We will look at those airliners that occupy the first 5 places in the ranking of the largest aircraft in terms of size. Each of these aircraft became famous for one or another position.
This review article with a brief description of each position and photographs will provide an opportunity to obtain reliable information on the issue that interests you. If you have any other information or would like to express your opinion, please do so in the comments box located at the bottom of the page.
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TOP 5 largest aircraft in the world
1st place - An-225
Let's start our story with a review of the largest aircraft in every sense, which exists in a single copy in the world. The production of the airliner was so financially expensive that the aircraft plant was forced to stop its production.
An-225 is a joint Russian-Ukrainian brainchild, called Mriya. The aircraft was produced in 1988 as a cargo ship, which later became a military transport aircraft.
The An-225 has the most unimaginable parameters even for a large aircraft:
- height just over 24 m;
- length - 73 m;
- First of all, the wingspan is amazing, which is almost 88.5 m;
- a vessel weighing 250,000 kg is capable of flying with a maximum take-off weight of 600,000 kg.
There is information that production of the world's second An-225 has begun, but due to lack of funds, the air monster is only no more than 70% ready.
2nd place - Airbus A-380
The largest passenger aircraft is the Airbus A-380. This model of the airliner gained fame thanks to its ownership by one of the richest people in the world - the Arabian oligarch Al Waleed bin Talal.
Unlike the An-225, the Airbus A-380 is a serial aircraft that has been actively put into production since 2005.
Interesting article:
The most expensive plane in the world
how much does it cost and who is the owner of the most luxurious airliner: how does the most expensive plane differ from a regular one and what does the price of a luxurious personal vehicle consist of?
The liner is available in two modifications:
- single-class configuration that can accommodate up to 850 passengers;
- three-class configuration, where 525 people can spend their time in the most comfortable way during the flight.
The large Airbus has impressive parameters:
- liner length - 73 m;
- vessel height - 24.1 m;
- the wingspan of the A-380 is almost 80 m;
- an aircraft weighing 280,000 kg can easily fly with a maximum take-off weight of 560,000 kg.
The aircraft has only one drawback: when taking to the skies and traveling around the world, it can cover a distance of no more than 15,400 km without refueling.
3rd place - Boeing 777-300ER
The next representative of the largest airliners in the world cannot be ignored. The Boeing 777-300ER was developed in 1990 and only entered service in 1995. The liner is capable of carrying up to 550 passengers at a time.
The aircraft is used by airlines for longer flights, because the Boeing 777-300ER has a record - the ability to fly the longest without refueling. The aircraft is capable of flying a distance of 21,600 km without additional landings.
Technical characteristics of the Boeing 777-300ER:
- the largest and very powerful engines are installed;
- length - 74 m;
- can accommodate the following number of passengers:
- modification with 3 classes - 368 people;
- configuration with 2 classes - 451 people;
- board with 1st class - 550 people.
- The wingspan is about 65 m.
4th place - Airbus A340-600
In 4th place is the longest passenger airliner, Airbus A340-600. The first flight of the large aircraft was made in 2001 and since then the Airbus A340-600 has been among the aircraft of a considerable number of air carriers around the world.
Two possible modifications of the aircraft allow passengers to be transferred anywhere in the world:
- 2-class configuration - 419 passengers;
- 3-class - 380 people.
The Airbus A340-600 boasts a spacious cargo compartment with impressive volumes and the ability to fly up to 14,600 km without refueling.
The technical characteristics of the aircraft include the following:
- length - a little more than 75m;
- wingspan is about 64 m;
- height is slightly less than 17.5 m.
5th place - Boeing 747
In fifth, but no less honorable place, is the Boeing 747, which for almost 40 years was considered the largest and most spacious passenger aircraft. But since the Airbus A380 appeared in the world, its leading position has fallen sharply. In 2005, the Boeing 747 lost its lead.
The largest modification is the Boeing 747-400. A distinctive feature of the liner is the presence on board of two decks to accommodate passengers. The decks have different sizes, the upper one is much smaller than the lower one. This is the first double-deck aircraft in the world capable of flying long distances.
We can say with confidence that the Boeing 747 is the most common aircraft among air carriers. Large airlines actively use it for flights. One of these Boeings holds a record: a distance of 18,000 km (London-Sydney) was covered in just 20 hours and 9 minutes, including the time of takeoff and landing.
Interesting information about the aircraft:
- length about 71 m;
- width almost 64.5 m;
- height as much as 19.4 m;
- number of passengers:
- modification with 3 classes - 416 people;
- 2-class configuration - 524 people.
On a note:
First class on an airplane
What makes first class on board an airliner luxurious and as comfortable as possible? Why do we so rarely hear from our friends about first category flights?
Economy class on the plane
Why are flights in the economy zone attractive for the vast majority of tourists? What inconveniences can flying in such an area cause? How can you most comfortably spend time in the most accessible class?
