Among the many aircraft that have appeared since the first flight of the Wright brothers, there are several unique machines specially created to perform special functions or to test unusual technical solutions. Many of these aircraft never went into production or were made in limited quantities.
Our material is about a completely unique aircraft, which was also designed for a special job and made in a single copy. But this machine is still in service, it serves people and never ceases to amaze with its epic power. We are talking about the largest aircraft in the world – the An-225 Mriya transport aircraft.
History of the creation of the An-225 "Mriya"
This machine was designed and built in a very short time: the first drawings appeared in 1985, and in 1988 the transport aircraft was already built. The reason for such a tight deadline is quite easy to explain: Mriya was created using well-developed components and assemblies of the An-124 Ruslan aircraft. The fuselage of the Mriya has the same transverse dimensions as the An-124, but is longer, and the wingspan and area have increased. The wing has the same structure as the Ruslan, but additional sections have been added to it. The An-225 now has two additional engines. The aircraft's landing gear is almost similar to that of the Ruslan - but it has seven instead of five struts. The cargo compartment has been significantly changed. Initially, two aircraft were laid down at the aircraft plant, but so far only one An-225 has been completed. The second copy of the unique aircraft is approximately 70% complete and can be completed at any time with proper funding. To complete its construction, 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 Kyiv, carrying a Buran weighing 60 tons on its back. That same month, the An-225 delivered the Buran spacecraft to the Paris Air Show and created a real sensation there. In total, the aircraft holds 240 world records, including the transportation of the heaviest cargo (253 tons), the heaviest monolithic cargo (188 tons) and the longest cargo.
The An-225 Mriya aircraft was originally created for the needs of the Soviet space industry. In those years, the Soviet Union was building the Buran, its first reusable spacecraft, a response to the American shuttle. To implement this project, a transport system was needed that could be used 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 transport parts of the Energia rocket, which were also colossal in size. All this was delivered from the production site to the final assembly points. The units and components of Energia and Buran were manufactured in the central regions of the USSR, and the final assembly of the space system took place in Kazakhstan, at the Baikonur Cosmodrome. In addition, the An-225 was initially designed so that in the future it could transport the finished Buran spacecraft. The An-225 could also transport large 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 over long distances. The An-225 Mriya will carry out this work today.
The general functions and tasks of the machine can be described as follows:
- transportation of general purpose cargo (large, heavy) with a total weight of up to 250 tons;
- intracontinental non-stop transportation of cargo weighing 180−200 tons;
- intercontinental transportation of goods weighing up to 150 tons;
- transportation of heavy bulky cargo on an external sling with a total weight of up to 200 tons;
- use of aircraft for air launch of spacecraft.
Flying cosmodrome An-225 "Mriya"
That's not all. The unique aircraft was given other, even more ambitious tasks - and they were also related to 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", according to the designers, was supposed to be the first stage 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 payload capacity of at least 250 tons.
The Soviet shuttle was supposed to launch from the “back” of the plane. This method of launching vehicles into low-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 ship from an airplane seriously saves fuel and allows you to increase the payload of the spacecraft. In some cases, this may make it possible to completely abandon the first stage of the rocket.
Various air launch options are currently being developed. They are working especially actively in this direction in the United States, and there are also Russian developments.
Alas, with the collapse of the Soviet Union, the “air launch” project using the An-225 was practically buried. This aircraft was an active participant in the Energia-Buran program. The An-225 carried out fourteen flights with Buran on the top of the fuselage, and hundreds of tons of various cargo were transported as part of 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 use for commercial purposes. The An-225 Mriya aircraft has unique technical characteristics, enormous payload capacity and can transport large 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 cargo. Some transport operations can be safely called unique and have no analogues in the history of aviation. The aircraft 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 eliminate the consequences of the earthquake in Japan.
In 2009, the An-225 aircraft was modernized and its service life was extended.
The structure of the An-225 aircraft
The An-225 Mriya aircraft is designed according to the classical design, with high-raised, slightly swept wings. The cabin is located in the front of the aircraft, the cargo hatch is also located in the nose of the vehicle. The aircraft is made according to a two-fin design. This decision is related to the need to transport cargo on the fuselage of the aircraft. The An-225 airframe has very high aerodynamic properties; the lift-to-drag ratio of this aircraft is 19, which is an excellent indicator not only for transport aircraft, but also for passenger aircraft. This, in turn, significantly improved the aircraft's performance 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 become 10% larger (by seven meters). At the same time, the wing span 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;
fuselage length increased;
the single-fin tail was replaced with a double-fin;
lack of a tail cargo hatch;
the number of main landing gear struts has been increased from five to seven;
external cargo fastening and pressurization system;
two additional D-18T engines were installed.
Unlike the Ruslan, the Mriya has only one cargo hatch in the nose of the aircraft. Like its predecessor, Mriya can change the ground clearance and angle of the fuselage, which is extremely convenient during loading and unloading operations. The chassis has three supports: a front two-post and two main ones, each of which consists of seven posts. Moreover, all racks are independent of each other and are produced separately.
The 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 sealed and equipped with all the necessary equipment for loading operations. Inside the fuselage, the An-225 can transport up to sixteen standard aviation containers (each weighing ten tons), fifty passenger cars, or any cargo weighing up to two hundred tons (turbines, especially large cargo vehicles, generators). On top of the fuselage there are special fastenings for transporting large cargo.
To take off without cargo, an aircraft needs a runway 2,400 meters long, and with cargo - 3,500 meters.
