The most powerful passenger aircraft. What is the largest passenger aircraft in the world
Once upon a time, a person could only dream of conquering heights and flying like a bird. With the invention of airplanes, the dream of learning to fly became feasible. Moreover, modern aircraft are so amazing and high-tech that sometimes it seems that there are no limits to human thought. That is why this material will be devoted to the story of the largest and fastest aircraft in the world.
The largest passenger planes in the world
Airbus A380 - a flying giant
It is believed that the largest aircraft for passenger transport is the Airbus A380. This double-decker giant has the following dimensions:
- The height of the liner is 24 meters;
- the giant's wingspan reaches almost 80 meters;
- The length of this flying giant is 73 meters.
It is also worth noting that this flying giant can accommodate 555 passengers on board. Moreover, the charter type of such aircraft can accommodate 853 passengers.
A distinctive feature of the Airbus A380 is that it can fly 15 thousand kilometers without landing. It is also worth noting that this passenger aircraft is very economical compared to aircraft of its class. Fuel consumption per 3 passengers and 100 kilometers is only 3 liters.
The developers of this model spent 10 years creating it. The costs of implementing the idea of creating a large passenger aircraft are also worthy of respect. Thus, more than 12 billion euros were spent to create the Airbus A380.
Interestingly, this model was first developed as an alternative version of the Boeing 747, which was considered the largest passenger aircraft for 35 years before the advent of the Airbus A-380. However, the appearance of the Airbus A380 immediately “moved” Boeing from the winner’s podium. So, if we compare these two giants, the Airbus A380 is more economical, since the Boeing can seat no more than 400 passengers, and its cost is about 15 percent more expensive.
It is noteworthy that the developers of the largest airliner also managed to significantly reduce the weight of the aircraft. Interestingly, the Airbus A380 consists of almost 40 percent graphite. Thus, the fuselage and wings of the aircraft are made from this material. The cost of this flying giant is 390 million dollars (!).
Other large passenger aircraft also include:
- Boeing 747-8
This airliner is a new product from one of the leading manufacturers of aircraft, military and space equipment. The advantages of this flying giant include an elongated fuselage, which makes it the longest passenger aircraft in the world. - Airbus A340-600
This flying “monster” is another large representative of the Airbus family of aircraft. The two-class configuration of such an airliner can accommodate about 420 people on board, and the three-class configuration can accommodate 380 passengers on board. - Boeing 747
This flying giant held the lead among the largest passenger airliners for 35 years (from 1969 to 2005). For the first time in the world, this aircraft was able to fly non-stop from London to the capital of Australia, Sydney. At the same time, he flew a distance of 18 thousand kilometers in just over 20 hours. - Boeing 777-300ER
This airliner is also a modification of its predecessor. In addition to its impressive size, this giant also has the most innovative modifications. This is what made this aircraft very economical among the largest airliners in the world. - Airbus A330
This large airliner also has a number of very successful modifications, but the sad statistics do not indicate its best feature. Thus, from 1994 to 2010, 6 crashes of such aircraft were registered.
The largest cargo planes in the world
Of course, the Ukrainian An-225 Mriya is considered the largest cargo-lifting aircraft in the world. This flying “monster” was developed during 1984-1988 at the Antonov Aviation Complex. The first flight of this aircraft took place on December 21, 1988.
This giant is equipped with a six-engine turbojet high-wing aircraft, which has a 2-fin “tail” and an arrow-shaped wing. The Mriya was based on its predecessor, the An-124. An interesting fact is that the development of Mriya was closely connected with the Soviet space program Buran, since a powerful lifting transport was required that could transport launch vehicle parts from the assembly site to the cosmodrome itself. The task for the developers was to create an aerial lifting vehicle that could lift at least 250 tons into the sky at a time. This is exactly how the giant Mriya was created.
The main characteristics of the An-225 Mriya cargo cabin are as follows:
- the width of this cargo airliner is almost 6.5 meters;
- the height of the giant reaches almost 4.5 meters;
- The length of the aircraft is 43 meters.
In addition to these characteristics, the Mriya can comfortably accommodate 88 people to accompany the cargo, and the crew cabin is designed for 6 people.
It is noteworthy that all control systems have 4-fold duplication.
General characteristics of the aircraft:
- the width from one wing to the other is almost 89 (!) meters;
- the height of this giant reaches 18 meters, which is equal to the height of a five-story building.
