets, and in lines 5-9 there are seats of the increased economy category. In the bow of the aircraft on the upper deck there is a platform on which there is a ladder to common salon, and two restrooms. This is what the layout of this liner looks like. In the diagram above, you can see the location of all the seats and choose the most optimal location for yourself.

Features of choice

Considering the huge capacity of the Boeing 747, choosing a seat for a passenger becomes difficult. Before buying a ticket, it is advisable to estimate how comfortable the future seat may be or, on the contrary, inconvenient. Remember that Rossiya Airlines has 7 boards of this type, which may differ in different layouts (three layouts are available), therefore, at the registration stage, it is advisable to clarify such a question and, if necessary, ask the employee to provide a window seat, for example, or away from the bathroom . Usually, airport employees at check-in counters meet passengers and provide seats that passengers request. Of course, seats can be selected within the ticket class. For a more accurate representation of interior details, it is necessary to consider the arrangement of seats.

Upper tier

Given the huge capacity of the Boeing 747 400, it is possible to arrange seats in comfort and economy classes in the cabin. The best of them are always on the upper deck. The first lines are reserved for passengers with business class tickets, and a little further (5-9 rows) are less comfortable seats for customers who prefer an economical flight. However, in any case, seats on the upper deck are more expensive than those on the lower deck. It should be noted that the seats in the business class are paired, each of them is made taking into account ergonomic criteria, so you can really relax here. These chairs are quite wide, there are reclining backs, there are displays, and the distance between the sectors is quite large. For all these benefits, passengers are willing to pay extra, and a lot.

The seats in the very first row stand out especially, because there is a lot of space in front of these chairs. The disadvantage is the location in the immediate vicinity of the bathroom, all passengers will pass to him through these places.

From the fifth to the ninth line there are convenient economy class seats. The most comfortable seats are on the fifth line, as there is a lot of legroom due to the large distance to the screen that separates the business class. In this sector, there are displays in the seats, the tilt function is available on the backs, and the free space between the seats is 75 cm.

There are standard seats in rows 6-9, however, passengers planning a flight are strongly discouraged from choosing seats in the ninth row. Behind these seats there is a staircase and a bathroom, which can cause inconvenience during the flight.

lower tier

The main salon of the lower compartment starts from the 10th row. Seats from lines 10 to 11 are located in pairs, so the airline classifies them as a class of increased comfort. Most often, tickets for these chairs are bought by families with babies. On line 12, seats are arranged according to the 2:3 principle, and for seats 12 with the designations "L", "K", "H" they require an increased payment.

In rows 14-16, places are arranged according to the classic 3:3 scheme, and in lines 17-19 - according to the 2:3:2 scheme. When choosing seats in these rows, it is worth noting that additional payment is possible for seats 14 "A", "B", "C" and 17 "E", "F". Of course, these are comfortable comfortable chairs, but behind row 19 there are evacuation hatches. Consequently, the seatbacks on this row are not equipped with an adjustment function at all, which should be taken into account when reserving these seats.

For the same reason, it is undesirable to buy tickets for seats in rows 29, 43, 54, since it will not be possible to expand the chair due to the proximity of technical blocks, hatches and bathrooms. Impressions from the flight can deteriorate dramatically when choosing such seats in the cabin.

Near the seats in rows 20-22 (“D”, “E”, “G”, “A”, “B” and “C”) there are restrooms, which will not bring pleasure from the flight for tourists. But the seats "D", "E", "G", "H" and "K" in sector 29 are located near the emergency exit - you have to pay extra for them, but there is a lot of space around them, which will allow you to sit comfortably. Yes, and be closer to the emergency exit during emergency It's like an added bonus. Also, the seats "D", "E", "G" and "F", located on the 23rd line, will be a good choice.

From the 31st row, the next block begins. Here, the locking of the backs and the proximity of the bathroom can be called an inconvenience. There are also stairs, hatches nearby, but all the negative can compensate for the large space nearby. But the only seat in this row has a crooked seat (very uncomfortable) due to being near an emergency exit. It is inconvenient, although there are many places around.

