The largest aircraft in the history of aviation. The largest planes in the world

The history of aviation begins at the end of the eighteenth century - after all, it was at the turn of the eras that the English designer developed the design of the aircraft. Modern airliners bear little resemblance to their predecessors. Today, the leaders of the aviation industry are competing in the production of giants. The largest aircraft in the world, the An-225 Mriya, impresses with its size and carrying capacity. Let's study the rating of the largest airliners in more detail.

Let's start with short description the leader of the list among civil aviation boards that specialize in passenger flights. Today, in this area, the first place is held by the invention of the European company Airbus - the A380 board. The ship was developed over 10 years, and in 2005 this giant successfully completed its first voyage.

With a fuselage length of 72.75 m, a wingspan of 79.75 m and a hull height of 24 meters, this aircraft is capable of lifting up to 853 people into the air.

A distinctive feature of the model was economical fuel consumption - the flight range of this airliner is 15,400 kilometers. It is noteworthy that in order to achieve this goal, the engineers ordered a batch of machines specially created for the model. After all, a reduction in fuel consumption can be achieved only with an ideally adjusted shape of the wing and fuselage. Actual consumption aviation fuel here it is 855 liters per 100 km when fully loaded.

Note that the Airbus A380 800 replaced the thirty-five-year-old leader in this area -. Moreover, the current record holder is able to carry 7% more passengers while reducing the cost of producing an aircraft within 15%. However, the designers spent about 2,000,000,000 euros to create the first model.

For the first time, the aircraft was put into operation by Singapore Airlines. The vessel successfully completed the first intercontinental flight from Singapore to Sydney, which had a great effect on customers. In addition, such a model carries up to 150 tons of cargo at a distance of up to 10,370 kilometers. Note that in this case, an empty aircraft weighs 280 tons, and the maximum takeoff weight board reaches 560 tons.

Leaders in size

The world's longest aircraft passenger traffic- the predecessor of the side described above, the Boeing 747 aircraft. This is a wide-body double-deck airliner, whose body length reaches 76.3 meters with a side height of 19.4 m and a wingspan of 68 and a half meters.

Such a successful project was launched in the early seventies of the last century by an American company. And up to the Airbus A380, the aircraft remained the largest passenger airliner peace.

At the time of the appearance of the model, the project to create this aircraft became so expensive that the company had to take out loans. However, all costs have fully paid off - and today these vessels are in demand and popular. calling card became a "hump" in the front of the case - it was there that the designers placed upper deck sides. The aircraft also remains the leader in terms of speed characteristics in the class among passenger subsonic liners. The speed of this board reaches 910–950 km/h.

Heavyweights in the world of aviation

Now let's define the largest cargo aircraft in the world - the photos presented in the article will help readers see the true scale of this technique. Let us describe the characteristics of global leaders in more detail.

Freight record holder

The most load-lifting aircraft in the world is the development of the Antonov Design Bureau, the An-225 Mriya model. The airliner successfully passed flight tests back in 1988, and from 1989 to the present time it has been operated in the field of cargo transportation. The length of the hull of this vessel reaches 84 meters, and the wingspan is 88.4 m. In terms of these parameters, the modification is second only to the Hughes H-4 board, which was designed back in 1947.

The weight of an empty An-225 aircraft is 250 tons, and the takeoff weight of an airliner reaches 640 tons.

In 2004, the modification entered the Guinness Book of Records, as it leads immediately in 240 parameters. It is noteworthy that the aircraft was designed on the basis of the project of another giant, which was the world's largest cargo aircraft An-124 Ruslan. And to this day, only a single copy of the Mriya heavyweight has been designed. True, even one airliner is actively used for commercial purposes and rescue operations.

Although at the end of 2016 an agreement was signed between Ukraine and China on the joint release of the second updated experimental model and further cooperation in this industry.

The An-255 is designed to carry up to 88 passengers accompanying the cargo and six crew members. Initially, the aircraft was planned to be used for the space industry, so the Mriya project is a technique that is universal in quality. This is a record holder in terms of weight and carrying capacity, a leader in the transportation of mono-cargoes and overall equipment..

Biggest serial heavyweight

The largest cargo aircraft in Russia, which was mass-produced and is used today, is the . It is on the basis of the project of this airliner OKB im. Antonov and developed "Mriya". Concerning "Ruslana", the first such board appeared in 1982. Initially, the function of technology was the transportation of intercontinental and ballistic missiles, but today the ship is used as a military transport aircraft.