Technical characteristics of An-225 "Mriya"
Video about An-225 Mriya
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Brief characteristics of transport aircraft
Airplane AN 12- a cargo aircraft, which is an all-metal, cantilever high-wing aircraft with a straight wing. The aircraft's landing gear has high maneuverability, thanks to which the AN 12 can take off from unpaved airfields without any problems. Loading is carried out through a cargo hatch with a ramp, located at the rear of the fuselage and freely allowing large equipment to pass through. Unloading is possible in the same way or by dropping cargo by parachute. The process of loading and unloading and mooring is greatly facilitated by an onboard loading device capable of lifting objects weighing up to 2.5 tons, and a winch that pulls non-propelled loads into the cabin. Delivery of goods from China, Japan, Korea, European, Northern and South America with the help of the AN 12 aircraft, it is possible to transport goods with a total weight of up to 18,000 kg in one voyage.
Characteristics of the AN 12 aircraft
Maximum load - 18000 kg
Maximum volume - 90 m3
Cargo compartment size (length x width x height) - 13.5 x 3.0 x 2.4 m
Cargo hatch size (width x height) - 3.0 x 2.4 m
Aircraft AN 22 "Antey" made according to the high-wing design. The design provides for a cargo hatch of impressive dimensions - 4.4 × 16 m. In addition, the aircraft is equipped with an inclined ramp, which can be installed at different levels, and four hoists, each with a carrying capacity of 2.5 tons. The gangway ramp and hoists make the AN 22 independent of the presence of loading and unloading devices at airfields. It is also possible to transport large cargo on an external sling: on the fuselage or under the wing. The multi-post 12-wheel chassis, characterized by increased cross-country ability, allows you not only to land on and take off from unpaved surfaces, but also to land even if one or two struts are not released or the pneumatic shock absorbers and struts are destroyed. Thanks to these characteristics, the delivery of goods from China, North America and other major economic centers of the world becomes not only fast, but also as safe as possible, and the unique carrying capacity of this aircraft (up to 50,000 kg) allows you to save money and transport all the cargo in one flight.
Characteristics of the AN 22 aircraft
Maximum load - 50000 kg
Maximum volume - 650 m3
Cargo compartment size (length x width x height) - 26.4 * 4.3 * 4.1 m
Cargo hatch size (width x height) - 4.3x4.1
Transport aircraft AN 26 traditionally used for transporting cargo and small equipment over distances of up to 2000 km. This vessel is characterized by amazing stability and ease of control, thanks to which the aircraft can be controlled by moderately qualified pilots. And the unique take-off and landing qualities, coupled with the high-pass landing gear, make it unpretentious to the type of runway and make it possible to operate in almost any weather conditions on pebble, dirt, sandy, “soaked” and snow-covered airfields of very modest sizes. The monoplane design and the wide opening of the cargo hatch allow the installation of a special ladder flap, which facilitates and speeds up the process of unloading and loading from the ground or the vehicle body. The speed of unloading and loading operations is also beneficially affected by the overhead crane built into the aircraft, which is capable of lifting weights of up to 1,500 kg. Our company’s specialists will be happy to organize the delivery of goods for you by AN 26 aircraft, as well as provide customs services, resolve paperwork issues and monitor each stage of transportation.
Characteristics of the AN 26 aircraft
Maximum volume - 45 m3
Cargo compartment size (length x width x height) - 11.1x2.2x1.6 m
Cargo hatch size (width x height) - 2.2x1.6
AN 74 - a unique aircraft, which was created for the purpose of transporting goods and equipment at any latitudes under any climatic conditions. It operates smoothly at temperatures ranging from -60 to +45 °C, in the mountains and plains, at the equator and the poles. Typically used on medium and short distance routes. AN 74 is suitable for operation on both equipped and unequipped airfield sites with concrete, pebble, dirt or snow surfaces. Capable of taking off and landing at any time of the day. The cargo compartment is optimized for the dimensions of the most typical cargo and allows for the transportation of cargo in containers, rigid pallets, non-standard containers (barrels, bales), as well as wheeled vehicles. The opening of the loading compartment is closed by a ramp, which the OptiLog VED company recommends using as a ladder. The aircraft is also equipped with an on-board loading device with a lifting capacity of up to 2500 kg.
Characteristics of the AN 74 aircraft
Maximum load - 8000 kg
Maximum volume - 45 m3
Cargo compartment size (length x width x height) - 10.0x2.15x2.1 m
Cargo hatch size (width×height) - 2.1x2.1
AN 124 (Ruslan) belongs to the class of heavy transport aircraft and is designed to transport large cargo around the world. Excellent aerodynamic characteristics and, as a result, a long flight range are ensured thanks to the wing of a thick swept profile and a carefully thought-out shape of the fuselage. The multi-post 24-wheel chassis allows the AN 124 to be used on unpaved runways of airfields, as well as to change the angle of the fuselage and the parking clearance, which greatly facilitates the process of loading and unloading operations. The special design of the fuselage requires the presence of two cargo hatches, one of which is located in the forward part of the fuselage, the other in the tail. The aircraft is also equipped with on-board mobile cranes and other loading and unloading equipment with a total lifting capacity of 20 tons and mooring equipment, making loading and delivery of cargo from China and other countries much faster. The AN 225 (Maria) aircraft is very similar in design and characteristics to the AN 124 and allows the transport of heavy bulky cargo weighing up to 200 tons.
