The biggest plane in the world. The largest mass-produced cargo aircraft

It is one thing when an ordinary plane rises into the air, even if it is designed for a couple of hundred passengers, and it is quite another when a product of the human mind tens of meters long is in the sky, capable of transporting hundreds of tons of cargo for thousands of kilometers.

At various times, the honorary title of big plane different winged cars were worn in the world. For example, among them in the 1930s was the unique 8-engine propaganda aircraft ANT-20 "Maxim Gorky". Today, there are other leaders in this field, although the records they set many decades ago still hold. "Around the World" invites you to meet some of these champions.

The best: AN-225 "Mriya"

This is an aircraft with the largest payload capacity in the world (it can carry cargo with a total weight of 250 tons) and with the largest take-off weight (more than 640 tons), as well as the largest in length and span of the wing that entered service. First, let's deal with the dimensions: the length of the "Mriya" (in Ukrainian "Dream") is 84 meters, and its wingspan is 88.4 meters. For example, we point out here that a football field that meets FIFA recommendations has dimensions of 105 × 68 meters, and Red Square in Moscow - 330 × 75 meters.

The cargo compartment at Mriya is a sealed space 43 meters long, 6.4 meters wide and 4.4 meters high (that is, about the size of a two-story house), it can fit, for example, 50 cars. The aircraft was invented and built in 1984-1988 at the Kiev Mechanical Plant to transport parts of the Buran spacecraft and launch vehicle from the production site to the launch site, as well as, if necessary, the entire Buran - it was supposed to be placed on the "back" at " Mriya."

An-225 at the Swedish airport Stockholm-Arlanda

However, this giant did not perform its main duties for long: by 1990, all work under the Energia-Buran program was curtailed, and the AN-225 from 1994 to 2001 stood half-disassembled. By 2001, it was restored and has since been regularly used to transport heavy loads, including for record-breaking transport operations.

Mriya has already flown with the longest (42.1 meter wind turbine blades) and heaviest monocargo (generator weighing 174 tons), as well as with cargoes of the largest total mass - 253.8 tons. In total, Mriya has more than 200 world records of this kind. The plane exists in a single copy, it is operated by a Ukrainian airline Antonov Airlines, however, it is possible that in a year or two by the forces of the Kyiv Antonov Design Bureau and a Chinese company AICC a second one will be built.

Giant flying boat: Hughes H-4 Hercules

In the previous part, we mentioned that the AN-225 "Mriya" is the aircraft with the largest wingspan among all entered into service. This reservation is not accidental: in the history of aviation there was an even larger aircraft, but it made only one test flight at an altitude of 21 meters and a length of about 1.5 km. It's about Hughes H-4 Hercules, a giant flying boat built by 1947 by the brilliant (and insane) American aviator and businessman Howard Hughes.

Created by Hughes, an 8-engine monster 66.6 meters long with a wingspan of 97.5 meters was conceived as a means of transferring cargo, military equipment(with a total weight of about 70 tons) and up to 750 soldiers across the Atlantic from the US to Europe. The project started in 1942 with the money of the American government, but its implementation was delayed for a long five years. So the Second World War ended, but the megaboat still did not take off.

In the end, this alerted the US government and Congress, under pressure from which Howard Hughes nevertheless made a test flight on November 2, 1947 in the California city of San Pedro. Flight first and last. Until Hughes' death in 1976, the Hercules was maintained in flying condition, and then passed from hand to hand, until it finally ended up in the aviation museum in McMinnville, Oregon, where it is to this day - you will be in Oregon , be sure to check it out.

Hughes H-4 Hercules during testing

The most remarkable thing about this plane is not even the largest wingspan among planes ever flown, but the fact that the car was built from birch, or rather, from birch plywood: the shortage of aluminum during the war years affected. Despite this, the plane was nicknamed "spruce goose" (Spruce Goose)- it has become synonymous with the expression " White elephant". We also add that Hughes H-4 Hercules- also the largest hydroplane in the history of aviation.

