Airbus A380 - This is the largest aircraft in the world. More precisely, a passenger plane.
The height of this giant is 24 meters (~ 8 floor of a residential building), the length and wingspan of almost 80 meters. On 2 decks in the cabin of three classes 525 passengers are freely accommodated, in a single-class configuration - 853!
For the development of Airbus A380 spent 12 billion euros. It can fly non-stop flights at a distance of up to 15,400 km, and the maximum take-off mass of the aircraft is amazing - 560 tons.
welcome aboard the largest passenger aircraft in the world!
In early October, another dream came true that related to aviation. Lufthansa Airlines invited to a press tour to show off one of its new Airbus A380 aircraft. The demonstration flight took place as part of the promotion campaign of the A380 in European capitals.
It was possible not only to board the regular A380, but also to make a round trip on a giant plane on the route Frankfurt - Prague - Budapest - Frankfurt, to be with the pilots in the cockpit and to take pictures of the pilots during take-off, flight and landing.
In ordinary life, these giants will not land at any such airport, so many were waiting for the arrival of the A380 in the capitals of the Czech Republic and Hungary. Looking ahead, I will say that I did not even expect such solemn meetings and such a number of spectators.
"Our" A380 has just flown in from Johannesburg and so far the cleaning team has been putting the salons in order. At this time, the second pilot walked with a flashlight and examined the engine blades:
The sun came up, it was time for us to go on a flight:
The first floor of the aircraft modification A380-800 - These are three economy class salons for 420 passengers. In total, such an A380 takes on board 526 passengers. By the end of the year, Lufthansa will already have 8 of 18 of these aircraft ordered. The company invests about five billion euros in aircraft and airport infrastructure, maintenance, and crew training.
Passenger seats for the economy class "Lufthansa" was developed by the famous German company Recaro. To be honest, I didn’t really like them - the backs are thin and any movement in front of the sitting passenger affects the comfort behind the sitting one.
Great design portholes. With their standard external size inside the aircraft, they look large due to the enlarged internal frame. This large oval gives the impression of an open space inside the cabin.
The plane is very "quiet", the engines are almost inaudible. I was surprised by the short run - I watched the take-off in Budapest, I thought that we would run for a long time along the runway, and the plane took off almost immediately.
The multimedia center with a 9 ″ screen is very good. In addition to the standard set with music, films and games, a picture from three external cameras and full flight information is displayed on the monitor. The distance between the seats is 79 cm, the width of the seat is 52 cm:
During the flight, the cabin was completely at our disposal - you could walk, sit, lie down, press buttons, climb into all holes.
Standard breakfast and lunch sets were demonstrated. Thank you for the metal appliances in the economy class Lufthansa, of course. It is high time for Aeroflot to switch to them.
For the convenience of photographing, he asked the flight attendant to turn on full lighting in the salons. Significantly better, but still:
On the second floor - Two business class salons. They say that these seats are not very popular with company management and will be changed. There are 98 of them - an incredible amount for an ordinary passenger airliner. A set of options is standard for a modern business class - almost horizontal folding, individual lighting, a power outlet and a USB port for each:
In business class monitors size 10.6 ″, the distance between the seats from 145 to 152 cm, seat width 67 cm:
Between the business class and first class salons is a huge vestibule with a kitchen and places for cabin crew:
A special pride of any serious airline is first class lounge. In the A380 Lufthansa, it is designed for eight passengers. Everything has been done here practical, but no frills, like separate cabs. Eight armchairs transforming into beds, each seat has a 17 ″ monitor. The distance between the seats is 213 cm, the width of the seat is 80 cm:
These chairs "Lufthansa" calls the best in its class:
Each first-class passenger has his own wardrobe for clothes and things:
First-class passengers have two such toilet rooms. There is no soul here, the Germans consider it superfluous, according to their experience there are few who use the shower cabin during the flight.
A flight from Frankfurt to Tokyo and back will cost a first-class passenger 10,000 euros:
So we are flying to Prague. There they are ready for the ceremonial meeting of the megaliner A380:
Lufthansa chief pilot Werner Knorr:
The equipment of the pilot's cabin resembles that installed in the A330 or A321 - in front of the pilots there is only a keyboard and a joystick on the side:
Below are hundreds of people, along the entire landing route - people are standing on the field, on the hillocks, on the roofs of houses:
I asked one of the Czech photographers at the airport to send me a couple of shots of our flight. Thanks, Voitech.
The cost of one A380 is $ 345 million.