Characteristics of AN 124 aircraft
Maximum load - 120000 kg
Maximum volume - 800 m3
Cargo compartment size (length x width x height) - 36.5x6.2x4.2 m
Characteristics of AN 225 aircraft
Maximum load - 200000 kg
Maximum volume - 1100 m3
Cargo compartment size (length x width x height) - 43.0x6.2x4.2 m
Cargo hatch size (width x height) - 6.2 x 4.1 m
Airbus 300 B4 was specially designed for transporting large structures, equipment and instruments over medium and short distances (up to 2700 km). It features a larger fuselage, an upward-opening nose cone and a reinforced floor. In front of the wing on the left side of the fuselage there is a cargo door measuring 3.58 x 2.56 m. The cabin can simultaneously transport up to 20 cargo pallets and another 20 LD3 type cargo containers in the lower cargo compartments. The aircraft is equipped with an impressive complex of loading and unloading equipment.
Characteristics of the Airbus 300 B4 aircraft
Maximum load - 43500 kg
Maximum volume - 280 m3
Cargo compartment size (length x width x height) - 39.0 x 4.77 x 2.23 m
Cargo hatch size (width x height) - 3.58 x 2.56 m
Boeing 737 belongs to the class of short-range transport aircraft. More than a quarter of a century ago, it became the leader on short-haul airlines on most continents. The aircraft's high lifting power, excellent performance at low speeds, providing opportunities for short landings and takeoffs, as well as efficiency at high speeds and low altitudes allow it to remain competitive to this day.
Characteristics of the Boeing 737 aircraft
Maximum load - 16000 kg
Maximum volume - 105 m3
Cargo compartment size (length x width x height) - 21.0 x 3.1 x 2.2 m
Cargo hatch size (width x height) - 3.4x2.15 m
Boeing 747 is one of the most load-carrying aircraft. At the same time, it has low fuel costs per ton-mile, and the flight range can reach 8,000 km. That is why this aircraft is ideal for organizing economical and most cost-effective delivery of goods from China and other remote countries. The Boeing 747 freighter has a reinforced cabin floor, an impressively sized side cargo door, and a standard set of loading and unloading equipment.
Characteristics of the Boeing 747 aircraft
Maximum load - 110000 kg
Maximum volume - 750 m3
Cargo compartment size (length x width x height) - 49.0 x 4.8 x 3.04 m
Cargo hatch size (width x height) - 3.25x3.1 m
Boeing 757 designed to transport cargo weighing up to 39 tons. The aircraft cabin can simultaneously accommodate 15 standard pallets. The cargo hatch, through which loading and unloading is carried out using winches and an on-board loading device, is located on the left side of the fuselage. Without refueling, the aircraft is capable of covering a distance of 4,670 km.
Characteristics of the Boeing 757 aircraft
Maximum load - 39000 kg
Maximum volume - 185 m3
Cargo compartment size (length x width x height) - 33.2 x 3.53 x 2.18 m
Cargo hatch size (width x height) - 3.4 x 2.18 m
DC 8 - long-range cargo aircraft, created by the efforts of American specialists from the Douglas company. With its help, the delivery of goods from France, Italy and other countries in Europe and the world becomes as accessible as possible. The maximum flight range of this vehicle is 8950 km. The aircraft is equipped with all the necessary equipment for quick and convenient unloading and loading.
Characteristics of the DC 8 aircraft
Maximum load - 45000 kg
Maximum volume - 200 m3
Cargo compartment size (length x width x height) - 34.0 x 3.17 x 2.03 m
Cargo hatch size (width x height) - 3.55x2.0 m
DC 10 can be classified as a wide-body long-range aircraft. Some modifications are capable of flying over distances of up to 11,000 km, so the OptiLog VED company recommends this vessel to its clients when there is a need to deliver large cargo from remote corners of the planet. Loading into the DC 10 is done through the side door. The cargo compartment can freely accommodate up to 30 LD3 containers. A standard set of loading and unloading equipment is installed on board.
Characteristics of the DC 10 aircraft
Maximum load - 65000 kg
Maximum volume - 450 m3
Cargo compartment size (length x width x height) - 37.25 x 3.56 x 2.34 m
The size of the cargo hatch (width x height) is 3.5 x 2.54 m. The Fokker 27 cargo aircraft is traditionally used on local airlines, i.e. for domestic transportation. At the rear of the fuselage of this aircraft there is a large cargo hatch equipped with pneumatic doors. Loads weighing up to 6 tons are delivered to the cabin using a specially designed winch. The underside of the aircraft is characterized by an excess strength factor, thanks to which well-packed cargo remains safe even in the event of an emergency landing with the landing gear retracted.
Characteristics of the Fokker 27 aircraft
Maximum load - 6000 kg
Maximum volume - 58 m3
Cargo compartment size (length x width x height) - 13.36 x 2.1 x 1.9 m
Cargo hatch size (width x height) - 2.28 x 1.75 m
Airplane IL 76- an ideal option for the prompt delivery of large-sized cargo, machinery and equipment along medium-length air routes located in various geographical latitudes. The IL 76 is suitable for almost any deployment conditions. A chassis with increased cross-country ability, powerful wing mechanization and impressive power supply ensure take-off from unprepared unpaved airfield strips and landing on them. At the same time, takeoff and landing distances are quite insignificant for an aircraft of this size. Delivery of goods from China to Russia, as well as transportation of goods from other countries, is possible in air or automobile containers of any type, pallets and other containers used for international transport. This versatility is achieved thanks to the special design of the cargo compartment, equipped with various on-board facilities and devices for loading and unloading, and its dimensions.