The largest passenger: Airbus A380

In this category, the first place is Airbus A380 in modification 800. This is generally the largest serial airliner in the world: height - 24.1 meters, length - 72.8 meters, wingspan - 79.8 meters, on its two decks it can carry up to 853 people in total (in a single-class configuration ) at a distance of 15,700 km.

It is on this aircraft that the second and third longest commercial flights are operated today - from Auckland, New Zealand to Dubai (about 17 hours) and from Dallas, Texas, to Sydney, Australia (about 16 hours). During this time, aircraft cover about a third of the length of the equator (the first place in terms of the length of a commercial flight since February 2017 is for a flight Qatar Airways from Auckland to Doha Boeing 777-200LR).

A380 being towed to the runway

In the plans Airbus creation of enlarged versions of this airliner - even more spacious A380-900 for 900 passengers (all in economy class), as well as a cargo version A380F, which will be the second after the "Mriya" in terms of carrying capacity. And both of them, presumably, will be even larger in length and in wingspan. So far, however, not a single such aircraft has been built: they do not have the required number of orders.

Longest passenger: Boeing 747-8

Interestingly, the gigantic size and record capacity Airbus A380- not the longest passenger aircraft in the world. This title is held by the former number one among airliners. Boeing 747 in version 8. Boeing 747-8- this is the third generation of the double-deck 747, which made its first flight back in 1969 and was adopted in commercial exploitation about a year later.

The record of this aircraft in terms of weight and capacity among passenger liners lasted 36 years - just before the appearance Airbus A380. At the same time, some of his records have not been broken so far. Yes, exactly Boeing 747-400 in 1989 made the longest for commercial airliners non-stop flight, covering a distance of more than 18,000 km from London to Sydney in 20 hours 9 minutes. There was no cargo or passengers on board.

Boeing 747-8I German airline Lufthansa

Boeing 747-8 produced in two versions - passenger (747-8I) and cargo (747-8F). And in the near future, one more highly specialized one will probably appear: the US Air Force is looking at the 747-8 as the future "number one aircraft" - for the US President. Now this role is played by the heavily redesigned 747-200 in comparison with the production version, which was put into operation in the late 1980s. It is noteworthy that a Russian trace appears here: they are going to convert Boeing 747-8I, ordered by the bankrupt Russian company Transaero and now in storage in the Mojave Desert in the United States (thanks to climatic conditions aircraft stored there at a special range are practically not subject to corrosion).

Most voluminous: Boeing 747 Dreamlifter

Surprisingly, the giant "Mriya" was not omnipotent. When companies Boeing it was necessary to establish supply chains of parts for the latest Boeing 787 Dreamliner, its capabilities were not enough to transport parts of the wings and fuselage of the Dreamliner from Japan and Europe to a plant in Washington state. Moreover, none of the aircraft that existed at that time (the Soviet AN-124 and its own Boeing 747-400F) suited the company, and it would have been too long to transport components by sea. Then the engineers Boeing developed (note, not without the participation of the Moscow bureau of the company) a modified version Boeing 747 by calling her Dreamlifter.

Boeing Dreamlifter V International Airport Chubu (Japan)

The difference of this, frankly, rather ugly aircraft (to the president of the commercial division Boeing Scott Carson even had to jokingly apologize to the creator of the 747 Joe Sutter "for what [they] did to his aircraft") is visible to the naked eye: the 747 is noticeably swollen - the diameter of the aircraft body is significantly increased, and it opens for loading side tail.

As a result, the engineers managed to achieve a record volume inside of 1840 cubic meters. notice, that Dreamlifter not unique. Earlier, with the same goals, the American Aero Spacelines Super Guppy(on it transported and transport parts of spacecraft) and the European Airbus Beluga, which delivers aircraft parts to the factory in Toulouse. Both of them, however, have a smaller usable volume.