An-124 "Ruslan" is slightly inferior to "Mriya" in size and carrying capacity

Since 1987, the modification has been actively used by the Russian Air Force and the Ukrainian airline Antonov Airlines. Throughout the history of the production of such airliners, the world has seen 55 Ruslan models. The vessel has a length of 69.1 meters. At the same time, its height is 24.5 m, and the wingspan is 73.3 m. The economy of the liner allows it to fly 4,800 km when the board is fully loaded, and the maximum flight range here is 11,600 meters.

Cruising speed vessel is 800–850 km/h with a maximum permissible acceleration of 865 km/h. The weight of an empty airliner is 178.4 tons, and the maximum take-off weight of this modification is 392,000 kilograms.

The design features of the vessel allow loading through the bow compartment

There are two decks on board the equipment. The upper tier of the liner is designed to carry 21 passengers accompanying the cargo, a fixed and a change cabin for the crew. The lower deck of the ship is a sealed cargo compartment, whose capacity is 1,060 m³. If we talk about the records of this model, in 1985 the aircraft became the leader in 21 positions in the transportation of goods over long distances. During the entire period of operation, 4 such aircraft were lost.

Western analogue of An-124

If we consider popular Western projects that compete with Ruslan, here aviators call the airliner Lockheed C-5 Galaxy. This modification occupied a leading position in the world until the appearance of the An-124 project in 1982. However, such US Air Force airliners are successfully used today. Moreover, the manufacturer produced 131 units of such equipment.

The third largest heavyweight in the world is the American model Lockheed C-5 Galaxy

The Lockheed C-5 Galaxy is a military transport airliner that has the characteristics of an increased payload and occupies the third place in the world rating of aviation heavyweights. After all, an empty airliner that weighs 169.643 tons has a maximum takeoff weight of 379,657 kilograms. At the same time, the dimensions of the aircraft are very impressive. The height of the hull here is 19.85 m, the length is 75.54 m, and the wingspan is 67.88 m.

The transport is capable of simultaneously transporting 270 soldiers and 118,387 kg of cargo over distances of 5,526 km. Moreover, the maximum practical range ceiling of this model is 10,895 m.

This is a modification of a double-deck board, the power plant of which is provided with four engines. The cruising speed that the ship is capable of developing reaches 888 km / h. Here, on the upper tier of the aircraft, there is a crew cabin for 5 people and seats for passengers. The lower sector of the airliner is intended for the carriage of goods. This deck is 36.91 meters long and 5.79 meters wide.

Leader in wing length

Since the current record holder Mriya was unable to break the world aviation record in terms of wingspan, we will describe the characteristics of the aircraft that holds this position. Model Hughes H-4 is a wooden structure designed for the American military in 1947. The only copy of this modification can be seen in the Oregon State Museum. Moreover, in the history since the appearance of the aircraft, it has been operated only once, having carried out an experimental flight.

Today, the only copy of the Hughes H-4 airboat is in the Oregon State Museum.

The dimensions of the airliner are impressive - the length of the hull here is 66.45 m, and the height is 24.08 meters. Moreover, the record wing span here is 97.54 m. The ship was designed to transport the military and is designed to transport 750 soldiers in full gear and three pilots. The maximum takeoff weight of the giant is limited to 180 tons, and useful weight, which the board is able to lift - 59,000 kg.

The project of this airboat appeared at the beginning of the Second World War, but the designer did not have time to bring the equipment to readiness on time. The development and manufacture of the aircraft took 13,000,000 US dollars, and the storage of the board cost the designer $ 1,000,000 annually.

As you can see, aviators are constantly competing to produce the best aircraft that is capable of performing universal tasks. In the near future, the release of the modernized Mriya giant is expected. Perhaps this modification will break a personal record and become the largest airliner in the history of aviation. Details on the classification of flight equipment are available at this.

Airbus A380 - the largest passenger aircraft in the world
The cabin of this giant will fit up to 853 passengers
Boeing 747 remains the longest airliner among passenger aircraft
AN-225 "Mriya" - the world record holder in terms of dimensions
With a maximum takeoff weight of 640 tons, the Mriya becomes the world's heaviest airliner.

In our time in the world, you can count about a thousand different models aircraft. They differ not only in the optional purpose, but also in size. In addition to light single-engine aircraft, which are designed for one pilot, there are also the real biggest record-breaking giants. So check out the list below.

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.

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 carry 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 m2.

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- the possibility of making a non-stop flight for 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.

4. An-124 "Ruslan"

This unit became the predecessor of the current leader. 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.

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.

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 parameters:

• 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.

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.

Perhaps this is 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 parameters:

• 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.

This is a wide-body aircraft developed by one of the largest aircraft manufacturing companies in the world - the French by 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.

10 Boeing 777 —200 ER

In all fairness, this aircraft model occupies the tenth place in the rating. If we compare it with the base model of the Boeing 777, then in this modification of the design the useful takeoff weight was increased.