Today there is only one such aircraft in the world. The designer of the aviation complex plans to complete the construction of Antonov’s twin brother “Mriya”. It is believed that its readiness is already 70 percent.
Other large cargo aircraft also include:
1. An-124 “Ruslan”
This aircraft is the predecessor of the Mriya. Initially, this aircraft was created to transport intercontinental ballistic missiles. However, the result obtained significantly exceeded all the designers' expectations. This giant began to be actively used to transport large-scale landing and military equipment. One such aircraft is estimated at $300 million.
2. Lockheed C-5 Galaxy
This aircraft was developed by American designers for the military transport system back in 1968. At one time, this cargo giant is capable of transporting 6 Apache helicopters, 4 infantry fighting vehicles, 2 tanks and 6 armored personnel carriers. Until 1982, this flying giant was considered the largest cargo airliner in the world.
3. Hughes H-4 Hercules
This cargo aircraft is something of a rarity, as it was developed back in 1947. This aircraft is considered the record holder for its wingspan, which is 98 meters. This record has not yet been surpassed. This 136-ton giant was created to transport 750 soldiers who would be in full equipment. It is worth noting that only one unit of this cargo aircraft was manufactured. Today this flying giant is a museum aircraft.
2. Boeing 747-8I
This model is a cargo-passenger aircraft that began to be produced relatively recently, namely in 2008. In terms of its parameters, it is inferior to the Ukrainian An-225 Mriya aircraft, but it differs in that it is the largest cargo aircraft in the world that was able to enter mass production. So, to date, about 76 such models have been produced. The parameters of this lifting giant include:
- the length of this aircraft is almost 76 meters;
- its height is almost 20 meters, which is higher than a five-story building;
- The wingspan of this aircraft is almost 69 meters.
The empty weight of such an aircraft is approximately 213 thousand kilograms, and the maximum weight at which a successful takeoff is possible is 442 thousand kilograms.
In addition to cargo, this aircraft can accommodate 581 passengers in a two-class configuration, and 467 in a three-class configuration.
The fastest planes in the world
They are fast, like a bullet, as they can develop incredible speed. The fastest aircraft in the world are the following models:
- Boeing X-43
This hypersonic aircraft is the fastest aircraft in the world. This drone shows simply stunning results. So, this plane can fly at a speed of 11,230 km per hour. If you imagine, this figure is almost 10 times the speed of sound.
This supermachine was designed by NASA specialists. It took almost 10 years to develop this hypersonic aircraft. The wingspan of this “nimble” is only 3.6 meters. The fuel that powers this aircraft consists of hydrogen and oxygen. At the same time, the aircraft consumes oxygen directly from the atmosphere, which made it possible to “save” on the weight of this super-fast aircraft. - Orbital Sciences Corporation X-34
This plane is also super-fast, as it is capable of reaching a speed of 12,144 kilometers per hour. However, in the ranking of the fastest aircraft in the world, it occupies second position, since during experiments its speed did not exceed the previous Boeing X-43. It is worth noting that the development of this aircraft took a quarter of a billion dollars and about 7 years. Another interesting fact is that this high-speed airliner weighs 1270 kilograms, but this does not allow it to rise to a height of more than 75 kilometers. - North American X-15
This aircraft is capable of reaching a speed of 7274 km per hour. Interestingly, the altitude record among supersonic aircraft held by this model from 1963 to 2004. This “nimble” can rise to a height of 110 kilometers, and it weighs about 15 tons. - SR-71 ("Blackbird")
This supersonic aircraft is a reconnaissance aircraft subordinate to the US Air Force. It can reach a speed of 3,715 kilometers per hour. It weighs impressively, namely 77 tons. However, the aircraft weighs only 27 tons without fuel. - Mig-25 ("Bat")
This supersonic aircraft is the fastest military jet model. Almost 30 world records were set on this aircraft. The speed at which this record holder can fly is 3395 kilometers per hour. The weight of this airliner reaches almost 41 tons during takeoff, and only 18.8 tons during landing.
Today, not a single person can imagine life without the existence of airplanes, but previously people could only dream of flying in the sky. Thanks to the colossal work done by scientists and design engineers from different parts of the planet, the world became acquainted with the first aircraft. And on October 25, 2007 it went into operation Airbus A380- the largest passenger aircraft in the world, photos of which to some extent reflect the real size of the giant.