Potential champion: Scaled Composites Model 351

May 31, 2017 in the Mojave Desert from the hangar with the confluence of the public and journalists Scaled Composites Model 351- twin-body, 6-engine aircraft, an element of the air launch aerospace system Stratolaunch, designed to lift rockets to a height of 11 kilometers Pegasus XL, from where they can launch into space, spending significantly less fuel and, therefore, having more payload on board.

Such a launch scheme is not new - for the first time, it was invented to launch aircraft from other aircraft back in the first half of the last century: in the 1930s, two airships were built in the United States, from which it was supposed to fly Not big planes. And after World War II, first in the 1970s in the USA (project Convoy Virtus), and then in the 1990s in our country (the Lightning-1000 project, aka Hercules), projects were developed to launch spacecraft from superplanes. So far, however, none of them, including the described Startlaunch, did not take off.

But soared much smaller White Knight Two, similar in design to a twin-body carrier aircraft built by the same Scaled Composites for air launch of a tourist spaceplane SpaceShipTwo billionaire Richard Branson. In 2010 SpaceShipTwo made the first flight, separated in the air from the carrier white knight.

SpaceShipTwo(center) and carrier aircraft White Knight Two, analogue Scaled Composites Model 351

If the flight Scaled Composites Model 351 ever take place, this aircraft will break the record Hughes H-4 Hercules in terms of wingspan among aircraft ever flown: with a length of 71 meters, the length of the wing Startlaunch(and technically it has one solid wing connecting both fuselages) is 117 meters.

Photo: Larske / commons.wikimedia.org, commons.wikimedia.org, Monty Rakusen / Getty Images, Kiefer / commons.wikimedia.org, Muroi 8210 / commons.wikimedia.org, Virgin Galactic / Mark Greenberg / commons.wikimedia.org

The largest aircraft in the world is the An-225. They built an aircraft in Ukraine and use it to transport a huge mass. An-225 is also called a military transport aircraft. The height of this aircraft is 24.1 meters, the length is also amazing - 73 meters. The wingspan is 88.4 meters. The weight of the aircraft is 250,000 kg, and it can take off with a total weight of 600,000 kg. It was built back in 1988. The aircraft is equipped with six engines. There is only one An-225 in the whole world, which belongs to Antonov Airlines. The construction of the second An-225 is also underway, but it is not fully completed.

Hughes H-4 Hercules, or as it is also called - NK-1 Goose spruce, is the second largest aircraft. This wooden plane was built back in 1947, the project was developed by Hughes Aircraft, from America. According to its idea, the plane was designed to carry 750 soldiers, plus their equipment. To this day, the wingspan of the aircraft is the largest in the world - 98 meters. Aircraft length 66.45 meters, height - 24 meters, maximum takeoff weight equals 180,000 kg. Max Speed aircraft is 351 miles per hour, and the distance that the aircraft could cover is 5634 kilometers. About 13 million dollars were allocated for its manufacture. In our time, the aircraft is located in an exhibit museum, in the state of Oregon, which is located in the northwest of the United States.

The Airbus A380 is a passenger aircraft capable of carrying up to 525 people. It was created by the Airbus S.A.S company, the height of this aircraft is 24 meters, the length is 73 meters, the wingspan is 79.75 meters. The maximum flight range without refueling is 15,400 km. The maximum takeoff weight is 560,000 kg, and the mass of the aircraft itself is 280,000 kg. This aircraft is by far the largest passenger airliner in the world. It is also the most economical in terms of fuel combustion, for 1 passenger - 3 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers. About 12 billion euros went into the entire development of the A380 construction program.

