The list of aircraft of the maximum size includes both military cargo transporters and aircraft capable of carrying more than five hundred passengers. The leaders among them are Airbus A380 and Boeing 747.

What models are included in the list of the largest aircraft?

The list of the largest aircraft in the world includes such giants as the An-225 and Airbus A380, Boeing 747 and An-22, ANT-20 and Airbus A340-600. All of them at one time became leaders in length or passenger capacity.

The listed aircraft were created in different countries world, some of them are transport and cargo, some are created only for the transport of passengers. The need for high-capacity aircraft is growing from year to year, which is associated with the desire of people to travel, explore new countries, and discover new continents.

Hughes H-4 Hercules

To date, the aircraft with the largest wingspan is the Hughes H-4 Hercules. It was built in 1947 from wood. It was supposed to be able to carry at least seven hundred and fifty troops with full equipment.

The height of this wooden giant is twenty-four meters, the length is sixty-six meters and forty-five centimeters, with a wingspan of ninety-eight meters. Today Hughes H-4 Hercules is located in Oregon and is a museum exhibit.

An-225

There is only one An-225 aircraft in the world. Its second name is "Mriya". In the eighties, it was created in Ukraine for air transportation and is a cargo aircraft. His Weight Limit takeoff - six hundred and forty tons.

The dimensions of the Mriya are also striking. With a height of twenty-four meters ten centimeters and a length of seventy-three meters, its wingspan is almost eighty-eight and a half meters. It is known that the construction of the second such aircraft is underway.

Airbus A380

The leader among passenger aircraft in terms of capacity is an airliner called the Airbus A380. Its creator is Airbus S.A.S. Passengers in this aircraft are accommodated on two decks.

Being the largest among the mass-produced airliners, this one is also the most economical in terms of fuel consumption. For a hundred kilometers, fuel consumption per passenger is only three liters.

An-124

The An-124 aircraft, also called Ruslan, is one of the largest cargo-lifting aircraft in the world. This giant is used as a military aircraft. The length of Ruslan is sixty-nine meters ten centimeters, the height is a little over twenty-one meters with a wingspan of seventy-three meters thirty centimeters.

Lockheed C-5 Galaxy

Until 1982, the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy was considered the largest among the mass-produced transport and cargo aircraft. It is used today by the US Army and is capable of transporting at least two hundred and seventy soldiers.

This aircraft gains altitude up to ten kilometers and can cover a distance of five thousand six hundred kilometers without refueling. Max speed, which the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy can develop is nine hundred and twenty kilometers.

Boeing 777-300ER

The record holder for the ability to fly without refueling is the Boeing 777-300ER, which can fly a distance of twenty-one thousand six hundred and one kilometers. This passenger airliner was developed in 1990, and four years later it made its first test flight, while operation began in 1995.

Among the twin-engine jet passenger aircraft, the Boeing 777-300ER remains the largest. On board, he can take from three hundred five to five hundred and fifty people.

Airbus A340-600

The large four-engine passenger aircraft is called the Airbus A340-600. It was created for intercontinental flights and could fly without additional refueling for a distance of fourteen thousand six hundred kilometers.

The height of the liner is seventeen meters thirty centimeters, the length is seventy-five meters thirty centimeters, and the wingspan is sixty-three and a half meters.

Boeing 747

At the time of its creation, the Boeing 747 was considered the largest, most spacious and heaviest passenger airliner. It held this record for thirty-seven years, until it was overtaken by the Airbus A380.

The Boeing 747 is also the world's most common aircraft. It is known that more than one and a half thousand such airliners were produced.

The largest passenger aircraft in the world

As you know, the most comfortable and fastest way to travel is by plane. For this reason, many modifications of passenger cars have been created. aircraft. The largest among them for a long time remained the passenger Boeing 747, released in 1969. Initially, its capacity was four hundred and fifty-two passengers, and after modification it increased to five hundred and sixty-eight.

In 2005, a new super-capacious large aircraft appeared - this is the Airbus A380. Surprisingly, its capacity is equal to eight hundred and fifty-two passengers. They are located on two decks. This four-engine aircraft has a wingspan of nearly eighty meters, a height of twenty-four meters, and a length of seventy-three meters. The weight of this “giant” is also surprising - without passengers it weighs almost two hundred and seventy-seven tons and is able to fly fifteen thousand two hundred kilometers without stopping for refueling.