Boeing 777-200ER parameters:

• Wingspan - 60.93 m;
• Aircraft length - 63.73 m;
• Aircraft height - 18.52 m;
• Wing area - 427.80 sq. m;
• Weight, empty equipped aircraft - 135870 kg;
• Weight, maximum takeoff - 262470 kg;
• Maximum speed - 965 km / h Cruise speed - 905 km / h;
• Practical range - 8910 km;
• Engine type - 2 Pratt Whitney PW4073A turbofan engines;
• Thrust - 2 x 33600 kgf.
• Practical ceiling - 13100 m,
• Crew - 2 people,

Payload - 305-328 passengers in a cabin of three classes, 375-400 passengers in a cabin of two classes or 440 passengers in an economy class.

People are always attracted by 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. A380 can make non-stop flights at a distance of 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 less carbon dioxide emissions. 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 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 template.

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. The cargo compartment has been changed quite seriously. 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 of the national economy, for example, equipment for the mining, oil and gas industries.

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 of the 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 was replaced with a two-keel one;
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 cargo, an aircraft needs 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 units 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, extra large trucks, 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.

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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.

Air travel is considered a safe and affordable means of travel. To lift one liner into the air requires a decent amount of fuel, so the designers are constantly fighting to reduce fuel consumption. liners large capacity proved to be an effective means capable of transporting large volumes of cargo and serving a large passenger flow.

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largest passenger aircraft

The largest passenger aircraft in the world is the Airbus A380. The airliner is produced by a group of European companies in several EU countries. The wingspan of this giant is 80 meters, which makes room for large reserves of fuel and makes it possible for long non-stop flights.

A380 has incredible technical characteristics:

1. Number of passengers: 850 people
2. Max. flight speed: 1020 km/h.
3. Max. flight distance: 15200 km, more than any representatives of this class.
4. Max. takeoff weight: 575 tons

Application composite materials allows the aircraft to weigh significantly less, which helps to gain the desired height with minimal acceleration.

In the aircraft project, the engineers managed to combine knowledge in the field of engineering and aerodynamics.

Liner capacity

The model has a large number of modifications, but on average, the airbus can accommodate about 555 people. The aircraft is characterized by the highest level of comfort. The liner is operated on all continents. Airbus is famous for its good handling and almost zero accidents.

Not every engine is suitable for lifting such a colossus into the air, because in addition to passenger seats on the liner there are:

1. Recreation areas.
2. Sleeping cabins.
3. Bars and more.

Only 4 Rolls-Royce motors, manufactured by special order, are capable of lifting this mass into the heights.

In Russia, the largest passenger aircraft is actively operating main airline countries - Aeroflot. The A380 has a significant share in the carrier's fleet.

largest cargo plane

An 225 - "Mriya" rightfully holds the title of the largest aircraft in the world. The length of the aircraft is 73 meters, and the wingspan is an incredible 88 meters! The aircraft exists in a single copy and is operated by the Ukrainian company Antonov Airlines. In theory, this aircraft can be classified as a transport aircraft, but its original purpose was to transport the Buran reusable spacecraft.

After the collapse of the USSR, the largest cargo plane in the world went to Ukraine, however long time was not exploited. The engines and all valuable equipment were removed from the liner. It wasn't until the early 2000s that the need for such an "air truck" arose and the aircraft was upgraded to meet international aviation standards.

Now the largest An aircraft has been adapted for commercial transportation. The carrying capacity of the aircraft is about 250 tons.

Important: in fact, there is a second copy of Mriya, but it is not completed. The readiness of the project is estimated at 70%. To complete the construction, about 100 million dollars are required, which no investor is ready to provide yet.

Liner records

An-225 has broken many load-carrying records. The largest cargo aircraft in the world has an absolute record for lifting cargo into the air - 253.5 tons. The air record holder has been entered into the Guinness Book of Records more than once.

In the next ten years, hardly anyone will be able to build a project of this magnitude, so the liner for the next ten to fifteen years will hold the palm in the nominations "the largest aircraft in the world" and "the heaviest aircraft".

The largest military aircraft in the world

The largest aircraft in the world is used only for peaceful purposes, but many of its smaller counterparts are used to transport military cargo. The most successful countries in this area are Russia and the United States. cold war spurred an arms race and a flood of government funding poured into the defense industry.

The production of one model required a huge amount of money, so each project was thoroughly checked before the flights. The commissioning time of this kind of equipment is about 5 years from the beginning of the design.

An 124 "Ruslan"

This military transport liner is one of the few representatives of the aircraft industry giants in Russia. The development of the project and the first flights were carried out back in the era of the Soviet Union, however, the technological solutions of the designers were really ahead of their time and therefore remain relevant to this day.