An-124 or Ruslan, is one of the largest cargo-lifting aircraft in the world. Its main and initial purpose during the creation was: transportation of launchers of intercontinental ballistic missiles, transportation of paratroopers, heavy military equipment. An-124 in 1987 was used in military operations in Afghanistan, a total of 56 aircraft were involved. A film called "Ruslan, who united the world" was also made about this aircraft. An-124 is currently in service with the Air Force in Russia, it is also used for NATO military transportation in areas Central Asia, Afghanistan, Persian Gulf. The length of the aircraft is 69.1 meters, the wingspan is 73.3 meters, the height is 21.1 meters, and the weight is 173,000 kg.

We continue to consider the largest aircraft in the world. Fifth on the list is an aircraft called the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy. He is one of the American military transport aircraft heavy duty. Until 1982 - the largest serial cargo aircraft in the world. Able to carry on board up to 270 soldiers, 118,300 kg of additional weight. The maximum takeoff weight is 348,300 kg, the maximum speed is 920 km/h, the flight range is 5,600 km, and the maximum climbed altitude is 10,100 meters.

The Boeing 777-300ER is a large passenger aircraft that can fly a record distance of 21,601 km without refueling. Used for long haul airlines. It was developed in 1990, test flight - 1994, began to operate in 1995. Can accommodate from 305 to 550 passengers. It is also the world's largest twin-engine passenger jet. The engines that are installed on it are also champions, they are the largest and most powerful in the history of aviation.

The Airbus A340 is a four-engine passenger aircraft developed by Airbus S.A.S. About 389 of these aircraft have been ordered to date. The development program began in 1987. A340 is a new four-engine aircraft designed for intercontinental flights. Previously, all aircraft below the A340 class had two engines, and were forced to stay at a minimum distance from the emergency airfield in case of a breakdown. They had to spend more fuel, and it was inconvenient. In 1991, a significant error was noticed, the wing of the A330 and A340 was no different, and this was a problem, since the A330 used only two engines, while the A340 used four. The length of the aircraft is 75.3 meters, height - 17.3 meters, wingspan - 63.5 meters, the maximum flight with passengers without refueling is 14,600 km.

Boeing 747 at the time of its creation was the largest, heaviest and most spacious passenger aircraft in the world, it held the record for 37 years until the A380 appeared. The plane has two decks where passengers are seated - upper and lower. The top is much smaller than the bottom. The record set by one of the Boeings is a flight from London to Sydney, which is 18,000 kilometers and took 20 hours and 9 minutes from takeoff and landing. The Boeing 747 is also one of the most common aircraft in the world. Since the creation of the aircraft and by September 2010, 1527 units were ordered. Its length is 70.6 meters, wingspan - 64.4 meters, maximum takeoff weight- 412 770 kg, height - 19.4 meters.

It is the ninth largest aircraft in the world. The Boeing 777-200ER is nothing more than a modification of the Boeing 777. Compared to the Boeing 777, the Boeing 777 of the 200ER class has increased takeoff weight and fuel capacity. It is intended for international transport, holds the record for a single-engine emergency flight of 177 minutes, with 255 passengers on board. The first purchase was made by the company british airways 1997. As of September 2010, 415 of these aircraft have been sold.

Closes the list of the most large aircraft in the world - Airbus A330-300. It was designed to replace the A300 aircraft. This aircraft can carry up to 295 passengers. The maximum flight distance is 10,800 km. Also, the aircraft can be used as a cargo carrier, its volume is equal to the volume of a Boeing 747. The aircraft has two engines, so it is forced to fly near emergency airfields, while spending a lot of fuel.

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Odnoklassniki

Aviation, like many areas of engineering, is not alien to gigantism.

Today we've rounded up some of the largest and most impressive aircraft ever to take to the skies. Not only dry dimensions were considered, but also the significance for world aviation, as well as the originality of the design and purpose.

The aircraft itself is already an engineering genius. Making hundreds of tons of iron rise above the ground is not a trivial task. Even the smallest details matter, it takes the highest precision and hard work of hundreds of people to create even the simplest aircraft by today's standards.