Business class on the plane
Is it worth paying extra for flights in the business zone? The main differences between business and economy class. Which category of tourists should be given preference when purchasing air tickets in the category with business services?
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 specifications:
- 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 more than once at specialized air shows, 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.
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.
The giant double-deck Airbus A380 is the largest passenger aircraft in the history of world aviation, with a maximum capacity of 853 passengers in a single-class configuration. The first copy was delivered to the customer in 2007; to date, more than 110 vehicles have been built! Today I want to show the A380 assembly line at the Toulouse plant, the scale and size of what I saw is impressive... Well, for a big plane - big photos in the report!
Many spotters, and not only them, consider the plane aesthetically unattractive. I categorically disagree with this statement, moreover, I think it is especially beautiful and elegantly heavy. The A380 taking off slowly is beautiful!
Now let's go to the factory...
This is a diagram of the location of production facilities at a plant in the town of Balagnac near Toulouse, orange is the A380 assembly shops.
Each A380 aircraft consists of approximately 4 million individual components and 2.5 million parts, manufactured by 1,500 companies in 30 countries.
The main elements of the A380 fuselage cannot be transported by air, so they are transported by sea and river on specially adapted barges, and then twice a month by car - this is called "night convoy".
Especially for this aircraft, Airbus has developed a unique logistics system that involves sea, river, air and road transport. From the town of Lisle-Jourdain, approximately 30 km from Blagnac, at exactly 22:00, the night convoy begins moving at a speed of 15-20 km/h, so as not to interfere with traffic - six trailers on which all parts of the aircraft are placed depart in a two-hour way to the final point - the final assembly line in Blagnac.
Fuselage sections with a diameter of 7 meters are transported straight through the narrow streets of the town. But this is the only possible and most optimal point for delivery of aircraft elements to the plant.
At the first station, the fuselage sections are assembled and connected to each other
Then the wings and vertical stabilizer are installed:
The wing area of the A380 is 845 m2, which is 54% more than that of the Boeing 747-400!
And it's not just a tail... it's FIVE giraffes! :)
Preparation of engine pylons:
The aircraft is assembled and the passenger compartment and cockpit are installed at the following positions:
Each of the main landing gear can withstand a load of up to 260 tons, which is equivalent to the weight of 200 Golf cars
And finally, the last assembly station, where the installation of engines and passenger seats is carried out:
The A380 can be equipped with two types of engines: Rolls-Royce Trent 900 or Engine Alliance GP7000. Only two of the four engines are equipped with thrust reversers.
Reducing noise levels was an important design requirement for the A380, which was partly reflected in the design of the engines. Both engine types enable the aircraft to meet London Heathrow Airport noise limits QC/2 on departure and QC/0.5 on arrival.
The A380 is the most fuel-efficient aircraft in its category. This is the only long-haul airliner that consumes less than 3 liters of fuel to transport a passenger per 100 km (typical layout of 525 seats)
The total area of the A380 cabin is 554 m2. Two full decks: the main deck is the widest passenger cabin in the world (6.5 m); the upper deck is a full-fledged cabin of a wide-body aircraft (5.8 m). The aircraft's air conditioning system is equipped with the most modern filters, which ensure uniform air supply to all parts of the aircraft. The air in the aircraft cabin (volume 1570 m3) is completely replaced every three minutes! The A380 has the quietest passenger cabin in the history of world aviation, I was personally convinced of this on the way from Frankfurt to Singapore.
This A380 will presumably be transferred to a private customer. And behind it, the A300B is the first aircraft produced by Airbus. This aircraft revolutionized civil aviation in the 70s, becoming the first wide-body twin-engine aircraft.
The circular structure on the right is the static engine testing area, with barriers around the circle limiting the distribution of the sound wave.
To date, more than 110 A380 aircraft have been produced; an average of 2.5 aircraft are produced and delivered to customers every month. The order backlog is another 160 aircraft! Currently, the A380 is in service with 20 airlines.
Here are some interesting statistics on B777/B747 replacement on some flights:
And the A380 occupancy rate is also not lower than 80%:
Emirates has the largest A380 fleet:
Five A380s were built for demonstration and testing purposes. The first A380, serial number MSN001 and registration F-WWOW, was unveiled at a ceremony in Toulouse on January 18, 2005, and first flew on April 27, 2005. Here is the very first A380:
The assembly shops of the Airbus plant can be visited by everyone! 2-3 hour tours are organized both in Hamburg and Toulouse, costing 10-15 euros. Pre-reservation is required (!), especially if it is important to get into a group with an English-speaking guide; read the links for additional and current conditions.