And the largest cargo aircraft is called the An-225 Mriya. It was made in the USSR. .
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Air travel is considered a safe and affordable means of travel. To lift one liner into the air requires a decent amount of fuel, so the designers are constantly fighting to reduce fuel consumption. Large-capacity liners have shown themselves to be an effective means of transporting large volumes of cargo and serving a large passenger flow.

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largest passenger aircraft

The largest passenger aircraft in the world is the Airbus A380. The airliner is produced by a group of European companies in several EU countries. The wingspan of this giant is 80 meters, which makes room for large reserves of fuel and makes it possible for long non-stop flights.

A380 has incredible technical characteristics:

1. Number of passengers: 850 people
2. Max. flight speed: 1020 km/h.
3. Max. flight distance: 15200 km, more than any representatives of this class.
4. Max. takeoff 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, the engineers managed 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 can accommodate about 555 people. The aircraft is characterized by the highest level of comfort. The liner is operated on all continents. Airbus is famous for its good handling and almost zero accidents.

Not every engine is suitable for lifting such a colossus into the air, because in addition to passenger seats on the liner there are:

1. Recreation areas.
2. Sleeping cabins.
3. Bars and more.

Only 4 Rolls-Royce motors, manufactured by special order, are capable of lifting this mass into the heights.

In Russia, the largest passenger aircraft is actively operated by the country's main airline, Aeroflot. The A380 has a significant share in the carrier's fleet.

largest cargo plane

An 225 - "Mriya" rightfully holds the title of the most big plane in the world. The length of the aircraft is 73 meters, and the wingspan is an 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 reusable spacecraft.

After the collapse of the USSR, the largest cargo aircraft in the world went to Ukraine, but was not operated for a long time. The engines and all valuable equipment were removed from the liner. It wasn't until the early 2000s that the need for such an "air truck" arose and the aircraft was upgraded to meet international aviation standards.

Now the largest An aircraft has been 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, about 100 million dollars are required, which no investor is ready to provide yet.

Liner records

An-225 has broken many load-carrying records. The largest cargo aircraft in the world has an absolute record for lifting cargo into the air - 253.5 tons. The air record holder has been entered into the Guinness Book of Records more than once.

In the next ten years, hardly anyone will be able to build a project of this magnitude, so the liner for the next ten to fifteen years will hold the palm in the nominations “the largest aircraft in the world” and “the heaviest aircraft”.

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. cold war spurred an arms race and a flood of government funding poured into the defense industry.

The production of one model required a huge amount of money, so each project was thoroughly checked before the flights. The commissioning time of this kind of equipment is about 5 years from the beginning of the design.

An 124 "Ruslan"

This military transport liner is one of the few representatives of the aircraft industry giants in Russia. The development of the project and the first flights were carried out in the era 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 journalists liked it so much that it appears with this abbreviation in all tops and ratings. The nickname has become an integral part of the aircraft.

The air vehicle has a wingspan of about 80 meters and a length of 73 meters. The maximum flight range is more than 15 thousand kilometers. More than once these airliners during their flights went around Earth with minimal refills.

Ruslan is operated in Russia and Ukraine, and not only for military cargo transportation.

Lockheed C-5 Galaxy

The Lockheed C-5 Galaxy is the American answer to domestic designs for super-lift liners. The scale of this monster is impressive: in military configuration, it is capable of carrying 275 fully equipped soldiers, and when used in civil aviation takes on board 75 passengers. In the initial draft, it was assumed that the board was capable of transporting intercontinental ballistic missiles.

10 biggest planes in the world

Since the dawn of aviation, aircraft have grown in size and reliability. In every era there was an aircraft that was a technological breakthrough. For you, we present the top 10 aircraft that 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 path, the plane was striking in size. This eight-engine giant contained a printing house, a laboratory and a library. For full use, a flight staff of 20 people was required.

The fate of the only issued copy is tragic - on May 18, 1935, an accident occurred that led to disaster. However, this aircraft became the 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" takes a place in our top. To this day, it is the largest transport aircraft with the ability to take off and land on the water surface.

The project was financed by the American tycoon Howard Hughes, but was completed only in a wooden version. This is due to the fact that the period of construction fell on the Second World War, so all the metal went to military needs. An estimated capacity of 750 people would make it the largest passenger aircraft ever built.