Characteristics of the IL 76 aircraft
Maximum load - 47000 kg
Maximum volume - 175 m3
Cargo compartment size (length x width x height) - 18.5 x 3.3 x 3.25 m
Cargo hatch size (width x height) - 3.3x3.25 m
L 100-30 - medium-lift transport aircraft, manufactured by Lockheed. The flight range at maximum load is 3,790 km, thanks to which the delivery of cargo from France and other European countries with a total weight of up to 21 tons can be organized. The main cargo hatch is located in the rear of the cabin. Loading and unloading operations are accelerated thanks to a special hydraulically driven ramp. It is worth noting that these aircraft often take part in operations to organize and provide humanitarian assistance.
Characteristics of the L 100-30 aircraft
Maximum load - 21000 kg
Maximum volume - 140 m3
Cargo compartment size (length x width x height) - 17.0 x 3.02 x 2.74 m
Cargo hatch size (width x height) - 3.02 x 2.74 m
MD 11 - wide-body long-range aircraft, which is capable of transporting cargo over a distance of up to 7500 km. It allows you to place up to 6 standard containers on the main deck, the rest of the cargo is located in the lower compartments. Loading is done through an upward opening door measuring 3.55x2.55.
Characteristics of the MD 11 aircraft
Maximum load - 80000 kg
Maximum volume - 640 m3
Cargo compartment size (length x width x height) - 48.0 x 3.5 x 2.45 m
Cargo hatch size (width x height) - 3.55x2.55 m
The Saab 340 aircraft can be called a cantilever low-wing aircraft. It is used on short lines. The latest modifications have the capability of short takeoff and landing, which allows this aircraft to be used even at small airfields. The relatively small payload coupled with impressive maneuverability makes the Saab 340 an ideal option for transportation in remote corners of the country.
Characteristics of the Saab 340 aircraft
Maximum load - 3800 kg
Maximum volume - 35 m3
Cargo compartment size (length x width x height) - 11.2 x 1.62 x 1.7 m
Cargo hatch size (width x height) - 1.3 x 1.28 m
Airplane TU 204 ideal for medium-haul airlines. The flight range at maximum load is about 4,700 km. With the help of this aircraft, cargo delivery from France, Germany, Spain and other European countries to Russia can be organized. The fuselage of the vessel has a side cargo door measuring 3.4x2.0. The cargo compartment can accommodate up to 14 standard pallets, while the lower cargo compartments can freely accommodate 12 containers of the 2AK-0.7 type. For the convenience of loading and unloading operations, the floor of the cargo compartment is equipped with roller tracks, ball panels and other equipment.
Characteristics of the TU 204 aircraft
Maximum load - 28500 kg
Maximum volume - 178 m3
Cargo compartment size (length x width x height) - 29.5x3.25x2.8 m
Cargo hatch size (width x height) - 3.4 x 2.0 m
Since there are no limits to human imagination and ingenuity, more and more new and modern aircraft models are appearing. They are becoming better, more economical, safer, and of course, more massive.
Airbus A380
This aircraft has two decks and is the largest for carrying passengers.
The height of the aircraft is 24 meters, the wingspan is 80 meters, and the length is 73 meters.
The aircraft carries up to 555 passengers, in a single-class modification - 853 passengers.
This aircraft is capable of covering 15,000 kilometers non-stop, while at the same time being very economical. The creation of the Airbus A380 took 10 years at a project cost of 12 billion euros. The first commercial flight took place in October 2007. Then 455 passengers boarded the flight from Singapore to Sydney.
During construction, the main sections of the airliner are transported by ground and surface transport, although some parts are transported by An-124 aircraft.
This model was created as an alternative to what was previously considered the largest for 35 years. But Airbus moved its “colleague” from its place of honor due to its efficiency not only in fuel, but also in cost.
The developers also achieved a reduction in the weight of the aircraft. The highlight of the design is that 40% of the Airbus A380 body is graphite (wings and fuselage). The cost of the aircraft itself is about 390 million euros.
This airliner is the leader in flight range. It is capable of flying more than 21,000 km without refueling. Operation began in 1995. The aircraft can carry from 300 to 550 people in the cabin. The 777-300 ER is powered by two General Electric gas turbine engines, the most powerful engines in its class.
It has a maximum speed of 965 km/h with an impressive weight of 250 tons. One of the main distinguishing features is efficiency. A cargo modification was also created on the basis of the passenger aircraft. The symbol "ER" stands for Extended Range.
A modification of the well-known 747 appeared in 2005. The body has become longer, and at the same time the aircraft has become more economical. This model is the leader in the number of special orders for billionaires and top government officials. It is used by 19 heads of state. The 747-8 version is the largest commercial aircraft in the world. The first owner of the commercial model 747-8 is the German company Lufthansa.
Officially, this is the longest plane in the world!
Hughes H-4 Hercules
This huge car is one of the record holders for the number of passengers (750), but is now a museum. The plane was created under the leadership of the famous millionaire Howard Hughes, and was made of wood. The creator of Hercules himself maintained the aircraft in working condition until his death. In 1993, the plane found its permanent home in Oregon, and is visited annually by more than 300 thousand tourists.
The Hercules was designed as a wooden flying boat weighing 136 tons. At the same time, the aircraft was the widest aircraft until May 2017 - its wingspan was 98 meters.
The most spacious of Russian airliners, accommodates 435 passengers. Currently used only by the transport company "Russia" as VIP transport and Cubana, including for the President of Cuba. It has a modification 96-300PU (control point) - like the aircraft of the President of the Russian Federation. Now, based on the IL-96M, the IL-96-400 has been created, with the same capacity as its predecessor.