The best choices are chairs "D", "E", "G" and "F". They are quite comfortable, but there is a staircase in front of them, along which people will constantly go down / up. And the seats in rows 32-34 are located near the bathroom, so people in those chairs constantly complain about the noise. It is unlikely that you will be able to sleep there.

It is also undesirable to choose seats on lines 43, 54, 70 and 71. Due to the location of the emergency exit, the backs on these seats cannot be adjusted, which causes discomfort during the flight. Rows 44 and 55 are also located near the toilet, but this disadvantage is compensated by more legroom. If you choose places at the very end of the cabin, then you should consider that there is a restroom and service rooms. Naturally, the backs there will also not recline.

Despite the fact that the cabin capacity of the Boeing 747 is huge, the designers failed to create the same conditions for everyone to fly. Even seats for the same price can vary greatly in terms of comfort and convenience during the flight.

When buying a ticket on the official website of the airline, you can find the necessary form to familiarize yourself with the layout of this board. If you wish, you can call the airline manager, who will not refuse to help you choose suitable place. It is advisable to notify the employee of personal preferences and the desire to sit, for example, near the window.

You should not buy a ticket for a seat that is located near the office space. Usually, queues form near such premises and people are constantly moving, which creates unnecessary noise. It is necessary to reserve seats where you can recline and stretch your legs - this is very important on a long flight.

A very bad option is to book a seat next to the partition. And if the flight is scheduled for the morning or in good weather, then it is advisable to reserve a seat near the porthole in order to enjoy the scenery outside the window during the flight.

Considering how large capacity aircraft "Boeing 747", the layout of the seats on the liner must be studied in more detail. There you can determine better zones and places, finding technical blocks, latrines. Try to choose a place away from these rooms. Remember that this can determine the overall experience of the flight. Besides, good conditions especially important for people who are afraid to fly. After all, comfort reduces passenger stress and nervous tension. A person after a flight can get out of the plane full of energy, or he can be severely exhausted by constant noise.

Indeed, the passenger capacity of the Boeing 747 allows you to put this aircraft on the busiest flights. The carrier tries by all means to ensure that its boards are filled with people as much as possible, so you should not count on the fact that the plane will be half empty and you can take any seat. WITH huge liners this level is extremely rare.

How to buy a ticket cheaper?

When there are only a few days left before the flight, and many tickets are not sold out, the airline offers big discounts even on business class seats. Therefore, keep an eye on the number of tickets available, and if there are a lot of them, then you can postpone the purchase. There is a possibility that discounts will appear soon.

Occupying the wrong place

If it suddenly turns out that you have chosen bad place on which you are uncomfortable, and there are more nearby comfortable armchair, then you can safely move into it. It is unlikely that the flight attendants will ask you to go to your seat. But even in this case, you can ask permission to change the place, complaining of discomfort.

Of course, you can only take a free seat within your class, although according to some passengers it is clear that sometimes it is even possible to take a seat in a higher class if there are no people there.

Other aircraft with similar passenger capacity

The Boeing 747 400 has competitors that also boast huge capacity. The very first in the world is the Airbus A380 - a double-deck aircraft that can carry 525 passengers at once in three classes of cabins. There is a configuration of this liner that accommodates only economy seats. This configuration provides 853 seats. The flight range is 15400 km.

Less interesting is the Boeing 747 800 airliner with a capacity of 581 passengers in the presence of two classes in the cabin. There is also a modification with a cabin divided into two or three classes, in which 467 passengers can be accommodated.

However, Rossiya Airlines does not have such aircraft. "Boeing 747 400" with a passenger capacity of up to 552 people is the only modification leading in this parameter among other models.

Finally

The capacity of the Boeing 747 makes anyone wonder. Despite the fact that the aircraft was created a long time ago, even today it is one of the largest and most advanced airliners in the world. Traveling on it is a pleasure even when landing in economy class. Unfortunately, not all airlines can purchase such aircraft. Some low-cost airlines simply do not need them due to the lack of such a huge passenger flow. Maximum capacity"Boeing 747 400" "Russia" allows you to put these aircraft only on the busiest destinations, which makes it possible to load liners to the maximum. Naturally than more people buys a flight ticket, the more money the company can make.