The greater challenge is for aircraft designers to experiment with materials, sizes, technologies in order to create aircraft ever lighter, ever more economical, ever larger than their predecessors. This article will focus on the largest passenger aircraft. Now in the world there are two main players producing huge passenger aircraft - Boeing and Airbus.

Competition between them led to the creation of colossal machines. Among them, the recognized leader is the Airbus-A380. The span of its huge wings almost reaches 80 m, and the length is 73 m. Read about him, as well as about other flying giants, below.

Airbus-A380

• Wingspan - 79.75 m
• Length - 72.75 m
• Height - 24.08 m
• Weight - 280 t
• Takeoff weight, max. - 560 t
• Number of engines - 4
• Passenger capacity, max. - 853 people

The production of this aircraft began in 2005, and was put into operation in 2007. Since that time, it officially occupies the first place among passenger aircraft not only in size, but also in capacity, as well as in many other parameters. For example, for aircraft of this category, it is the most economical. Its fuel consumption is only 3 liters per passenger per 100 kilometers.

Such a huge aircraft could not take off if it was built from traditional materials - it would simply be too heavy, and there would not be enough lift from the wings to lift it off the ground. Therefore, the main challenge for engineers and designers was the task of minimizing its weight.

The solution to this problem became possible through the use of the latest composite materials, some of which were specially designed for this aircraft. For example, the central and main part of the wing (which itself weighs 11 tons!) is 40 percent carbon fiber. Laser technology was used to weld structural elements, which significantly increased the reliability of the joints and reduced the number of fasteners.

Among other things, the designers took care of environmental friendliness. By reducing the amount of fuel consumed by 17% compared to the Boeing 747, they have also achieved a reduction in CO2 emissions - they are 75 grams per passenger per 1 km of travel.

Boeing 747

• Wingspan - 68.5 m
• Length - 76.3 m
• Height - 19.4 m
• Weight - 214.5 t
• Takeoff weight, max. - 442.2 t
• Number of engines - 4
• Passenger capacity, max. - 581 people
• Manufacturer - Boeing

The Boeing 747 held the lead among passenger aircraft for over 36 years, from 1969 to 2005. In 1970, the release of this aircraft into serial production was a breakthrough, because the construction of such a new model entailed a whole series of changes in the production process, technology, operational requirements, and even in pilot training methods.

Not originally planned to be released a large number of 747s, but when this model proved its reliability, many world airlines began to order it, because the volume passenger traffic started to rise sharply and spacious aircraft it was profitable to keep. Currently, 1.5 thousand 747s fly in the world in companies such as British Airways, Korean Air China Airlines. In Russia, the 747th is operated by the Rossiya company. She inherited five 747s from the collapsed Transaero company.

The 747 also holds significant records: in 1989, it was this aircraft, owned by the Australian Qantas Airways, that made a direct flight to Sydney from the British capital, covering 18,000 km in just over 20 hours. True, he flew empty: without cargo and passengers. Another record is related to the number of passengers: in 1997, 1112 people flew on it to Israel during the military operation Solomon.

The 747 was also used to transport the Space Shuttle. For such transportation, space shuttles are installed on the aircraft "on the back".

The most characteristic detail of the 747th is the "hump" on the fuselage. It was originally planned that the fuselage would be double-deck along the entire length, but this option had to be abandoned for technical reasons. Therefore, the second deck of this Boeing is short.

Such a superstructure was designed so that the bow of the ship could be modified into a cargo ramp, because it was assumed that the 747 would be operated primarily for the transport of goods.

There are 7 modifications of the Boeing-747, almost all of them have both passenger and cargo and cargo-passenger versions. It will not be a mistake to say that the 747 is one of the most common aircraft of this type in the world.

Airbus A340-600

• Wingspan - 63.45 m
• Length - 75.36 m
• Height - 17.22 m
• Weight - 177 t
• Takeoff weight, max. - 380 t
• Number of engines - 4
• Passenger capacity, max. - 419 people
• Manufacturer - Concern Airbus S.A.S

Airbus S.A.S owns another giant aircraft. This is the Airbus A340-600, which, before the release of one of the modifications of the Boeing 747, was the world's longest passenger aircraft.