Unfortunately, mass production of this model never took place, despite the fact that it was designed by Western and domestic specialists.
This airliner has proven itself well over long distances since 2002. Its capacity is 380 passengers in three classes, 419 in two classes. Flight range – 14,800 km. Initially developed as an alternative to early Boeing models. Although the number of passengers the aircraft is identical to Boeing's 747 model, the luggage compartment is twice as large as that of its competitor. Serial production ceased in 2011.
Cargo aircraft
- the most load-lifting aircraft in the world. The aircraft was created at the Design Bureau named after. Antonov. The basis for the creation of "Mriya" was.
The development of Mriya was closely related to the Buran program. It was with the help of the An-225 that parts for the shuttle and subsequently the ship itself were transported. Since the dimensions of the launch vehicle blocks and the Buran itself were larger than the cargo compartment of the Mriya, the An-225 was provided with external fastenings for such cargo.
There is one copy, but joint Ukrainian-Chinese construction of another Mriya is underway.
The aircraft's original mission was to transport ballistic missiles. But the result was impressive. The An-124 began to be used to transport military equipment. The civil aviation version of the aircraft can operate at any latitude and transport many types of cargo, including large cargo.
The cost of one copy is $300 million, which is more than many passenger airliners.
The aircraft was developed in the USA for military transportation back in 1968. Capable of transporting up to 345 soldiers or several units of military equipment.
It was the most load-carrying aircraft until the appearance of the An-124 in 1982.
The reason for the creation of this aircraft was the location of Airbus factories in several places and the need to transport individual parts of Airbus airliners. A total of 5 copies were created and they all work for Airbus. Currently, a similar device based on the A340 is being developed to transport parts of the Airbus A380.
The name comes from the beluga whale, whose shape resembles a flying machine.
This aircraft is designed to transport parts of the Boeing 787 aircraft. Previously, individual spare parts were transported by sea, which was extremely inconvenient. Thus, supplies from Japan of wings for the 787 Dreamliner were reduced from 30 days to 8 hours. Only 4 copies have been released so far.
Military aircraft
The short history of military aviation includes many cases when gigantomania came into fashion. The result was the construction of huge flying machines. Some representatives of the largest military aircraft will be described below.
The German aircraft from World War II was the heaviest land aircraft at that time. Widely used in North Africa to supply troops. Load capacity is 23 tons. Unlike the predecessor Me.321, which flew only one way and was subsequently blown up by the crew, the Me.323 was equipped with engines and landing gear.
The aircraft became the basis for many engineering solutions that are still used in military aviation. It can and should be called the first military transport aircraft.
The aircraft was created in 1943 in Germany. The basis for its creation was the Ju 290. Created to perform many tasks, including as a strategic bomber that could even bomb US territory. The Germans planned to build 26 aircraft, but in fact only two were built.
The aircraft had a unique flight range for its time - 9,700 km, which allowed the Germans to seriously think about bombing the territory of the United States.
The plane was created in the USA, like a flying boat. The Navy used it as an ocean patrol aircraft. A total of 5 devices of this type were created. In terms of wingspan, the JRM Mars is the largest production seaplane in history (the H-4 Hercules was produced in only one copy).
The last of the aircraft of this type is still in operation as a firefighting aircraft.
The aircraft was created by Boeing in 1941 to counter enemy Japan. Entered mass production in 1943. The B-29 embodied all the latest engineering solutions of the time and was a model for the current military aircraft industry. He became widely known after the use of atomic weapons in Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945.
To establish military balance, by order of I.V. Stalin, an analogue of the B-29 was created, an unlicensed copy of the Tu-4.
Initially, the B-52 was created as an intercontinental strategic bomber, but, being a means of delivering nuclear weapons, it was used in military conflicts only for training. Having an altitude ceiling of up to 15,000 m, it was capable of delivering two thermonuclear bombs to any point in the USSR.
The B-52 saw active use in many military conflicts, most notably in Vietnam from 1965 to 1973.
The US military plans to operate B-52 aircraft well into the 2040s with appropriate upgrades.
The legendary Soviet strategic bomber, which still remains in service with the Russian Air Force. This is the world's only turboprop missile carrier. There are still 60 vehicles of this type in service, capable of carrying X-101 missiles, which, with a range of 5,500 km, allow the Tu-95 to completely calmly attack targets without detecting itself on enemy air defense systems. Despite the fact that many of the modern strategic bombers are powered by jet engines, the Tu-95 is not obsolete, on the contrary, this is its advantage, since some satellites track bombers using jet exhaust.
Various test aircraft were created on the basis of the Tu-95, such as the passenger Tu-114 and reconnaissance Tu-126.
Video about the Tu-95 - one of the best bombers of our time.
A supersonic missile carrier with variable sweep wings was developed at the Tupolev Design Bureau in the 70-80s. Many prefixes “most” can be applied to an airplane. Tu-160 is the largest military aircraft, which also has the largest maximum take-off weight. The Russian Air Force includes 16 Tu-160 aircraft based in Engels, Saratov region.
In 2017, a decision was made to completely modernize the Tu-160.
The history of aircraft construction, both military and civilian, does not go back very long, however, during this time a huge leap has been made in the technologies used. Over time, the capacity of passenger airliners and their flight range increase, and military aircraft are assigned increasingly complex tasks, from transport to combat. One way or another, aircraft manufacturing will remain one of the most high-tech industries.