To the right of the entrance to the cockpit there is a crew cabin:
On the second floor you can climb two stairs - front and rear economy class:
A380 at the airport of Budapest:
Ukrainian plane "Mriya" An - 225
It is the largest in the world and the only flying instance of the An-22 model.
A huge transport aircraft can carry up to 250 tons of cargo, which is four times the maximum payload of a Boeing 747. There is enough space inside the An-225 to fit the entire Boeing-737 hull. It also surpasses in various indicators the world's largest passenger aircraft, the A380-800: if the latter has four engines, the wingspan is 80 meters and the take-off weight is 560 tons, then the giant An-225 has six engines, the wingspan is 88 meters, and the starting weight is 600 tons. The largest aircraft in the world also has a record number of wheels - as many as 32! The machine was commissioned in 1988. Plans to raise another aircraft into the air have not been realized. Its construction began in the 1990s, but was never completed. They tried to resume it several times, but in 2012 the project was frozen, because of the financial crisis the number of orders for transportation decreased significantly. The second instance of the An-225 is still in the hangar to this day.
The construction of the first An-225 began in Kiev during the Cold War between the USA and the USSR, when both superpowers invested huge amounts of money in developing new weapons and vehicles.
Giant story
The aircraft was intended for the transport of military goods, as well as components of Soviet missiles and the Buran spacecraft to Baikonur. In December 1988, the giant made its first flight. But soon the Soviet Union collapsed, and with it the dreams of the military about creating a whole series of huge transporters were destroyed. After the fall of the Iron Curtain, global disarmament began, and the need for such machines disappeared. It was necessary to save also on space flights. In 1994, funding for the Energy-Buran space program ceased and the aircraft was mothballed. The engines were removed and installed on a smaller model - An-124. And only seven years later, the huge machine was again suitable for flying. Later it was planned to develop a project for a larger version of the aircraft - the An-325 with eight engines, but the idea was not realized. On the basis of Antonov, projects of aerospace systems around the world are being developed.
An-225 is not only the largest, but also the heaviest aircraft in the world How does he fly
Installed on it, six super-powerful D-18T engines consume three tons of kerosene per hour. Despite the enormous weight, a three-kilometer runway is enough to disperse the Mrieux. The total area of \u200b\u200bthe wings, each of which is almost 90 m wide, is equal to the area of \u200b\u200bthe football field. The speed of the giant is 805 km / h. It can remain in the air for 18 hours and cover a distance of over 15,000 km. However, when fully loaded, an airplane in the world can fly only from 2500 to 3000 km. Its tanks hold 300 tons of fuel.
The maximum payload of the machine is 250 tons, which corresponds, for example, to a weight of more than 200 cows. What can fit in the cargo hold
The giant plane is controlled by a crew of six people. Serve him 11 technicians. In 2009, Mriya delivered a 190-ton generator from the German city of Khan to Yerevan (Armenia) for a gas turbine power plant. This achievement is recorded in the Guinness Book of Records. Transportation of goods that do not fit in the AN-225 cargo compartment takes place using the hookpack system, that is, they are attached on top. In the passenger version, Ukrainian designers planned to make three decks with seats for 800 passengers.
Video of one of the largest aircraft in the world
Every flight is a big event
A huge machine is used to transport special goods. More often, transportation is carried out by a smaller aircraft - An-124. “Mriyu” is usually remembered when it is necessary to transport a large cargo in its entirety. When a giant arrives at its destination, it is always a special event. At the airport, journalists and crowds of curious gather. This was the case, for example, in June 2013, when Mriya first landed at the airport in the Swiss city of Basel.
These aircraft also once were record holders.
1.Dornier Do X (1929). It was the largest, fastest, and after the First World War. Designed by the German company Dornier. In 1933, Germany refused to use these machines, since they were considered insufficiently economical and safe, as well as unsuitable for military purposes. After that, only two copies were built, which went to Italy. German designers planned to create on the basis of Do X a new, improved model - Dornier Do 20, but because of World War II this project was not implemented.
2. Tupolev ANT-20 "Maxim Gorky" (1934) Giant of the 1930s with eight engines and a wingspan, almost like the modern Boeing-747. It was built in Voronezh and was intended primarily for agitation. It was equipped with a film installation, a darkroom, a printing press, etc. Additionally, the machine could transport up to 72 passengers.
The largest turboprop engine, which is still used most often. Flies at high subsonic speed. - “hump”, in which the cockpit is located above the main passenger deck. In transport models, it is somewhat shorter.