People are always attracted to some kind of record - record planes always get a lot of attention

3rd place: Airbus A380

Airbus A380 is a wide-body double-deck jet passenger aircraft, created by Airbus S.A.S. (formerly Airbus Industrie) is the largest production airliner in the world.

The height of the aircraft is 24.08 meters, the length is 72.75 (80.65) meters, the wingspan is 79.75 meters. The A380 can fly non-stop for distances up to 15,400 km. Capacity - 525 passengers in the cabin of three classes; 853 passengers in single class configuration. A cargo modification of the A380F is also provided with the ability to carry cargo up to 150 tons over a distance of up to 10,370 km.

The development of the Airbus A380 took about 10 years, the cost of the entire program amounted to about 12 billion euros. Airbus says it needs to sell 420 aircraft to recoup its costs, although some analysts estimate the figure should be much higher.
According to the developers, the most difficult part in the creation of the A380 was the problem of reducing its weight. It was possible to solve it through the widespread use of composite materials both in load-bearing structural elements and in auxiliary units, interiors, etc.

Advanced technologies and improved aluminum alloys were also used to reduce the weight of the aircraft. So, 11-ton center section for 40% of its mass consists of carbon fiber. The top and side panels of the fuselage are made from Glare hybrid material. On the lower fuselage panels, laser welding of stringers and skin was used, which significantly reduced the number of fasteners.
According to Airbus, per passenger, the Airbus A380 burns 17% less fuel than the "largest aircraft today" (apparently referring to the Boeing 747). The less fuel burned, the lower the emissions carbon dioxide. For an aircraft, CO2 emissions per passenger are only 75 grams per kilometer. This is almost half the carbon dioxide emission limit set by European Union for vehicles manufactured in 2008.

The first A320 aircraft sold was handed over to the customer on October 15, 2007 after a long acceptance test phase and entered service on October 25, 2007, having completed commercial flight between Singapore and Sydney. Two months later, Singapore Airlines President Chu Chong Seng said the Airbus A380 was performing better than expected and consuming 20% ​​less fuel per passenger than the company's existing Boeing 747-400s.

The upper and lower decks of the aircraft are connected by two ladders, at the fore and aft of the aircraft, wide enough to accommodate two passengers shoulder to shoulder. In a 555-passenger configuration, the A380 has 33% more passenger seats than a Boeing 747-400 in standard three-class configuration, but has 50% more space and volume, resulting in a per-passenger more space.

The maximum certified capacity of the aircraft is 853 passengers when configured with a single economy class. The announced configurations range from 450 seats (for Qantas Airways) to 644 (for Emirates Airline, with two comfort classes).

2nd place: Hughes H-4 Hercules

Hughes H-4 Hercules (eng. Hughes H-4 Hercules) is a transport wooden flying boat developed by the American company Hughes Aircraft under the direction of Howard Hughes. This 136-ton aircraft, originally designated as the NK-1 and given the unofficial nickname Spruce Goose ("Goldfinch, Dude", literally "Spruce Goose"), was the largest flying boat ever built, and its wingspan still remains a record - 98 meters. It was designed to transport 750 soldiers fully equipped.

At the start of World War II, the U.S. government gave Hughes $13 million to build a prototype flying craft, but the aircraft was not ready by the end of hostilities, due to aluminum shortages and Hughes' stubbornness in trying to build the perfect machine.

Specifications

Crew: 3 people
Length: 66.45 m
Wingspan: 97.54 m
Height: 24.08 m
Fuselage height: 9.1 m
Wing area: 1061.88 m?
Maximum takeoff weight: 180 tons
Payload weight: up to 59,000 kg
Fuel capacity: 52,996 l
Engines: 8? air-cooled Pratt&Whitney R-4360-4A, 3000 hp each With. (2240 ​​kW) each
Propellers: 8? four-bladed Hamilton Standard, 5.23 m in diameter

Flight characteristics

Top speed: 351 mph (565.11 km/h)
Cruise speed: 250 mph (407.98 km/h)
Flight range: 5634 km
Practical ceiling: 7165 m.