An-225 "Mriya"
An-225 "Mriya" is the largest aircraft in the world, Ukrainian development of the Design Bureau named after. Antonov. The An-225 was included in the Guinness Book of Records for transporting the largest cargo in the history of aviation. The aircraft's carrying capacity is up to 250 tons! Currently, cargo transportation is carried out by only one An-225 aircraft, which is operated by the Ukrainian airline Antonov Airlines. So that you can imagine the true size of the giant, the unique Ukrainian aircraft can transport about 50 cars at a time.
Hughes H-4 Hercules
"Hercules" is an American-made flying boat; the first and only flight of the Hugbes H-4 was made back in 1947. Then the plane rose into the air to a height of 21 meters and flew over Los Angeles Harbor for about 2 kilometers. Subsequently, the project was frozen as unnecessary. Currently, the Hughes aircraft is an exhibit at the Evergreen International Aviation Museum, visited by 300 thousand tourists annually. The Hughes H-4 Hercules is the record holder for the wingspan of an aircraft - the Hercules has a wingspan of 98 meters, note that the An-225 has a wingspan of only 88 meters.
Super Guppy
Aero Spacelines Super Guppy is a transport aircraft based on the fuselage of the military Boeing C-97. First flight unusual aircraft took place in 1965, one of the “Super Guppies” still serves for NASA. Super Guppy was also used by aviation giant Airbus to deliver large aircraft parts to final assembly sites. Subsequently, Airbus developed a new Beluga transport aircraft to replace the Guppy, which will be discussed a little later.
The aircraft's carrying capacity is almost 25 tons (10 times less than that of the An-225 Mriya), and its wingspan is 47.6 meters.
Airbus Beluga
Beluga replaced the Super Guppy, which could not cope with the increasing volumes of supplies of parts for aircraft. The base model for Airbus Beluga was the A300-600 fuselage. The Beluga's carrying capacity is approximately 47 tons, which allows Airbus to transport a pair of assembled Airbus A330 wings or most parts of the Airbus A319 airframe at a time. Airbus is currently working on developing a new transport aircraft based on the A340 that will transport A380 components.
Boeing 747 Dreamlifter
Dreamlifter got its name from the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. The Boeing 747 Dreamlifter transport was developed by the Boeing concern specifically for transporting Dreamliner components. The 787 Dreamliner carrier began operating in 2007. The maximum lifting capacity of the Boeing Dreamlifter is about 180 tons.
Airbus A380
The A380 is the largest passenger aircraft in aviation history. I am sure that Airbus will hold the palm for a very long time, because Boeing is not interested in creating giant passenger airliners. Before the A380, the largest passenger aircraft was the Boeing 747 for 36 years. The Airbus A380 is capable of carrying up to 853 passengers in a single-class configuration; the wingspan of the largest passenger aircraft is 79 meters. At the beginning of 2011 Emirates airlines, Lufthansa, Korean Air, Singapore Airlines, Qantas, Air France and China Southern Airlines operate 60 giant Airbus A380s.
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The An-225 Mriya (translated from Ukrainian as “dream”) is the heaviest cargo-lifting aircraft ever taken into the air. The maximum take-off weight of the aircraft is 640 tons. The reason for the construction of the An-225 was the need to create an aviation transport system for the Soviet reusable spacecraft Buran project. The plane exists in a single copy.
The aircraft was designed in the USSR and built in 1988 at the Kiev Mechanical Plant.
"Mriya" set a world record for take-off weight and carrying capacity. On March 22, 1989, the An-225 flew with a load of 156.3 tons, thereby simultaneously breaking 110 world aviation records, which is a record in itself.
Since the start of operation, the aircraft has flown 3,740 hours. If we assume that the average flight speed (taking into account take-off, climb, cruising, descent, approach) is about 500 km/h, then we can calculate the approximate value of the kilometers traveled: 500 x 3740 = 1,870,000 km (more than 46 revolutions around the Earth along the equator).
The scale of the An-225 is amazing: the length of the aircraft is 84 meters, the height is 18 meters (like a 6-story 4-entrance house)
A visual comparison of the Mriya and the passenger Boeing 747.
If we take the largest of the Boeing 747-800 as a basis, then the length of the An-225 will be 8 meters longer, and the wingspan will be 20 meters longer.
Compared to the Airbus A380, the Mriya is 11 meters longer, and its wingspan is almost 9 meters longer.
It happens that the airport does not have adequate parking for such big plane, and it is placed directly on the runway.
Of course, we are talking about an alternate runway, if the airport has one.
The wingspan is 88.4 meters and the area is 905 m²
The only aircraft superior to the An-225 in terms of wingspan is the Hughes H-4 Hercules, which belongs to the class of flying boats. The ship took off only once, in 1947. The history of this aircraft was reflected in the film "The Aviator"
Since the Buran spacecraft itself and the blocks of the Energia launch vehicle had dimensions exceeding the dimensions of the Mriya’s cargo compartment, the new aircraft provided for securing cargo from the outside. In addition, it was planned that the aircraft would be used as the first stage for the launch of a spacecraft.
The formation of a wake from a large cargo attached to the top of the aircraft required the installation of a double-finned tail unit to avoid aerodynamic shading.
The aircraft is equipped with 6 D-18T engines.
At takeoff mode, each engine develops a thrust of 23.4 tons (or 230 kN), i.e. the total thrust of all 6 engines is 140.5 tons (1380 kN)
It can be assumed that each engine develops about 12,500 horsepower at takeoff!
The D-18T engines of the An-225 aircraft are the same as those on the An-124 Ruslan.