It used to be the most powerful transport aircraft. When it lands at foreign airports, it is probably no less interesting than Mriya. The wingspan is 64 meters, and the weight without load is 114 tons.
Before the advent of the A-380 was the second largest serial production aircraft. It remains the largest military aircraft in the world. He is called the "younger brother" of the An-225. The first flight abroad An-124 made in 1985. It was introduced to the public at the Paris Air Show. The machine is highly valued by both Russian military aircraft and commercial organizations for the transport of goods. On the upper deck can accommodate 88 passengers.
The first passenger plane successfully flew into the sky in 1913, with only 16 passengers on board. Modern liners are much more spacious.
The largest passenger aircraft entered our today's Top 8. Not all of them are widely used, but still everyone deserves attention.
8. IL-96-300
The liner accommodates up to 300 passengers who sit in rows of 9 seats. Passenger lines use only 9 of these liners. Much more aircraft are involved in cargo transportation.
The maximum range of passenger modification is 9,000 km.
7. Airbus A340-600
The four-engine airliner transports from 380 to 419 people at distances of up to 14,600 km. Commercial operation of the model began in 2002.
The liner costs from $ 245 million to $ 255 million.
6. Boeing 777-300ER
The aircraft in this modification can accommodate from 305 to 550 passengers. The liner without refueling can fly to a record distance of 21,000 km.
Engines installed on the liner are by far the most powerful in civil aviation.
5. Boeing 787 Dreamliner
The Dreamliner seats up to 330 people maximum depending on the modification. The plane made its first commercial flight in 2011. The widely advertised Wi-Fi option on board this aircraft. The creation of multimedia presentations of the Dreamliner was supervised by the creative design studio of Elena Shutova.
To date, 183 aircraft have been produced, 22 of which are in the Aeroflot fleet.
4. Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental
This double-decker passenger liner holds up to 467 passengers. The maximum range of the aircraft is 15,000 km.
To date, 74 liners of various modifications, including VIP, have been produced. Among Russian airlines, the customer of the Boeing 747-8 is Transaero. The company intends to receive 5 such airliners by 2016.
3. McDonnell Douglas DC-10
The aircraft accommodates up to 380 passengers. In 2010, 168 McDonnell Douglas DC-10 were used in the world. Gradually, the liners were decommissioned, and today they are used for cargo transportation and military purposes.
The reason for refusing to use the model for the carriage of passengers was a high accident rate. This is one of the world.
2. Hughes H-4 Hercules
This aircraft, designed in 1947, was designed to transport 750 soldiers. The liner was developed under the leadership of tycoon Howard Hughes.
Hercules made one single flight, after which until 1976 Hughes was maintained in working condition.
Today, the largest wing-span aircraft can be seen at the Oregon Aviation Museum.
1. Airbus A380
The largest aircraft in the world made its first flight in 2005. In total, 139 Airbus A380 aircraft were produced, each of which costs $ 414 million. Only ten airlines can afford such a liner, including Lufthansa, Emirates, Air France.
Initially, 2 liner modifications were developed - for 555 and 853 passenger seats. Today, Airbus is actively developing a new model that can carry up to 960 passengers.
Air travel is considered a safe and affordable way to travel. To raise one liner into the air, a decent amount of fuel is required, so the designers are constantly fighting to reduce fuel consumption. Large capacity liners have proven to be an effective means of transporting large volumes of cargo and serving large passenger traffic.
The largest passenger plane
The largest passenger aircraft in the world is the Airbus A380. The airliner is manufactured by a group of European companies in several countries of the European Union. The wingspan of this giant is 80 meters, which frees up space for large fuel reserves and makes it possible for long non-stop flights.
The A380 has incredible specifications:
- Number of passengers: 850
- Max. flight speed: 1020 km / h.
- Max. flight distance: 15,200 km, more than any representatives of this class.
- Max. take-off weight: 575 tons
The use of composite materials allows the aircraft to weigh significantly less, which helps to gain the desired height with minimal acceleration.
In the aircraft project, engineers were able to combine knowledge in the field of engineering and aerodynamics.
Liner capacity
The model has a large number of modifications, but on average the airbus is able to accommodate about 555 people. The aircraft has the highest level of comfort. The liner is operated on all continents. Airbus is famous for its good controllability and almost zero accident rate.
Not every engine is suitable for raising such a colossus in the air, because in addition to the passenger seats on the liner there are:
- Recreation areas.
- Sleeping cabins.
- Bars and more.