We will not dwell on one model, but will introduce you to other airliners capable of carrying a considerable number of passengers on board.
Introduced in 2005, the Airbus A380-800 passenger aircraft supplanted the Boeing 747, the leading air giant for 36 years.
Technical Parameters:
- Vessel length: 73 m
- Passenger capacity: 525 people
- Wingspan: 79.75 m
- Wing area: 845 sq. m
- Height: 24.09 m
- Weight: 280 tons
- Maximum speed: 1020 km/h
- Takeoff length: 2050 meters
Airbus took one decade and 12 billion euros to develop. The maximum distance covered by the aircraft without in-flight refueling is 15,400 km. In terms of the amount of fuel consumed, the Airbus A380-800 is much more economical compared to other aircraft of its class.
It was possible to reduce fuel consumption thanks to the correctly designed shape of the wing and fuselage. To achieve such precision, milling machines used in aircraft production were specially developed in Japan. For 100 kilometers, three passengers consume 3 liters of fuel.
Despite the larger capacity of the Airbus compared to the Boeing 747, its production is 15 percent cheaper. For the first time, the air giant began to be operated by the national airline of Singapore, Singapore Airlines, serving the Singapore-Sydney route.
“Boeing 747-8”
In 2005, the American corporation The Boeing Company introduced another modification of the passenger aircraft - the Boeing 747-8. The main differences from previous airliners are the elongated hull and efficiency. By changing the deviation of the wing in plan from perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the aircraft and reducing its thickness, manufacturers managed to improve the quality of aerodynamics. Thanks to this wing shape, fuel consumption has decreased.
“Boeing 747-8”
This modification was preferred by the governments of 19 states, using the aircraft for flights of the country's top leaders.
At 76.25 meters long, the Boeing 747-8 is the largest commercial aircraft built in the United States. In addition, the Boeing 747-8 is the leader in orders for VIP versions, which are intended for government politicians.
The largest passenger aircraft in history is the Hughes H-4 Hercules. The giant received this title in 1947. Compared to the existing flying “machines” of that period, the Hughes H-4 Hercules stood out with its 98-meter distance between the edges of the wings, due to which this modification was considered the most wide-body.
A total of 2 aircraft of this type were produced; today only one remains. The Hughes H-4 Hercules, with a capacity of 750 passengers, was brought to the Long Beach Museum in 1993, where it remains today. More people have never been transported on any plane in one flight.
The Boeing 777-300ER passenger aircraft, designed in 1990, can fly 20,000 km without in-flight refueling. The test flight took place in 1994.
The Boeing 777-300ER is the first passenger aircraft to be designed using virtual computer assembly rather than paper drawings. Thanks to new computer technologies, or rather the program for creating three-dimensional models CATIA, it was possible to avoid typical connection errors not during production, but at the design stage.
The airliner is equipped with powerful turbojet engines with a high bypass ratio and is equipped with additional tanks for storing fuel. The introduction of this modification reduced fuel consumption by 1.4 percent. 305-550 passengers can fly on board the liner at a time.
The largest airliner produced in Russia is the Il-96M with a capacity of 435 passengers. Its design was carried out by domestic and Western companies. The aircraft model was exhibited at specialized air shows more than once, but mass production was never started. In 2009, the plane was destroyed due to physical wear and tear.
The aircraft, 63.7 m long and with a capacity of 400 people, holds the absolute world record for flight with one working engine. In 2003, in March, after one of the engines failed, the airliner flew for 2 hours and 57 minutes with 255 passengers. Despite the appearance of modifications of improved quality, the Boeing 777-200 EP remains in demand as before. There are more than 400 aircraft of this modification in the world.
The Airbus A340-600 is one of the long-haul airliners. On one fill, it is capable of covering a distance of 14,800 kilometers. The Airbus A340-600 has been in operation on international and intercontinental routes since 2002. The aircraft, which is 75 meters long and has a wingspan of 63.5 meters, has a capacity of 380 people.
A total of 97 Airbus A340-600 models were assembled. In 2011, serial production of the aircraft ceased.
The wingspan of the Russian Ruslan aircraft reaches 73 meters with a length of 69 meters. The main difference of the flying machine is the colossal cargo compartment with a volume of 1050 cubic meters. meters. The aircraft with a cruising speed of 850 km/h was used for cargo transportation (carrying capacity - 120 tons); if necessary, it could transport military personnel. The flight life of the An-124 model does not exceed 45 years.