The height of such an engine is 3 m, width 2.8 m, and weight more than 4 tons.
The starting system is air, with electrical automatic control. The auxiliary power unit, consisting of two TA-12 turbo units installed in the left and right fairings of the chassis, provides autonomous power to all systems and engine starting.
The mass of fuel in the tanks is 365 tons, it is placed in 13 wing caisson tanks.
The aircraft can remain in the air for 18 hours and cover a distance of over 15,000 km.
The refueling time for such a vehicle ranges from half an hour to a day and a half, and the number of tankers depends on their capacity (from 5 to 50 tons), i.e. from 7 to 70 tankers.
The aircraft's fuel consumption is 15.9 tons/h (in cruising mode)
When fully loaded, the aircraft can remain in the sky without refueling for no more than 2 hours.
The chassis includes a two-post nose and 14-post main (7 posts on each side) supports.
Each stand has two wheels. Total 32 wheels.
Wheels require replacement every 90 landings.
Tires for Mriya are produced at the Yaroslavl Tire Plant. The price of one tire is about $1000.
On the bow strut there are wheels measuring 1120 x 450 mm, and on the main strut there are wheels measuring 1270 x 510 mm.
The pressure inside is 12 atmospheres.
Since 2001, the An-225 has been performing commercial cargo transportation as part of Antonov Airlines.
Dimensions of the cargo compartment: length - 43 m, width - 6.4 m, height - 4.4 m.
The cargo cabin of the aircraft is sealed, which allows the transportation of various types of cargo. Inside the cabin you can place 16 standard containers, up to 80 cars and even heavy-duty BelAZ dump trucks. There is enough space here to fit the entire body of a Boeing 737.
Access to the cargo compartment is through the nose of the aircraft, which folds up.
The process of opening/closing the cargo compartment ramp takes no more than 10 minutes.
To unfold the ramp, the aircraft performs the so-called “elephant bow.”
The nose landing gear tilts forward, and the weight of the aircraft is transferred to auxiliary supports, which are installed under the front threshold of the cargo compartment.
Auxiliary support.
Control panel for the aircraft's "squat" system.
This loading method has a number of advantages compared to the Boeing 747 (which is loaded through a compartment in the side of the fuselage.
"Mriya" is a record holder for the weight of cargo transported: commercial - 247 tons (which is four times more than the maximum payload of a Boeing 747), commercial monocargo - 187.6 tons, and an absolute record for carrying capacity - 253.8 tons. On June 10, 2010, the longest cargo in the history of air transportation was transported - two windmill blades, each 42.1 m long.
To ensure a safe flight, the center of gravity of an aircraft with cargo must be within certain limits along its length. The load master performs loading in strict accordance with the instructions, after which the co-pilot checks the correct placement of the cargo and reports this to the crew commander, who makes a decision on the possibility of carrying out the flight and is responsible for this.
The aircraft is equipped with an on-board loading complex consisting of four lifting mechanisms, each with a lifting capacity of 5 tons.
In addition, two floor winches are provided for loading non-self-propelled wheeled vehicles and cargo on the loading ramp.
This time, the An-225 was chartered by the French engineering company Alstom to transport 170 tons of cargo from Zurich, Switzerland to Bahrain with refueling in Athens and Cairo.
This is a turbine rotor, a turbogenerator for producing electricity and components.
Flight manager Vadim Nikolaevich Deniskov.
To tow the An-225 aircraft, it is impossible to use the carrier of aircraft from other companies, so the carrier is transported on board the aircraft.
And since the aircraft is not equipped with a rear cargo hatch and the towing carrier is unloaded and loaded through the front cargo hatch, which requires a full cycle of squatting of the aircraft onto the front support, as a result, at least 30 minutes are lost and the resource of the aircraft structure and squatting system is unjustifiably consumed.
Technician-foreman for aircraft maintenance.
To ensure turns when the aircraft moves on the ground, the last four rows of the main support struts are made orientable.
Aircraft maintenance technician: specialization: hydraulic system and landing gear.
The heavy weight of the aircraft causes the landing gear to leave marks on the asphalt.
Ladder and hatch to the cockpit.
The passenger compartment is divided into 2 parts: in the front there is the aircraft crew, and in the rear there are accompanying and maintenance personnel.
The cabins are sealed separately - they are separated by a wing.
The rear part of the accompanying cabin is intended for eating, working with technical documentation and holding conferences.
The aircraft has 18 seats for rest of crew members and members of the engineering and technical team - 6 seats in the front cabin and 12 in the rear.
Staircase and hatch to the attendant cabin at the rear of the aircraft.
Technical compartment located at the rear of the cockpit.
On the shelves you can see the blocks that ensure the operation of various aircraft systems, and the pipelines of the pressurization and air conditioning system and the anti-icing system. All aircraft systems are highly automated and require minimal crew intervention during operation. Their work is supported by 34 on-board computers.
Wall of the front center section spar. It is installed (from top to bottom): the slats transmission and air bleed pipelines from the engines.
In front of it are stationary cylinders of the fire protection system with the fire extinguishing agent "Freon".
Stickers are souvenirs from numerous visitors on the panel on the plane's emergency exit hatch flap.
The farthest point from the base airport that the plane managed to visit is the island of Tahiti, which is part of French Polynesia.
The distance along the shortest arc of the globe is about 16,400 km.
Rynda An-225
Vladimir Vladimirovich Mason mentioned in the engraving is an aircraft operation engineer who worked at Mriya for many years.