Despite its nickname, the aircraft is built almost entirely from birch, more precisely from birch plywood glued to a pattern.

The Hercules aircraft, piloted by Howard Hughes himself, made its first and only flight only on November 2, 1947, when it took off to a height of 21 meters and covered approximately two kilometers in a straight line over Los Angeles Harbor.

After a long period of storage (Hughes kept the aircraft in working order until his death in 1976, spending up to $ 1 million a year on this), the aircraft was sent to the Long Beach Museum, California.

The aircraft is visited annually by about 300,000 tourists. The biography of the creator of the aircraft Howard Hughes and the testing of the aircraft are shown in Martin Scorsese's film The Aviator.

It is currently on display at the Evergreen International Aviation Museum in McMinnville, Oregon, where it was moved in 1993.

1st place: AN-225 This is a plane! Of course he's Russian!

This machine was designed and built in a very short time: the first drawings began to be created in 1985, and in 1988 the transport aircraft was already built. The reason for such a short time can be quite easily explained: the fact is that the Mriya was created on the basis of well-developed components and assemblies of the An-124 Ruslan. So, for example, the fuselage of the Mriya has the same transverse dimensions as the An-124, but longer than it, the wingspan and area have increased. The same structure as that of Ruslan has a wing, but additional sections have been added to it. The An-225 has two additional engines. The landing gear of the aircraft is similar to the chassis of the Ruslan, but it has seven instead of five racks. Quite seriously changed cargo compartment. Initially, two aircraft were laid down, but only one An-225 was completed. The second copy of the unique aircraft is about 70% ready and can be completed at any time, subject to proper funding. For its completion, an amount of 100-120 million dollars is needed.

On February 1, 1989, the aircraft was shown to the general public, and in May of the same year, the An-225 made a non-stop flight from Baikonur to Kiev, carrying a Buran weighing sixty tons on its back. In the same month, the An-225 delivered the Buran spacecraft to the Paris air show and made a splash there. In total, the aircraft has 240 world records, including the transport of the heaviest cargo (253 tons), the heaviest monolithic cargo (188 tons) and the longest cargo.

The An-225 Mriya aircraft was originally designed for the needs of the Soviet space industry. In those years, the Soviet Union was building the Buran, its first reusable ship, an analogue of the American shuttle. To implement this project, it was necessary transport system, with which it was possible to transport large loads. It was for these purposes that Mriya was conceived. In addition to the components and assemblies of the spacecraft itself, it was necessary to deliver parts of the Energia rocket, which also had colossal dimensions. All this was delivered from the place of production to the points of final assembly. The units and components of Energia and Buran were manufactured in the central regions of the USSR, and the final assembly took place in Kazakhstan, at the Baikonur cosmodrome. In addition, the An-225 was originally designed so that in the future it could carry the completed Buran spacecraft. Also, the An-225 could carry bulky cargo for the needs National economy, for example, equipment for mining, oil and gas industry.

In addition to participating in the Soviet space program, the aircraft was to be used to transport oversized cargo long distances. This work An-225 "Mriya" will perform today.

General Functions and the tasks of the machine can be described as follows:

transportation of general-purpose cargo (oversized, heavy) with a total weight of up to 250 tons;
intracontinental non-stop transportation of goods weighing 180–200 tons;
intercontinental transportation of goods weighing up to 150 tons;
transportation of heavy oversized cargo on an external sling with a total weight of up to 200 tons;
use of aircraft for air launch of spacecraft.

Other, even more ambitious tasks were set before the unique aircraft, and they were also associated with space. The An-225 "Mriya" aircraft was supposed to become a kind of flying cosmodrome, a platform from which spaceships and rockets would be launched into orbit. "Mriya", as conceived by the designers, was to become the first step for the launch of reusable spacecraft of the "Buran" type. Therefore, initially the designers were faced with the task of making an aircraft with a carrying capacity of at least 250 tons.