Only 4 Rolls-Royce engines, manufactured by special order, can lift this mass to a height.
In Russia, the largest passenger aircraft is actively operated by the country's main airline, Aeroflot. A380 has a significant share in the fleet of this carrier.
The largest cargo plane
An 225 - Mriya rightfully holds the title of the largest aircraft in the world. The length of the aircraft is 73 meters, and the wingspan is incredible 88 meters! The aircraft exists in a single copy and is operated by the Ukrainian company Antonov Airlines. In theory, this aircraft can be classified as a transport aircraft, but its original purpose was to transport the Buran space shuttle.
After the collapse of the USSR, the largest cargo plane in the world went to Ukraine, however, it was not operated for a long time. Engines and all valuable equipment were removed from the liner. Only in the early 2000s did the need for such an “air truck” arise and the aircraft was modernized in order to meet international aviation standards.
Now the largest aircraft An adapted for commercial transportation. The carrying capacity of the aircraft is about 250 tons.
Important: in fact, there is a second copy of "Mriya", but it is not completed. The readiness of the project is estimated at 70%. To complete the construction requires about $ 100 million, which no investor is ready to provide.
Liner records
An-225 broke many load-bearing records. The largest cargo plane in the world has an absolute record for lifting cargo into the air - 253.5 tons. The air record holder has repeatedly entered into the Guinness Book of Records.
In the next ten years, it is unlikely that anyone will be able to build a project of this scale, so the liner will hold the palm in the nominations “the largest aircraft in the world” and “the heaviest aircraft” for the next ten to fifteen years.
The largest military aircraft in the world
The largest aircraft in the world is used only for peaceful purposes, but many of its smaller counterparts are used to transport military cargo. The most successful countries in this area are Russia and the United States. The Cold War spurred an arms race and a flood of government funding poured into the defense industry.
The production of one model required enormous funds, so before the flight, each project was thoroughly tested. The commissioning time for this kind of equipment is about 5 years from the start of design.
An 124 Ruslan
This military transport liner is one of the few representatives of the giants of the aircraft industry in Russia. The development of the project and the first flights were carried out in the era of the Soviet Union, however, the technological solutions of the designers were really ahead of their time and therefore remain relevant to this day.
The name “Ruslan” was given to the liner by combat pilots, but the journalists liked it so much that in all tops and ratings it appears with this abbreviation. The nickname has become an integral part of the aircraft.
The air car has a wingspan of about 80 meters, length - 73 meters. The maximum flight range is more than 15 thousand kilometers. More than once, these airliners during their flights circled the globe with a minimal amount of refueling.
The operation of Ruslan is carried out in Russia and Ukraine, and not only for military cargo transportation.
Lockheed C - 5 Galaxy
The Lockheed C-5 Galaxy is the American response to domestic projects of super-lift airliners. The scale of this monster is impressive: in a military configuration it is capable of transporting 275 fully equipped soldiers, and when used in civil aviation it takes 75 passengers on board. The initial project assumed that the board was capable of carrying intercontinental ballistic missiles.
10 largest aircraft in the world
Since the inception of aviation, air vehicles have become more reliable and increased in size. In every era there was a plane, which is a technological breakthrough. For you, we present the top 10 aircraft that have influenced the development of world aviation.
Tupolev ANT-20 "Maxim Gorky"
Built in honor of a significant event in the biography of M. Gorky - the 40th anniversary since the beginning of his literary journey, the plane was astonishing in size. This eight-engine giant housed a printing house, laboratory and library. For full use required a flight staff of 20 people.
The fate of the only instance released is tragic - on May 18, 1935, an accident occurred that led to a disaster. However, this aircraft became a prototype for the creation of heavy domestic aircraft, such as Ruslan and Mriya.
Important: in the mid 30s of the 20th century, it could rightfully be called not only the largest Russian aircraft, but also the largest cargo aircraft in the world.
Hughes H-4 Hercules
It is no coincidence that Hercules occupies a place in our top. After a day, it is the largest transport aircraft with the ability to take off and land on the water surface.
The project was funded by American tycoon Howard Hughes, however, it was completed only in a wooden version. This is due to the fact that the construction period fell on the Second World War, so all the metal went to military needs. The estimated capacity of 750 people would make it the largest passenger aircraft ever built.
Boeing 747
In one way or another, each of us saw this plane: live, in a photo or in a video. For 37 years, the Boeing 747 held the title of the largest civilian aircraft until the Airbus A380 appeared. Used worldwide. It was used to deliver a space shuttle from the place of production.