Boeing 747

Each of us saw this plane one way or another: live, in a photo or on video. For 37 years, the Boeing 747 held the title of the world's largest civil aircraft, until the Airbus A380 appeared. Used all over the world. It was used to deliver the space shuttle from the place of production.

Characteristics:

1. Length from nose to tail: 76.4.
2. Wingspan: 68.5 .
3. Crew: 2 pilots.
4. Number of passengers: 600 people
5. Max. flight speed: 1100 km/h.
6. Flight range: about 14,000 km.
7. Max. takeoff weight: 448 tons.

The following models are also in the top 10 most large aircraft world, but their place in the list is deserved primarily by their reliability and performance.

Boeing 777-300ER

Boeing's largest aircraft. The device has a wide space inside the skin and is capable of carrying up to 70,000 tons of commercial cargo.

Airbus A340-600

It was produced in the amount of 97 copies, which allows it 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

The extended version of the liner tops the honorary list of the longest aircraft (76.4 meters). In the international classification it is called "Intercontinental".

Tu-134

Medium-passenger main liner, which is rightfully considered 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 up to 950 km / h.

Dry "Superjet" -100

The Russian aircraft is the front line of the domestic aircraft industry. It has the most modern digital filling, is capable of transporting 100 people. It is actively purchased in Asia, and Sukhoi plans to enter the US market.

Irkut MS-21

This airliner is not yet in production and is getting a place on our list in advance. Despite not the largest dimensions of the project (length - up to 40 meters), which will not allow it to shift the most big planes West, he is able to rid Russia of the dominance of foreign manufacturers.

Concorde

The aircraft was the beginning of a sharp surge in the construction of supersonic passenger liners. A recognizable silhouette with a pointed nose is easily recognizable in photos and videos. Used for 27 years, which allowed him to become the champion in the transportation of passengers - 3 million people.

Every manufacturer wants to be called a giant of the industry. In the aircraft industry, Airbus has no equal with the A380 model. 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 heavy aircraft market is experiencing better times. Old Soviet models are in operation. Gradually, Russian manufacturers are trying to catch up with their colleagues from Europe and America, but this takes time.

Each of the described liners can weigh tens of tons, but the utility factor is estimated by the formula: 1 kg of own weight per amount of weight lifted.

Today, not a single person can imagine life without the existence of aircraft, and in fact, before 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 world, the world got acquainted with the first aircraft. And on October 25, 2007, it went into operation Airbus A380- the largest passenger aircraft in the world, the photo of which to some extent reflects 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 supplanted the 36-year-old aviation giant, the Boeing 747.

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 run: 2050 meters

The development of Airbus had to spend one decade and 12 billion euros. The maximum distance covered by an aircraft without in-flight refueling is 15,400 km. In terms of the amount of fuel used, the Airbus A380-800 is much more economical than others aircraft such a class.

It was possible to reduce fuel consumption thanks to the correctly designed shape of the wing and fuselage. To achieve such accuracy in Japan, milling machines used in the manufacture of aircraft were specially developed. It takes 3 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers for three passengers.

Despite the large capacity of Airbus compared to the Boeing 747, its production is 15 percent cheaper. For the first time, the air giant began to be operated by Singapore's national airline, Singapore Airlines, serving the Singapore-Sydney route.

Boeing 747-8

In 2005, the Boeing 747-8, another modification of a passenger aircraft, appeared in the American corporation The Boeing Company. The main differences from previous liners are an elongated hull and economy. By changing the deviation of the wing in plan from perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the aircraft and reducing its thickness, the manufacturers managed to improve the quality of aerodynamics. Thanks to this shape of the wing, fuel consumption has decreased.

Boeing 747-8

This modification was preferred by the governments of 19 states, using the liner for flights by the country's top leaders.

At 76.25 meters long, the Boeing 747-8 is the largest commercial aircraft built in the United States of America. In addition, the Boeing 747-8 is the leader in orders for VIP versions, which are intended for politicians in government.

The largest passenger aircraft in history is the Hughes H-4 Hercules. The giant received this title in 1947. Against the background of the flying "machines" of that period, the Hughes H-4 Hercules stood out with a 98-meter distance between the edges of the wings, due to which this modification was considered the most wide-body.