The military model of the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy is also worthy of competing for the title of largest passenger aircraft. The liner was used both for transporting people and cargo. On board the aircraft, 270 military personnel can simultaneously fly; in addition, if necessary, the aircraft can be equipped with 75 additional passenger seats. Thanks to its impressive dimensions (vessel length - 75.5 meters, width - 68 meters), the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy was classified as a giant aircraft.
Without refueling, the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy covers a distance of 5,600 kilometers at a speed of 920 km/h. The maximum height to which the giant rose is 10,100 meters.
60 years passed from the moment the first passenger was taken on board until the advent of spacious airliners. And today we can no longer be surprised by huge airplanes with excellent flight characteristics, nor by transcontinental flights, nor by long hours of travel on airliners.
“The desire to fly is an idea passed down to us by our ancestors, who, in their grueling off-road journeys in prehistoric times, looked with envy at the birds soaring freely through space, at full speed, without any obstacles on the endless road of air,” once Wilbur Wright said.
Could the Wright brothers, back in 1903, imagine what their idea of controlled flight in the air would turn into? Now you won’t surprise anyone with supersonic planes and winged colossuses capable of transporting not only people, but also heavy equipment.
Well, we may not be able to fly like birds, but if we want, we can fly on one of the largest aircraft in the world. Choose which of these giants you like best.
Role: multi-role aircraft.
Developer: KB Tupolev, USSR.
This aircraft, created at the Voronezh Aviation Plant in 1934, became the largest aircraft of its time. Its wingspan reached 63 meters, and its maximum take-off weight was 42,000 kg. The ANT-20 was served by a staff of 5 people, and the aircraft could carry 48 passengers.
When the Little Prince's "father" Antoine de Saint-Exupéry arrived in the USSR, he flew on the ANT-20. But the life of this model was short-lived. In 1935, during a demonstration flight, the aircraft took off together with the I-5 fighter, which was supposed to demonstrate the difference in size for newsreels. While performing aerobatic maneuvers, the I-5 entered the “Nesterov loop”, lost speed and crashed onto the ANT-20 from above. That, in turn, began to fall apart in the sky and fell on the holiday village of Sokol.
As a result of this accident, 49 people died. At the Novodevichy cemetery there is a memorial topped with a huge granite bas-relief of the crashed plane.
Role: transport plane.
Developer: Boeing.
An aircraft unsurpassed in terms of fuselage capacity. The volume of its transport compartment is 1840 cubic meters. It is used strictly to transport parts of the Boeing 787 aircraft, which are designed by third-party suppliers. A total of 4 Dreamlifters were put into operation.
The Boeing 747 LCF is unprepossessing in appearance and has even been compared to the Wienermobile, a bun-shaped car used to promote and advertise Oscar Mayer products in the United States. And Boeing CEO Scott Carson jokingly apologized to Joe Sutter, head of the Boeing 747 development team, for what he did to his plane.
Role: passenger airliner.
Developer: Boeing.
Boeing knows how to develop aircraft that set records. The 747-8 became the longest passenger aircraft in the world. Its length is 76.4 meters.
The Boeing 747-8 is a representative of the new generation of the Boeing 747 series (eighth on our list). It features a longer fuselage, an improved wing and greater economic efficiency.
Role: passenger airliner.
Developer: Boeing.
Once upon a time, when asked what the largest aircraft in the world is in terms of passenger capacity, the designers of the double-deck Boeing 747 proudly answered: “Ours”! Depending on the modification, the aircraft can accommodate up to 624 passengers on board. But then the Airbus A380 appeared and displaced the Boeing 747 from the pedestal of the most spacious aircraft.
If you watched Casino Royale with Daniel Craig as James Bond, you may remember the SkyFleet S570 airliner that terrorists wanted to blow up. This airliner was a Boeing 747-236B, which was built in 1980 and flew until 2002. A worthy end to a career.
One of the largest air disasters in the world is also associated with the Boeing 747. It occurred in 1977 on the island of Tenerife. In fog, two Boeing 747s collided with each other on the runway, killing 583 people.
Role: transport plane.
Developer: OKB im. O.K. Antonova.
This winged machine, named Antaeus in honor of the invincible giant from ancient Greek myths, is still the world's largest turboprop aircraft.
