World’s Largest Plane

The world’s largest plane is named Antonov An-225 Mriya. It is the world’s largest Cargo plane and was nationally designed by the Antonov Design Bureau in the Soviet Union (Ukrainian SSR, Ukraine) with a report named ‘DREAM’ and NATO for Cossack in the year 1980. Initially, the An-225 was developed as An-124 to transport Russian reusable space aircraft. After successfully completing its services, it was sent to a place where all retired aircraft were kept for a duration of eight years. After being refurbished and handed to Antonov airlines, used to carry heavy payloads. The An-225 set multiple records, including being the heavier aircraft ever built and having the biggest wingspan of any operating aircraft. In terms of size and distinctiveness, the Mriya drew a large amount of public curiosity and gained a global following.

World’s Largest Plane Designing:

The Wings are in a dihedral shape and the root extensions were also added to the wings in order to expand their span. The An-225 had a max gross weight of 600 t (660 short tonnes; 590 long tonnes), and it was modified for $20 million between 2000 and 2001, including the inclusion of a reinforced floor, which boosted the maximum gross weight to 640 t. (710 short tons; 630 long tons). Fore and aft of the wings, fuselage barrel extensions were added to the An-225 and had a type of anhedral wing. The rebuilt wing roots received two extra Progress D-18T turbofan engines, increasing the total to six. A 32-wheeled increased-capacity landing gear system was built, with part of the wheels being steerable, allowing the plane to turn within a 60-metre-wide (200-foot) runway. The An-225 had a nose gear that “kneeled” to make cargo loading and unloading easier.

Antonov An-225 Mriya – Development:

Viktor Tolmachev was the chief designer of the An-225 (and the An-124). For the Soviet space program, the Antonov An-225 was designed to transport the Buran rocket boosters and its class orbiters. It was a replacement for the Myasishchev VM-T. The initial mission and objectives of the An-225 are nearly identical to those of the US Shuttle Carrier Aircraft. The An-225 took to the air for the first time on December 21, 1988. It was on static exhibit at the Air show held in Paris in 1989, and it flew at the Farnborough Air Show in 1990 during the public days. Two An-225s were bought, but only one was completed (registration CCCP-82060, afterward UR-82060). Internally, it could transport ultra-heavy and large cargo weighing up to 250,000 kg (550,000 lb), Cargo on the upper wing might be as long as 70 meters (230 feet). The need for more An-225 capacity had become clear by 2000, thus in September 2006, the decision was made to construct the additional An-225. The second plane was supposed to be finished in 2008, but it was pushed back due to problems. The aircraft was not finished by August 2009, and development on it was halted. According to reports, the Antonov CEO stated in May 2011 that the development of a second An-225 Mriya cargo plane with a maximum limit of 250 tonnes will cost probably $300 million, but if funding is available. After more than a year out of service, the freighter launched a series of training flights from Hostomel Airport in Kyiv on March 25, 2020, in order to install a locally manufactured power management and control system.

World’s Largest Plane Records:

• With a total weight of 253,820 kg, the airlifted holds the ultimate world record (559,580 lb). On a commercial voyage, it also carried a load of 247,000 kg (545,000 lb).
• The An-225 flew at an altitude of up to 10,750 m (35,270 ft) across a closed loop of 1,000 km (620 mi) at a speed of 763.2 km/h on September 11, 2001, hauling four main battle tanks at a record weight of 253.82 tonnes (279.79 short tonnes) of cargo (474.2 mph).
• The largest single goods item was sent by air transport and was loaded onto the An-225 on August 11, 2009. Its payload, a generator for a gas power plant in Armenia, along with its loading frame, measured 16.23 m (53 ft 3 in) long and 4.27 m (14 ft 0 in) wide and weighed a record 189 tonnes (417,000 lb).
• On June 11, 2010, the An-225 flew two 42.1 m (138 ft) test wind turbine blades from Tianjin, China, to Skrydstrup, Denmark, becoming the world’s longest piece of air cargo.

Antonov An-225 Mriya – History of Services:

The Antonov An-225 Mriya was used as the primary means of carrying Buran-class orbiters for the Soviet space program from 1988 until 1991. “Antonov Airlines” was established concurrently in 1989 after the Antonov Design Bureau established it as a holding company for a heavy airlift cargo enterprise. In collaboration with Air Foyle HeavyLift, this company was to be established in Kyiv, Ukraine could be operated from London Luton Airport. On May 23, 2001, Antonov Airlines got the An-225 certificate from the Interstate Aviation Committee Aviation Register (IAC AR). On 3 January 2002, the type’s maiden commercial flight took off from Stuttgart, Germany, and flew to Thumrait, Oman, delivering 216,000 cooked meals to American military members stationed in the region. This massive shipment of ready meals weighed 187.5 tonnes and was loaded on 375 pallets. . In 2004, carrying a chimney duct through Billund, Denmark, to Kazakhstan cost over 2 million krone (about €266,000).

Former Operators:

After the fall of the Soviet Union, Antonov Airlines (and its aircraft) were sold to Ukraine for the Soviet Buran program. The lone aircraft used by Ukraine Antonov Airlines for commercialization from 3 January 2002 to 24 February 2022 was wrecked during the Battle of Antonov Airport.

Demolition:

From February 2 to 5, 2022, the airplane flew to Tianjin, China, to collect around 90 tonnes of COVID-19 test kits and transport them to Billund, Denmark, via Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. On the 5th of February, it returned to Antonov Airport in Hostomel, in which it received an engine swap. On NATO’s advice, it was ready for evacuation on the morning of February 24th, but Russia invaded on that day, Ukrainian authorities promptly imposed a restriction on civilian planes. The runway was rendered useless during the Battle of Antonov Airport that followed. 

The An-225 was reported to be in good condition on February 24. A shot of an object possibly recognized as An-225 on flames in its garage was uploaded on Twitter on February 27. The plane was wrecked during the Battle of Antonov Airport, according to a report by Radio Liberty Ukraine, which was confirmed by Foreign Affairs minister Dmytro Kuleba and Ukroboronprom, Antonov’s parent company. Initially, the Antonov corporation declined to confirm or refute the reports, stating that it was currently studying them.