Its commercial release began in 2002, in 2011 it was stopped. For 9 years, 97 aircraft of this modification were produced. 340-600 was created specifically for intercontinental flights. Its declared flight range is 14,600 km without refueling.

Boeing 777-300ER

• Wingspan - 64.8 m
• Length - 73.9 m
• Height - 18.7 m
• Weight - 166.9 t
• Takeoff weight, max. - 351.5 t
• Number of engines - 2
• Passenger capacity, max. - 365 people
• Manufacturer - Boeing

The letters ER in the name of the modification denote Extended Range - increased range. He is able to fly 14,690 km without refueling due to the increase in fuel compared to the previous modification of the "three sevens". It is this aircraft that is the main competitor of the Airbus A340-600 and the best-selling 777 in the world. Currently, about 400 aircraft of this modification are operated in the world.

The aircraft of this model are equipped with the most powerful General Electric 90-115B turbofan jet engines in the world, which provide a maximum thrust of 513 kN. Modification 300ER has reinforced structural elements compared to its predecessors: landing gear, plumage, wings, as well as additional fuel tanks.

These giants plow the sky with ease and grace, and, looking at them from the ground, no one thinks that these steel birds are such a huge structure that the height of the tail of one of these liners - A-380 - is five giraffes, set Each other. The Airbus A-380 is the largest passenger aircraft in the world, but this article will not only be about it.

"Boeing 747"

Among passenger aircraft, the Airbus A380 and Boeing 747 have the largest size. These are liners that can simultaneously carry more than five hundred passengers. In particular, the A380 is capable of lifting 853 passengers into the air. Before this giant Boeing aircraft The 70.6 meter long 747 and the 76.25 meter long Boeing 747-8 (the longest passenger aircraft) were the most spacious airliners in the world (the maximum number of simultaneously transported passengers reached 600 people). The Boeing 747-8 is more economical in terms of fuel consumption than the Boeing 747, which first flew on February 9, 1969. The designers originally planned a two-deck aircraft design, but upper deck was shortened due to technical problems. The Boeing 747 was the first airliner in the world to have two aisles between seats. This aircraft is certified to fly on three engines, and if one of the four fails, the vessel will fully take off, fly and land on the remaining three engines. At the same time, the cruising speed of a Boeing 747 passenger aircraft is 913 km/h.

Giant A-380

The giant double-deck "Frenchman" - the A380 liner, the first copy of which rolled off the assembly line in 2005 - is the largest passenger aircraft in the history of world aviation. Indeed, its creators have something to be proud of - the cabin of the Airbus A380 accommodates 853 passengers. To date, more than 110 machines have already been built and put into operation. The monthly production of these liners is 2.5 cars. Today, these giants are used by 20 airlines, the most large fleet operated by Emirates Airlines.

The cruising speed of the passenger aircraft A380 reaches 1020 km/h. Each airliner consists of about four million individual parts and components, which are manufactured in thirty countries around the world by one and a half thousand manufacturing companies and delivered using a unique logistics system developed by Airbus, which includes a route by water, as well as by air and by road. Each landing gear can withstand a load of about 260 tons (200 cars). For comparison with its predecessor, the wing area of ​​the A380 aircraft is equal to one and a half areas Boeing wing 747-400 and is 845 square meters.

The largest passenger aircraft in the world can be equipped with two types of quiet engines: either the Rolls-Royce Trent 900 or the Engine Alliance GP7000. At the same time, the A380 is the most economical airliner in its segment - fuel consumption for passenger transportation per 100 km with a cabin layout of 525 seats does not exceed three liters.

The dimensions of passenger aircraft are impressive, the cabin area of ​​the A380 is 554 square meters. The liner has two decks - the main one, the width of which is a record high - 6.5 meters, and the upper one with a width of 5.8 meters.