In total, 2 aircraft of this type were produced, today only one remains. The Hughes H-4 Hercules aircraft with a capacity of 750 passengers was brought to the Long Beach Museum in 1993, where it is still located. More people in one flight were not transported by any aircraft.

The Boeing 777-300ER passenger aircraft, designed in 1990, can fly 20,000 km without in-flight refueling. A 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 liner is equipped with the most powerful bypass turbojet engines with a high bypass ratio and is equipped with additional fuel storage tanks. The introduction of such a modification reduced fuel consumption by 1.4 percent. On board the liner, 305-550 passengers can fly at the same time.

by the most big liner, produced in Russia, is recognized as 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 has not yet begun. In 2009, the aircraft was destroyed due to wear and tear.

An aircraft with a length of 63.7 m and a capacity of 400 people holds the absolute world flight record on one serviceable engine. In 2003, in the month of March, after the failure of one of the engines, the airliner flew 2 hours 57 minutes with 255 passengers. Despite the appearance of improved quality modifications, the Boeing 777-200 EP is still in demand. There are more than 400 aircraft of this modification in the world.

The Airbus A340-600 is one of the long haul liners. At one gas station, he is able to cover a distance of 14,800 kilometers. The Airbus A340-600 has been in operation on international and intercontinental lines since 2002. The capacity of the aircraft with a length of 75 meters and a wingspan of 63.5 meters is 380 people.

A total of 97 Airbus A340-600 models were assembled. In 2011, the production of the liner in series ceased.

The wingspan of the Russian aircraft "Ruslan" reaches 73 meters with a length of 69 meters. The main difference between the flying machine is the colossal cargo compartment 1050 cu. meters. The aircraft with a cruising speed of 850 km / h was used for cargo transportation (carrying capacity - 120 tons), if necessary, military personnel could be transported on it. The flight life of the An-124 model does not exceed 45 years.

The military model aircraft Lockheed C-5 "Galaxy" is also worthy of competing for the title of the largest passenger aircraft. The liner was used both to transport people and goods. On board the aircraft, 270 military personnel can simultaneously fly, in addition, if necessary, you can equip the machine with additional passenger seats in the amount of 75 units. Due to its impressive size (the length of the vessel is 75.5 meters, the width is 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 climbed is 10,100 meters.

From the moment the first passenger was taken on board to the appearance of spacious airliners, 60 years have passed. And today we can no longer be surprised either by huge aircraft with excellent flight characteristics, or transcontinental flights, or many hours of travel on airliners.

In our time in the world, you can count about a thousand different models of aircraft. They differ not only in the optional purpose, but also in size. In addition to light single-engine aircraft, which are designed for one pilot, there are also the real biggest record-breaking giants. So check out the list below.

An 225 is the largest cargo aircraft in the world. He is able to cope with such a heavy load, which is too tough for any other aircraft in the world.

The parameters of the giant aircraft, whose name translates as "dream":

• length - 84;
• height - 18;
• wingspan - 88.5;
• maximum takeoff weight - 640 tons;
• flight range with a 200-ton load - 4,000 km;
• cruising speed - 850 km / h;
• weight of the empty apparatus - 250 tons.

This is a rarity built by G. Hughes according to the principle "the queen gave birth on the night of either a son or a daughter." This is a large combat boat-plane. There is also an aircraft museum – today anyone can get acquainted with the device, designed back in the forties.

The 136-ton giant was created to transfer more than 700 soldiers - this is a very large military aircraft. The designers limited themselves to just one machine - at that time the production of such a giant was extremely expensive.

Machine parameters:

• length - 66.5;
• height - 24;
• wingspan - 97.5;
• wing area - more than 1000 m2.

It is the largest airliner on the planet. It could be put in first place, based on a set of characteristics. But, since we took the length as a basis, the A380 takes the fourth line.

Aircraft parameters:

• length - 73 m;
• passenger capacity - 853;
• wingspan - 80;
• height - 24.

A characteristic feature of a large, but not very high-speed aircraft is the ability to make a non-stop flight for 15,000 km. At the same time, the double-deck apparatus is also quite economical. Fuel consumption per hundred kilometers and one passenger is only 1 liter.