There was a time when people only dreamed of flying in the sky; people did not imagine that they could soar in the sky like a bird. But with the advent of airplanes, flying among the clouds became a reality. Scientists and designers around the world did a colossal amount of work before the world saw the first samples of flying “machines.” So, among them there are leaders, models that are superior to their competitors in transporting people or equipment. Let's talk about what are the largest planes in the world flying nowadays.
It’s hard to believe that these multi-ton machines fly at such great speed.
Now the largest aircraft in the world in passenger transportation is called the Airbus A380-800. It appeared in 2005, displacing the Boeing 747, which had been in the lead for 36 long years. The length of the Airbus A380-800 is 73 meters, the wingspan is almost 80 meters, the height of the giant is 24 meters, and the weight of the machine is 280 tons. The maximum number of passengers carried on an Airbus A380-800 can reach 853 people on a charter flight!
Before Airbus was released, about 12 billion euros and 10 years of painstaking work by designers were spent on its development. Without refueling, this aircraft can fly a distance of 15,400 kilometers. The Airbus A380-800 is a very fuel-efficient aircraft among airliners of its class. To ensure low fuel consumption, the shape of the wing and body must be made very precisely. To achieve such precision, the world's most precise milling machines from Japan are used, which were developed specifically for the production of this aircraft. Fuel consumption per 100 km for 3 passengers is only three liters.
It should be noted that the Airbus has more capacity compared to the Boeing 747, while its production costs 15% less. The first airline to operate the largest passenger aircraft in the world was Singapore Airlines. The airline served the Singapore-Sydney flight with this aircraft.
Below you can see in the photo the cabin of an Airbus A380-800 economy class.
Record holder for flights without refueling
The Boeing 777-300ER, developed in 1990 and made its first test flight in 1994, can fly over distances of over twenty thousand kilometers without refueling. This is the world's first airliner, during the design of which not a single drawing was drawn on paper. Virtual computer assembly was used for the first time, which made it possible to avoid typical joining errors at the design stage. With the old technology using drawings, these errors were identified at the stage of pilot production, and full-scale modeling, which was very expensive for aviation. The software used was CATIA, one of the first 3D modeling programs.
The airliner has the most powerful GE90-115B turbofan engines known to date; this model has an increased maximum take-off weight and has additional fuel tanks. The introduction of this modification made it possible to reduce fuel consumption by 1.4%, which was especially important at the height of the fuel crisis.
It also holds the record for the largest twin-engine jetliner to carry passengers, which it can accommodate 305-550 people.
The airplane with the largest wingspan
The aircraft with the largest wingspan, the Hughes H-4, was built from wood in 1947 for military use. The plane is built entirely from birch plywood. Structural elements were cut out and bent according to templates. The aircraft's capacity is 750 people, not including equipment. The wooden giant is now on display in a museum in Oregon, its parameters are:
- Aircraft height - 24 meters;
- The length of the aircraft is over 66 meters;
- The wingspan is 98 meters.
The largest cargo plane
The largest cargo aircraft in the world has remained the An-225 Mriya for many years. This huge machine was designed in Ukraine back in 1988, and is still used in military transport cargo transportation. The first flight of the Mriya took place on December 21, 1988.
The characteristics of this aircraft are as follows:
- the length of this giant is 73 meters;
- height is just over 24 meters (the height of an eight-story building);
- weight is 250 thousand kilograms;
- the total carrying capacity is 600 thousand kg.
The largest cargo plane in the world
The plane has six engines. At the moment, only one copy of the An-225 has been built in the world; it is at the disposal of Antonov Airlines. It was originally planned that the An-225 would help deliver rocket parts to the cosmodrome, because At that time, the Buran space program was actively developing. Now they are building another similar aircraft, but its construction has not yet been completed.
On board the An-225, up to 88 people can easily be accommodated to accompany the cargo. The cockpit can accommodate 6 people. As they say, which aircraft is the largest in the world in size will not be as cool in performance. In Mriya, absolutely all control systems are repeated (duplicated) four times.
Unfortunately, due to the lack of production of some elements, after 25 years it is impossible to produce another such aircraft. But even one copy allows you to constantly earn money from transporting goods that previously could only be delivered by land or sea. In addition to commercial transportation, the aircraft is used to deliver cargo in emergency situations, disasters, earthquakes, etc.
The largest mass-produced cargo aircraft
Military transport aircraft C-5 Galaxy
Lockheed C-5 Galaxy was considered the largest transport and cargo aircraft until 1982. it is now operated by the US Army and can accommodate up to 270 soldiers. The aircraft was put into service back in 1968. Over the years, it has proven its effectiveness and excellent performance properties. A lot of improvements were made to the design, the most important change being the development of a completely new wing, because the old design showed rapid wear and tear.
The aircraft will continue to be produced; a complete transition to digital modern technologies of control systems and all avionics is planned. The aircraft without refueling can fly over five thousand kilometers and rise to a height of 10 km, the maximum speed developed by the machine is 920 km.
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