The name "Ruslan" was given to the liner by combat pilots, but journalists liked it so much that it appears with this abbreviation in all tops and ratings. The nickname has become an integral part of the aircraft.

The air vehicle has a wingspan of about 80 meters and a length of 73 meters. The maximum flight range is more than 15 thousand kilometers. More than once, these airliners during their flights circled the globe with a minimum number of refueling.

Ruslan is operated in Russia and Ukraine, and not only for military cargo transportation.

Lockheed C-5 Galaxy

The Lockheed C-5 Galaxy is the American answer to domestic designs for super-lift liners. The scale of this monster is impressive: in military configuration, it is capable of carrying 275 fully equipped soldiers, and when used in civil aviation, it takes 75 passengers on board. In the initial draft, it was assumed that the board was capable of transporting intercontinental ballistic missiles.

10 biggest planes in the world

Since the dawn of aviation, aircraft have grown in size and reliability. In every era there was an aircraft that was a technological breakthrough. For you, we present the top 10 aircraft that influenced the development of world aviation.

Tupolev ANT-20 "Maxim Gorky"

Built in honor of a significant event in the biography of M. Gorky - the 40th anniversary since the beginning of his literary path, the plane was striking in size. This eight-engine giant contained a printing house, a laboratory and a library. For full use, a flight staff of 20 people was required.

The fate of the only issued copy is tragic - on May 18, 1935, an accident occurred that led to disaster. However, this aircraft became the prototype for the creation of heavy domestic aircraft, such as Ruslan and Mriya.

Important: in the mid-30s of the 20th century, it could rightfully be called not only the largest Russian aircraft, but also the largest cargo aircraft in the world.

Hughes H-4 Hercules

It is no coincidence that "Hercules" takes a place in our top. To this day, it is the largest transport aircraft with the ability to take off and land on the water surface.

The project was financed by the American tycoon Howard Hughes, but was completed only in a wooden version. This is due to the fact that the construction period fell on the Second world war, so all the metal went to the military. An estimated capacity of 750 people would make it the largest passenger aircraft ever built.

Boeing 747

Each of us saw this plane one way or another: live, in a photo or on video. For 37 years, the Boeing 747 held the title of the largest civilian aircraft, until the Airbus A380 appeared. Used all over the world. It was used to deliver the space shuttle from the place of production.

Characteristics:

1. Length from nose to tail: 76.4.
2. Wingspan: 68.5 .
3. Crew: 2 pilots.
4. Number of passengers: 600 people
5. Max. flight speed: 1100 km/h.
6. Flight range: about 14,000 km.
7. Max. takeoff weight: 448 tons.

The following models are also in the top 10 most large aircraft world, but their place in the list is deserved primarily by their reliability and performance.

Boeing 777-300ER

Boeing's largest aircraft. The device has a wide space inside the skin and is capable of carrying up to 70,000 tons of commercial cargo.

Airbus A340-600

It was produced in the amount of 97 copies, which allows it to be called one of the most popular aircraft, capable of taking on board 450 passengers. Out of production in 2011, but continues to be used everywhere.

Boeing 747-8

The extended version of the liner tops the honorary list of the longest aircraft(76.4 meters). In the international classification it is called "Intercontinental".

Tu-134

Medium-passenger main liner, which is rightfully considered one of the best in Russia. This model attracts not with a huge volume inside, but with a decent speed for its dimensions - it can reach up to 950 km / h.

Dry "Superjet" -100

The Russian aircraft is the front line of the domestic aircraft industry. It has the most modern digital filling, is capable of transporting 100 people. It is actively purchased in Asia, and Sukhoi plans to enter the US market.

Irkut MS-21

This airliner is not yet in production and is getting a place on our list in advance. Despite not the largest dimensions of the project (length - up to 40 meters), which will not allow it to shift the largest aircraft of the West from the first lines, it is able to save Russia from the dominance of foreign manufacturers.

Concorde

The aircraft was the beginning of a sharp surge in the construction of supersonic passenger liners. A recognizable silhouette with a pointed nose is easily recognizable in photos and videos. Used for 27 years, which allowed him to become the champion in the transportation of passengers - 3 million people.

Every manufacturer wants to be called a giant of the industry. In the aircraft industry, Airbus has no equal with the A380 model. The largest passenger aircraft in the world has been produced for several years and is constantly being modified. Not far off is the time when one plane will take on board more than 1000 people.

The Russian heavy aircraft market is experiencing better times. Old Soviet models are in operation. Gradually, Russian manufacturers are trying to catch up with their colleagues from Europe and America, but this takes time.

Each of the described liners can weigh tens of tons, but the utility factor is estimated by the formula: 1 kg of own weight per amount of weight lifted.