The aircraft commander (PIC) is Vladimir Yuryevich Mosin.
To become an An-225 commander, you must have at least 5 years of experience flying an An-124 aircraft as a commander.
Weight and alignment control is simplified by installing a load-measuring system on the chassis.
The aircraft crew consists of 6 people:
aircraft commander, co-pilot, navigator, senior flight engineer, aviation equipment flight engineer, flight radio operator.
To reduce efforts on the throttles and increase the accuracy of setting engine operating modes, a remote engine control system is provided. In this case, the pilot makes a relatively small effort to use cables to move the lever of an electromechanical device mounted on the engine, which reproduces this movement on the fuel regulator lever with the necessary force and accuracy. For the convenience of joint control during takeoff and landing, the throttle levers of the outermost engines (RUD1 and RUD6) are linked, respectively, with RUD2 and RUD5.
The helm of the largest aircraft in the world.
Aircraft control is booster i.e. The control surfaces are deflected solely with the help of hydraulic steering actuators, if they fail, it is impossible to control the aircraft manually (with an increase in the required effort). Therefore, quadruple redundancy was applied. The mechanical part of the control system (from the steering wheel and pedals to hydraulic steering actuators) consists of rigid rods and cables.
The total length of these cables is: the aileron control system in the fuselage - about 30 meters, in each console (left, right) of the wing - approximately 35 meters; elevator and rudder control systems - about 65 meters each.
When the plane is empty, 2400 m of runway is enough for takeoff and landing.
Takeoff with maximum weight - 3500 m, landing with maximum weight - 3300 m.
At the executive start, the engines begin to warm up, which takes about 10 minutes.
This prevents engine surge during takeoff and ensures maximum takeoff thrust. Of course, this requirement leads to the fact that: takeoff is carried out during a period of minimal airport congestion, or the plane waits a long time for its turn to take off, missing scheduled flights.
The takeoff and landing speed depends on the takeoff and landing weight of the aircraft and ranges from 240 km/h to 280 km/h.
The climb is carried out at a speed of 560 km/h, with a vertical speed of 8 m/s.
At an altitude of 7100 meters, the speed increases to 675 km/h with further continuation of the climb to the flight level.
Cruising speed of An-225 - 850 km/h
When calculating cruising speed, the weight of the aircraft and the flight range that the aircraft must cover are taken into account.
Dmitry Viktorovich Antonov - senior captain.
The middle panel of the pilots' instrument panel.
Backup instruments: attitude indicator and altitude indicator. Fuel lever position indicator (FLU), engine thrust indicator (ET). Indicators of deviation of control surfaces and take-off and landing devices (slats, flaps, spoilers).
The senior flight engineer's instrument panel.
In the lower left corner there is a side panel with controls for the hydraulic complex and a chassis position alarm. Top left panel of the aircraft fire protection system. At the top right is a panel with controls and control devices: starting the APU, the supercharging and air conditioning system, the anti-icing system and the signal panel block. At the bottom is a panel with controls and controls for the fuel supply system, engine operation control and the on-board automated control system (BASK) of all aircraft parameters.
Senior onboard engineer - Polishchuk Alexander Nikolaevich.
Instrument panel for monitoring engine operation.
On the left, at the top is a vertical indicator of the position of the fuel levers. Large round instruments are speed indicators for the high-pressure compressor and engine fan. Small round instruments are indicators of oil temperature at the engine inlet. The block of vertical instruments at the bottom - indicators of the amount of oil in the engine oil tanks.
Aeronautical engineer's dashboard.
Controls and monitoring devices for the aircraft's power supply system and oxygen system are located here.
Navigator - Anatoly Binyatovich Abdullaev.
Flight over the territory of Greece.
Navigator-instructor - Yaroslav Ivanovich Koshitsky.
Flight operator - Gennady Yurievich Antipov.
The ICAO call sign for the An-225 on the flight from Zurich to Athens was ADB-3038.
On-board engineer - Yuri Anatolyevich Mindar.
Athens airport runway.
Landing at night on Mriya is carried out instrumentally, i.e. using instruments, from the leveling height and visually before touching down. According to the crew, one of the most difficult landings is in Kabul, which is associated with high altitude and many obstacles. The approach begins at a speed of 340 km/h to an altitude of 200 meters, then the speed is gradually reduced.
Landing is carried out at a speed of 295 km/h with fully extended mechanization. It is allowed to touch the runway at a vertical speed of 6 m/s. After touching the runway, reverse thrust is immediately switched to engines 2 to 5, while engines 1 and 6 are left at idle. The landing gear is braked at a speed of 140-150 km/h until the aircraft comes to a complete stop.
The aircraft's service life is 8,000 flight hours, 2,000 takeoffs and landings, 25 calendar years.
The aircraft can still fly until December 21, 2013 (25 years since the start of its operation), after which a thorough study of its technical condition will be carried out and the necessary work will be carried out to ensure an extension of the calendar service life to 45 years.
Due to the high cost of transportation on the An-225, orders appear only for very long and very heavy cargo, when transportation by land is not possible. Flights are random: from 2-3 per month to 1-2 per year. From time to time there is talk about building a second copy of the An-225 aircraft, but this requires an appropriate order and appropriate funding. To complete the construction, an amount of approximately $90 million is required, and taking into account testing, it increases to $120 million.
This is perhaps one of the most beautiful and impressive aircraft in the world.
Thanks to Antonov Airlines for their help in organizing the photography!
Special thanks to Vadim Nikolaevich Deniskov for his help in writing the text for the post!