An air volume of 1,500 cubic meters is replaced by an air conditioning system every three minutes; during the flight, there is pleasant silence in the cabin of the liner, the hum of turbines is almost inaudible.

Russia is proud of them

What does it offer us domestic aviation industry? The largest turboprop aircraft in the world is the Antonov An-22. Its length is about 60 meters, the flight speed is 580 km/h. The first liner was launched in 1965.

"That"

The legendary Tu-134 is a passenger airliner for flights over medium distances, up to 2800 meters. It is designed for a maximum of 96 seats, its cruising speed is 850 km / h at an altitude of 11000 m. The Tu-154 is a larger aircraft, 158 people are accommodated in the cabin of three classes, 180 in the economy class. The maximum flight speed of this liner is 950 km / h, and the Tu-154M modification is capable of covering distances up to 5200 km.

Tu-204 accommodates 214 passengers, and the cruising speed is slightly less than the previous "brother" - 850 km / h.

"su"

The Sukhoi Superjet-100 is not the largest passenger aircraft in the world, but it is famous for being the first Russian airliner designed using digital technologies. It is designed for flights up to 3,000 kilometers on lightly loaded airlines. Maximum amount passengers - 98 people.

"Il"

Speaking of domestic aircraft, one cannot fail to mention the Ilyushins. Russian passenger aircraft, represented by this KB, have several main types that are well known to us. Let's talk about each of them in more detail.

Let's start with the simplest - the Il-62, an airliner that has been produced since 1971 and is designed for flights over medium distances - up to 10,000 kilometers. This aircraft can accommodate 198 passengers and five crew members. Its top speed at cruising altitude is 850 km/h.

As for the Il-86 aircraft, it is also designed for flights over medium distances, a cabin containing two classes can accommodate 234 passengers, if a three-class aircraft, then 314 people. At the same time, 11 flight attendants serve customers. Aircraft are equipped with twelve emergency ladders and all the necessary modern rescue systems. The cruising speed of the Il-86 is 950 km/h, the distances it flies do not exceed 5,000 kilometers, with a maximum flight duration of eight hours.

IL-96

Now about the largest representative of the Ilyushin family - the Il-96 airbus. It is designed for long distance flights. Three hundred people in economy class and 262 passengers in the cabin of three classes - this figure is practically the same as the previous described model of this family. The liner flies with a maximum cruising speed of 900 km/h and is capable of covering a distance of up to 12,100 km. Its improved "model" - Il-96M - accommodates a larger number of passengers - up to 435 people in a charter version.

Immediate perspective, or Domestic developments

To date, the largest Russian aircraft project is the Irkut MS-21. Within its framework, it is planned to produce short-medium-haul passenger liners. Now Irkut is developing and building, the first copies of the aircraft according to the plan will be certified in 2016, at the same time flight tests will begin. The start of mass-scale production of MS-21 is expected from 2017-2018. On Russian market passenger aircraft, these liners should replace the Tu-154 and Tu-204 and will be operated on domestic and international airlines.

The project is not developing the largest passenger aircraft in the world, but the family of airliners being created will include various aircraft of three types in terms of length and passenger capacity - 150, 180 and 210 seats. The lineup will include aircraft with extended range. The cruising altitude of the ship will be 11,600 kilometers, the speed that the liner will develop will be 870 km/h, the maximum fuselage length is 39.5 meters. The crew will consist of two people.

As for the progress of work, the base of the project is the Yak-242. The development of the new wing belongs to the company " Civil aircraft Sukhoi, fuselage work is carried out directly by the Irkut Corporation and the Yakovlev Design Bureau.

It is assumed that the new liners will be more economical due to the use of modern composite materials, as well as new generation engines. The aircraft will be equipped with Pratt & Whitney geared turbofan engines; in the future, it is possible to install domestic Perm PD-14 engines.