Characteristics:
- Length from nose to tail: 76.4.
- Wingspan: 68.5.
- Crew: 2 pilots.
- Number of passengers: 600
- Max. flight speed: 1100 km / h.
- Flight range: about 14,000 km.
- Max. take-off weight: 448 tons.
The following models are also included in the top 10 largest aircraft in the world, but their place in the list is deserved primarily by their reliability and performance.
Boeing 777-300ER
The largest Boeing aircraft. The device has a wide space inside the casing and is capable of transporting up to 70,000 tons of commercial cargo.
Airbus A340-600
Issued in the amount of 97 copies, which allows him to be called one of the most popular aircraft, capable of taking on board 450 passengers. Out of production in 2011, but continues to be used everywhere.
Boeing 747-8
An elongated version of the liner tops the honorary list of the longest aircraft (76, 4 meters). In the international classification has the name "Intercontinental".
Tu-134
The mid-passenger main airliner, which is considered to be one of the best in Russia. This model attracts not with a huge volume inside, but with a decent speed for its dimensions - it can reach 950 km / h.
Dry "Superjet" -100
Russian aircraft is the foremost swallow of the domestic aircraft industry. Has the most advanced digital filling, able to carry 100 people. Actively purchased in Asia, the plans of the company "Sukhoi" enter the US market.
Irkut MS-21
This airliner is not yet produced and gets a place in our list in advance. Despite not the largest dimensions of the project (length - up to 40 meters), which will not allow him to move the largest Western planes from the first lines, he is able to save Russia from the dominance of foreign manufacturers.
Concorde
The plane served as the beginning of a sharp surge in the construction of supersonic passenger liners. A recognizable silhouette with a pointed nose is easily recognized in the photo and video. Used for 27 years, which allowed him to become a champion in the transportation of passengers - 3 million people.
Every manufacturer wants to be called an industry giant. In the aircraft industry there are no equal Airbus with the model A380. The largest passenger aircraft in the world has been produced for several years and is constantly being modified. Not far off is the time when one plane will take on board more than 1000 people.
The Russian market for heavy aircraft is going through hard times. Old Soviet models are in operation. Gradually, Russian manufacturers are trying to catch up with colleagues from Europe and America, but this takes time.
Each of the described liners can weigh tens of tons, however, the utility coefficient is estimated by the formula: 1 kg of own weight per amount of lifted weight.
About a hundred years ago, no one would have thought that huge engines weighing tens of tons would be able to fly into the air and carry giant loads. Now it’s a reality, but still, at the sight of these giants, we are every time surprised how the design idea made their flight possible.
An-225 "Mriya"
In 1985, the Soviet Union was looking for solutions to create a transport system for its reusable Buran spacecraft. There was an urgent need for an aircraft capable of carrying multi-ton parts of a spacecraft to its place of collection and launch. As a result, a draft cargo aircraft was proposed, which received the name An-225.
The creation of this giant was made possible thanks to the hard work and cooperation of design bureaus throughout the USSR. In Voronezh, Kiev, Moscow, Tashkent and dozens of other cities, thousands of scientists and engineers implemented the most daring project in the history of aeronautics. It took a huge country three years to turn the idea of \u200b\u200bthe An-225 into reality: the first flight of the An-225 Mriya aircraft assembled at the Kiev Mechanical Plant took place on December 21, 1988.
“Mriya” from Ukrainian translates as “dream”. And thanks to the efforts of thousands of people, this dream has come true.
The parameters of the An-225 are amazing: the wingspan is 88.4 meters, the length is 84 meters, and on board it can take a load of 250 tons!
An-225 "Mriya" was built in a single copy and is currently in working condition, regularly performing flights.
Stratolaunch Model 351
On May 31, 2017, the Stratolaunch Model 351 aircraft was presented to the general public with a record wingspan of 117.3 meters, which is only slightly inferior in terms of the maximum take-off weight of the An-225: 590 tons against 640 tons. The machine has a two-body structure and is equipped with six jet engines.
The creation of the giant aircraft Stratolaunch Model 351 is also associated with space launches. It is assumed that from this airborne vehicle during the flight, missiles intended to be put into low Earth orbit will be launched.
So far, the Stratolaunch Model 351 has never taken to the air and is being tested on the surface. Just the other day, to test the operation of the landing gear and braking system, the plane made a test run on the runway, during which it accelerated to 74 km / h. It is planned that the car will make its first flight in 2019.