The designers spent more than 10 years and $12,000,000,000 to develop the model. Before the advent of the A380, the Boeing 747 was the leader in terms of overall characteristics. And the French device was developed just as an alternative to the leader. Looking ahead, let's say that Boeing is in the lead in our rating according to the stated criterion. But it loses significantly to the A380 in terms of cost, efficiency and spaciousness. French liners turned out to be almost twice as spacious, 15% cheaper and less voracious.

4. An-124 "Ruslan"

An-124 "Ruslan"
An-124 "Ruslan"

This unit became the predecessor of the current leader. Operated mainly in Russia and Ukraine. At one time, the heavy Ruslan was the largest aircraft. The primary task of the machine was the transportation of ICBM launchers.

But this is not only almost the largest military aircraft in the world. There are also civilian versions, which are operated mainly by the Russian industry. They are designed for the transportation of oversized cargo at all geographical latitudes. One Ruslan costs $300,000,000.

An-124 parameters:

• length - 69;
• height - 21;
• wingspan - 73;
• load capacity - 120 tons.

The Americans did not develop this car for military needs yesterday either - the project was launched in 1968. Until 1982, Lockheed was the largest transport flying equipment in the world. In one approach, the aircraft is able to transport 6 Apaches (helicopters), 6 armored personnel carriers, a couple of tanks and 4 infantry fighting vehicles. Or a whole bunch of trucks.

The once largest transport aircraft is distinguished by the following parameters:

• length - 75.5;
• height - 20;
• wingspan - 68;
• top speed - 920 km / h.

Model from the family of three sevens. The device has been in operation since 1995. This is the largest twin-engine passenger aircraft. It is equipped with the most powerful and largest gas turbine engines from GE.

Boeing parameters:

• length - 74;
• wingspan - 64.8;
• height - 18.7.

Designed for 365 passengers. These airliners can be admired endlessly - photos and videos demonstrate the impeccability of the lines.

As you can see, the French love large sizes and know a lot about them. The largest aircraft in the world - the top 10 - can not do without the third member of the family.

Aircraft parameters:

• length - 75;
• height - 17;
• wingspan - 63.5;
• passenger capacity (maximum) - 475;
• top speed - 900 km / h.

Before the appearance of the leader, this apparatus was the longest on the planet. Over the years of production, the company has produced more than 370 machines. In 2011, the car was discontinued. During the operational years, 5 aircraft were lost, but not a single person was injured.

Perhaps this is the most famous aircraft. Most of you have seen him in at least a few Hollywood movies. Many flew on this handsome giant. This is the longest passenger aircraft.

Boeing parameters:

• length - 76;
• wingspan - 68.5;
• height - 19;
• passenger capacity - 580;
• top speed - 988 km / h.

Boeing-747-8 is a modification of the 747 model. The dimensions and spaciousness of the cabin are increased here. Here, the designers have applied more advanced technologies. Improved aerodynamics. In addition to the passenger version, there is also a cargo one. He also entered this list.

This is a wide-body aircraft developed by one of the largest aircraft manufacturing companies in the world - the French company Airbus. The first flight of the giant took place in 1992. The project was developed for 20 years. And not in vain for so long - the car turned out to be successful, in terms of the ratio of flight performance.

But not everything is so smooth. Getting into the top is good, but the model has rather sad loss statistics. For a couple of decades, 8 devices crashed. Some of the planes were destroyed by terrorists, which makes the statistic less troubling when viewed from an engineering perspective.

A330 parameters:

• length - 63.7 m;
• passenger capacity - 440;
• wingspan - 60.3.

10 Boeing 777 —200 ER

In all fairness, this aircraft model occupies the tenth place in the rating. If we compare it with the base model of the Boeing 777, then in this modification of the design the useful takeoff weight was increased.

Boeing 777-200ER parameters:

• Wingspan - 60.93 m;
• Aircraft length - 63.73 m;
• Aircraft height - 18.52 m;
• Wing area - 427.80 sq. m;
• Weight, empty equipped aircraft - 135870 kg;
• Weight, maximum takeoff - 262470 kg;
• Maximum speed - 965 km / h Cruise speed - 905 km / h;
• Practical range - 8910 km;
• Engine type - 2 Pratt Whitney PW4073A turbofan engines;
• Thrust - 2 x 33600 kgf.
• Practical ceiling - 13100 m,
• Crew - 2 people,

Payload - 305-328 passengers in a cabin of three classes, 375-400 passengers in a cabin of two classes or 440 passengers in an economy class.