Transportation of cargo during the war in Afghanistan and during the liquidation of the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, transportation of refugees and military personnel from countries of Eastern Europe and neighboring countries - this is not the complete “track record” of the An-22. And in one of the passenger flights organized during the air bridge between Egypt and the Soviet Union in 1972, Antey set a record, taking almost 700 people on board. This is a real hard worker, reliable and unpretentious in operation.
Role: transport plane.
Developer: OKB im. O.K. Antonova.
The top five largest aircraft in the world is opened by a Soviet design, which, until the advent of the Airbus A380 (number four on the list), was considered the largest commercially produced aircraft.
However, no one has yet taken away the title of “largest military aircraft” from the An-124, as well as the title of the world’s most load-bearing serial transport aircraft.
And although the production of “Ruslan”, as Oleg Konstantinovich Antonov called this aircraft, has now been suspended, the existing fleet of aircraft will be modernized. This was stated by Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov in July 2018.
Role: passenger liner.
Developer: Airbus.
The largest passenger aircraft in the world (of mass-produced ones) and one of the largest aircraft on Earth. When you watch a video of one of the largest aircraft in the world, it’s hard to believe that such a colossus is capable of taking off.
The Airbus A380 is capable of carrying up to 853 passengers in economy class configuration. By comparison, the A380's main competitor, the Boeing 747 passenger airliner, carries only 624 people in full economy class configuration.
It's not just airlines that own the luxurious Airbus A380. By order of the Saudi Prince Al-Walid ibn Talal, a private jet was built, which cost the owner $488 million.
Role: passenger liner.
Developer: Airbus.
It is the largest member of the Airbus A340 family and the third longest aircraft in the world (75.36 meters). Aircraft like the Airbus A340 were produced until November 2011, but could not withstand the competition with the Boeing 777. However, they still carry out passenger transportation in various countries around the world.
It is curious that during the entire period of operation (since 1993), only five A340 aircraft were lost. However, not a single passenger or crew member died.
Role: cargo plane.
Developer: OKB im. O.K. Antonova.
It is the largest transport aircraft ever built. Its maximum take-off weight is 640 tons and its payload capacity is 250 tons.
The An-225 is capable of transporting vehicles, construction and military equipment and other large cargo on its fuselage to different parts of the world. But this giant was intended for a different, much more ambitious purpose. It was created as part of the Buran reusable spacecraft project. It was assumed that the An-225 would transport Buran components and the launch vehicle from the place of creation and assembly to the launch site.
The first flight of the Mriya (dream in Ukrainian) took place in December 1988, carrying a Buran weighing sixty tons. However, after the collapse of the USSR, the “dream” was left without work. It began to be used again (after appropriate modernization) only in 2000, for commercial transportation.
And more recently, in September 2018, the giant aircraft set a new record by making a thirteen-hour non-stop flight from the Ukrainian Gostomel to the American Oakland Airport. He covered a distance of 9800 km.
Role: carrier aircraft.
Developer: Scaled Composites.
This huge plane will not carry regular cargo. Rather, it will serve as another way to deliver objects, namely satellites, into the stratosphere before launching them into space orbit. This type of transport will be more reliable and less expensive than traditional rockets.
Unlike the largest aircraft in the world - the Ukrainian Mriya - the American Stratolaunch does not yet fly. Its first demonstration took place in May 2017. In terms of wingspan - 117.3 meters, it is much superior to the An-225 (88.4 meters, respectively). For now Stratolaunch - the aircraft with the largest wingspan in the world.
However, the American is inferior to its Ukrainian “colleague” in terms of maximum take-off weight (589,670 kg and 640,000 kg, respectively) and length (73 meters for Stratolaunch versus 84 meters for the An-225).
The exact dates for new Stratolaunch tests are still unknown. Engineers hope the aircraft will enter service within the next 10 years.
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 equipped with two General Electric gas turbine engines, which are the most powerful engines in their 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 highest 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 civil, 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.
People are always attracted by some kind of record - record-breaking aircraft always receive great attention
3rd place: Airbus A380
The 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, length is 72.75 (80.65) meters, wingspan is 79.75 meters. The A380 can fly non-stop over distances of up to 15,400 km. Capacity - 525 passengers in three classes; 853 passengers in single-class configuration. There is also a cargo modification of the A380F with the ability to transport 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 was about 12 billion euros. Airbus says it needs to sell 420 planes to recoup costs, although some analysts estimate the figure could be much higher.