The Soviet shuttle was supposed to start from the "back" of the aircraft. This method of launching vehicles into near-Earth orbit has many serious advantages. Firstly, there is no need to build very expensive ground-based launch complexes, and secondly, launching a rocket or spacecraft from an aircraft saves fuel significantly and allows increasing the payload of a spacecraft. In some cases, this may allow you to completely abandon the first stage of the rocket.

Various air launch options are being developed at the present time. The United States is especially active in this direction; there are also Russian developments.

Alas, with the collapse Soviet Union, the "air launch" project, with the participation of the An-225, was practically buried. This aircraft was an active participant in the Energia-Buran program. An-225 carried out fourteen flights with Buran on the top of the fuselage, hundreds of tons of various cargoes were transported under this program.

After 1991, funding for the Energia-Buran program ceased, and the An-225 was left without work. Only in 2000 did the modernization of the machine begin for commercial use. The An-225 "Mriya" aircraft has unique technical characteristics, a huge carrying capacity and can carry bulky cargo on its fuselage - all this makes the aircraft very popular for commercial transportation.

Since that time, the An-225 has performed many flights and transported hundreds of tons of various cargoes. Some transport operations can be safely called unique and unparalleled in the history of aviation. The plane took part in humanitarian operations several times. After the devastating tsunami, he delivered power generators to Samoa, transported construction equipment to earthquake-ravaged Haiti, and helped clean up the aftermath of an earthquake in Japan.

In 2009, the An-225 aircraft was upgraded and its service life was extended.

The An-225 "Mriya" aircraft is made according to the classical scheme, with high-raised wings of small sweep. The cabin is located in front of the aircraft, the cargo hatch is also located in the nose of the machine. The aircraft is made according to the two-keel scheme. Such a decision is associated with the need to transport goods on the fuselage of the aircraft. The glider of the An-225 aircraft has very high aerodynamic properties, the value of the aerodynamic quality of this machine is 19, which is an excellent indicator not only for transport, but also for passenger aircraft. This, in turn, greatly improved the performance of the aircraft and reduced fuel consumption.

Almost the entire internal space of the fuselage is occupied by the cargo compartment. Compared to the An-124, it has grown by 10% (by seven meters). At the same time, the wingspan increased by only 20%, two more engines were added, and the aircraft's carrying capacity increased by one and a half times. During the construction of the An-225, drawings, components and assemblies of the An-124 were actively used, thanks to which the aircraft was able to be created in such a short time. Here are the main differences between the An-225 and the An-124 Ruslan:

New center section;
increased fuselage length;
single-keel tail unit replaced with two-keel;
lack of a tail cargo hatch;
the number of main landing gear racks has been increased from five to seven;
system of fastening and pressurization of external loads;
two additional D-18T engines were installed.

Unlike Ruslan, Mriya has only one cargo hatch, which is located in the nose of the aircraft. Like its predecessor, "Mriya" can change the clearance and angle of the fuselage, which is extremely convenient for loading and unloading. The chassis has three supports: a front two-column and two main ones, each of which consists of seven pillars. At the same time, all racks are independent of each other and are produced separately.

To take off without a load, the aircraft needs a runway 2400 meters long, with a load - 3500 meters.

An-225 has six D-18T engines suspended under the wings, as well as two auxiliary power plants located inside the fuselage.

The cargo compartment is made airtight and equipped with everything necessary equipment for loading work. Inside the fuselage, the An-225 can carry up to sixteen standard air containers (each weighing ten tons), fifty cars or any cargo weighing up to two hundred tons (turbines, trucks, especially large sizes, generators). On top of the fuselage, special fastenings are provided for the transportation of bulky cargo.D

Specifications An-225 "Mriya"

Wingspan, m 88.4
Length, m 84.0
Height, m ​​18.2
Weight, kg

Empty 250000
Maximum takeoff 600000
Fuel mass 300000
Engine 6*TRDD D-18T
Specific fuel consumption, kg/kgf h 0.57-0.63
Cruising speed, km/h 850
Practical range, km 15600
Range, km 4500
Practical ceiling, m 11000
Crew of six people
Payload, kg 250000-450000.

An-225 is a Soviet transport jet aircraft of extra-large payload developed by OKB im. O.K. Antonov, is the largest aircraft in the world.