People are always attracted by some kind of record - record planes always get a lot of attention

3rd place: Airbus A380

Airbus A380 is a wide-body double-deck jet passenger aircraft, created by Airbus S.A.S. (previously Airbus Industry) is the largest serial airliner in the world.

The height of the aircraft is 24.08 meters, the length is 72.75 (80.65) meters, the wingspan is 79.75 meters. A380 can make non-stop flights at a distance of up to 15,400 km. Capacity - 525 passengers in the cabin of three classes; 853 passengers in single class configuration. A cargo modification of the A380F is also provided with the ability to carry 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 amounted to about 12 billion euros. Airbus says it needs to sell 420 aircraft to recoup its costs, although some analysts estimate the figure should be much higher.
According to the developers, the most difficult part in the creation of the A380 was the problem of reducing its mass. It was possible to solve it through the widespread use of composite materials both in load-bearing structural elements and in auxiliary units, interiors, etc.

Advanced technologies and improved aluminum alloys were also used to reduce the weight of the aircraft. So, 11-ton center section for 40% of its mass consists of carbon fiber. The top and side panels of the fuselage are made from Glare hybrid material. On the lower fuselage panels, laser welding of stringers and skin was used, which significantly reduced the number of fasteners.
According to statements Airbus, per passenger, the Airbus A380 burns 17% less fuel than the “largest aircraft today” (apparently referring to the Boeing 747). The less fuel burned, the less carbon dioxide emissions. For an aircraft, CO2 emissions per passenger are only 75 grams per kilometer. This is almost half the CO2 emission limit set by the European Union for cars manufactured in 2008.

The first A320 aircraft sold was handed over to the customer on October 15, 2007 after a lengthy acceptance testing phase and entered service on October 25, 2007 on a commercial flight between Singapore and Sydney. Two months later, Singapore Airlines President Chu Chong Seng said the Airbus A380 was performing better than expected and consuming 20% ​​less fuel per passenger than the company's existing Boeing 747-400s.

The upper and lower decks of the aircraft are connected by two ladders, at the nose and tail of the liner, wide enough to accommodate two passengers shoulder to shoulder. In a 555-passenger configuration, the A380 has 33% more passenger space than a Boeing 747-400 in a standard three-class configuration, but has 50% more space and volume, resulting in a per-passenger more space.

The maximum certified capacity of the aircraft is 853 passengers when configured with a single economy class. The announced configurations range from 450 seats (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 direction of Howard Hughes. This 136-ton aircraft, originally designated as the NK-1 and given the unofficial nickname Spruce Goose ("Goldfinch, Dude", literally "Spruce Goose"), was the largest flying boat ever built, and its wingspan still remains a record - 98 meters. It was designed to transport 750 soldiers fully equipped.

At the start of World War II, the U.S. government gave Hughes $13 million to build a prototype flying craft, but the aircraft was not ready by the end of hostilities, due to aluminum shortages and Hughes' stubbornness in trying to build the perfect 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 takeoff weight: 180 tons
Payload weight: up to 59,000 kg
Fuel capacity: 52,996 l
Engines: 8? air-cooled Pratt&Whitney R-4360-4A, 3000 hp each With. (2240 ​​kW) each
Propellers: 8? four-bladed Hamilton Standard, 5.23 m in diameter

Flight characteristics

Top speed: 351 mph (565.11 km/h)
Cruise speed: 250 mph (407.98 km/h)
Flight range: 5634 km
Practical ceiling: 7165 m.

Despite its nickname, the aircraft is built almost entirely from birch, more precisely from birch plywood glued to a template.

The Hercules aircraft, piloted by Howard Hughes himself, made its first and only flight only on November 2, 1947, when it took off 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 kept the aircraft in working order until his death in 1976, spending up to $ 1 million a year on this), the aircraft was sent to the Long Beach Museum, California.