According to the developers, the most difficult part in creating the A380 was the problem of reducing its weight. It was solved through the widespread use of composite materials both in structural structural elements and in auxiliary units, interiors, etc.
To reduce the weight of the aircraft, advanced technologies and improved aluminum alloys were also used. Thus, the 11-ton center section consists of 40% of its mass from carbon fiber reinforced plastic. The fuselage top and side panels are made from Glare hybrid material. Laser welding of stringers and skin was used on the lower fuselage panels, which significantly reduced the number of fasteners.
According to Airbus, the Airbus A380 burns 17% less fuel per passenger than “the current largest aircraft” (apparently referring to the Boeing 747). The less fuel is burned, the lower the carbon dioxide emissions. For an airplane, CO2 emissions per passenger are only 75 grams per kilometer traveled. This is almost half the carbon dioxide emissions limit set by the European Union for cars produced in 2008.
The first A320 aircraft sold was delivered to the customer on October 15, 2007 after a long acceptance testing phase and entered service on October 25, 2007, making a commercial flight between Singapore and Sydney. Two months later, Singapore Airlines President Chew Chong Seng said the Airbus A380 was performing better than expected and was consuming 20% less fuel per passenger than the company's existing Boeing 747-400s.
The aircraft's upper and lower decks are connected by two staircases at the bow and tail, wide enough to accommodate two passengers shoulder to shoulder. In the 555-passenger configuration, the A380 has 33% more passenger seats than the Boeing 747–400 in its standard three-class configuration, but the cabin has 50% more space and volume, resulting in more space per passenger.
The maximum certified capacity of the aircraft is 853 passengers when configured with a single economy class. The announced configurations have a number of passenger seats from 450 (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 leadership of Howard Hughes. This 136-ton aircraft, originally designated the NK-1 and informally nicknamed the Spruce Goose, was the largest flying boat ever built, and its wingspan remains a record to this day. - 98 meters. It was designed to transport 750 soldiers when fully equipped.
At the beginning of World War II, the US government allocated $13 million to Hughes to produce a prototype of a flying ship, but the aircraft was not ready by the end of hostilities, which was explained by a shortage of aluminum, as well as Hughes’s stubbornness in trying to create an impeccable 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 take-off weight: 180 tons
Payload weight: up to 59,000 kg
Fuel capacity: 52,996 l
Engines: 8? air cooling Pratt&Whitney R-4360-4A 3000 l. With. (2240 kW) each
Propellers: 8? four-bladed Hamilton Standard, diameter 5.23 m
Flight characteristics
Top speed: 351 mph (565.11 km/h)
Cruising speed: 250 mph (407.98 km/h)
Flight range: 5634 km
Service ceiling: 7165 m.
Despite its nickname, the plane is built almost entirely from birch, or more precisely from birch plywood glued to a pattern.
The Hercules aircraft, piloted by Howard Hughes himself, made its first and only flight on November 2, 1947, when it rose 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 maintained the aircraft in operational condition until his death in 1976, spending up to $1 million a year on this), the aircraft was sent to a museum in Long Beach, California.
The plane is visited by about 300,000 tourists annually. The biography of the aircraft's creator, Howard Hughes, and the aircraft's testing 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 What 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 deadline 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. For example, the fuselage of the Mriya has the same transverse dimensions as the An-124, but is longer; the span and area of the wings 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 similar to that of the Ruslan, but it has seven instead of five struts. 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 approximately 70% complete and can be completed at any time, subject to 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 sixty 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 Buran, its first reusable spacecraft, an analogue of 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 deliver 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 final assembly 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. Also, the An-225 could 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.
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 with the participation of the An-225 was practically buried. This aircraft was an active participant in the Energia-Buran program. The An-225 completed 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 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 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;
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, which is located in the bow 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.
To take off without cargo, the plane needs a runway 2400 meters long, with cargo - 3500 meters.
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.D
Technical characteristics of An-225 "Mriya"
Wingspan, m 88.4
Length, m 84.0
Height, m 18.2
Weight, kg
Empty 250000
Maximum takeoff 600000
Fuel weight 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 super-heavy-lift transport jet aircraft developed by the Design Bureau named after. O.K. Antonov, is the largest aircraft in the world.