The aircraft is visited annually by about 300,000 tourists. The biography of the creator of the aircraft Howard Hughes and the testing of the aircraft 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 This is 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 time 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. So, for example, the fuselage of the Mriya has the same transverse dimensions as the An-124, but longer than it, the wingspan and area have increased. The same structure as that of Ruslan has a wing, but additional sections have been added to it. The An-225 has two additional engines. The landing gear of the aircraft is similar to the chassis of the Ruslan, but it has seven instead of five racks. 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 about 70% ready and can be completed at any time, subject to proper funding. For its completion, 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. In the same month, the An-225 delivered the Buran spacecraft to the Paris air show and made a splash there. In total, the aircraft has 240 world records, including the transport of the heaviest cargo (253 tons), the heaviest monolithic cargo (188 tons) and the longest cargo.

The An-225 Mriya aircraft was originally designed for the needs of the Soviet space industry. In those years, the Soviet Union was building the Buran, its first reusable ship, an analogue of the American shuttle. To implement this project, it was necessary transport system, with which it was possible 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 also had colossal dimensions. All this was delivered from the place of production to the points of final assembly. Units and components of "Energia" and "Buran" were manufactured in central regions USSR, and the final assembly took place in Kazakhstan, at the Baikonur cosmodrome. In addition, the An-225 was originally designed so that in the future it could carry the completed Buran spacecraft. Also, the An-225 could carry bulky 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. This work An-225 "Mriya" will perform today.

General Functions and the tasks of the machine can be described as follows:

transportation of general-purpose cargo (oversized, heavy) with a total weight of up to 250 tons;
intracontinental non-stop transportation of goods weighing 180–200 tons;
intercontinental transportation of goods weighing up to 150 tons;
transportation of heavy oversized cargo on an external sling with a total weight of up to 200 tons;
use of aircraft for air launch of spacecraft.

Other, even more ambitious tasks were set before the unique aircraft, and they were also associated with 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", as conceived by the designers, was to become the first step 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 carrying capacity of at least 250 tons.

The Soviet shuttle was supposed to start from the "back" of the aircraft. This method of launching vehicles into near-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 aircraft saves fuel significantly and allows increasing the payload of a spacecraft. In some cases, this may allow you to completely abandon the first stage of the rocket.

Various air launch options are being developed at the present time. The United States is especially active in this direction; 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. An-225 carried out fourteen flights with Buran on the top of the fuselage, hundreds of tons of various cargoes were transported under 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 commercial use. The An-225 "Mriya" aircraft has unique technical characteristics, a huge carrying capacity and can carry bulky 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 cargoes. Some transport operations can be safely called unique and unparalleled 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 clean up the aftermath of an earthquake in Japan.

In 2009, the An-225 aircraft was upgraded and its service life was extended.

The An-225 "Mriya" aircraft is made according to the classical scheme, with high-raised wings of small sweep. The cabin is located in front of the aircraft, the cargo hatch is also located in the nose of the machine. The aircraft is made according to the two-keel scheme. Such a decision is associated with the need to transport goods on the fuselage of the aircraft. The glider of the An-225 aircraft has very high aerodynamic properties, the value of the aerodynamic quality of this machine is 19, which is an excellent indicator not only for transport, but also for passenger aircraft. This, in turn, greatly improved the performance of the aircraft 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 grown by 10% (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;
increased fuselage length;
single-keel tail unit was replaced with a two-keel one;
lack of a tail cargo hatch;
the number of main landing gear racks has been increased from five to seven;
fastening and pressurization system for external cargoes;
two additional D-18T engines were installed.

Unlike Ruslan, Mriya has only one cargo hatch, which is located in the nose of the aircraft. Like its predecessor, "Mriya" can change the clearance and angle of the fuselage, which is extremely convenient for loading and unloading. The chassis has three supports: a front two-column and two main ones, each of which consists of seven pillars. At the same time, all racks are independent of each other and are produced separately.

To take off without cargo, an aircraft needs runway 2400 meters long, with a load - 3500 meters.

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 carry up to sixteen standard aviation containers (each weighing ten tons), fifty cars or any cargo weighing up to two hundred tons (turbines, extra large trucks, generators). On top of the fuselage, special fastenings are provided for the transportation of bulky cargo.D

Specifications An-225 "Mriya"

Wingspan, m 88.4
Length, m 84.0
Height, m ​​18.2
Weight, kg

Empty 250000
Maximum takeoff 600000
Fuel mass 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 transport jet aircraft of extra-large payload developed by OKB im. O.K. Antonov, is the largest aircraft in the world.