AN 225 - "Valuev" among aircraft

Aircraft AN 225 appeared thanks to ... missiles. The fact is that the beginning of the use of heavy-duty carrier rockets entailed the need to create an aircraft that could quickly transport massive and very heavy parts over long distances. So, in just 3.5 years, the 225 was created, in which the figure "225" meant the number of tons that this aircraft can lift. Today it is the largest aircraft on the planet with the highest carrying capacity.

Work on the giant aircraft began in the USSR in the design bureau of Antonov. Developments led by designer Balabuev. Under his leadership, the company successfully coped with the creation of a universal transport aircraft that would transport various loads inside and outside the fuselage. In addition, it was assumed that the AH 225 could be the first stage for spacecraft launching in the air.

The An 225, the characteristics of which are likely to allow such missions, has very impressive parameters. The length of the aircraft is 84 meters, its wingspan is close to 90 meters (one side of the football field), the vehicle develops a maximum speed of 850 km per hour, can climb 9 km and fly 2,5 thousand kilometers with a maximum load of 250 tons . He has a huge cargo area 4.4 meters high, 43 meters long and about 6.4 meters wide, into which more than 70 cars and such models as Belaz or Komatsu can easily be placed. To this giant could turn, you need a band at least 60 meters wide.

If you look at the appearance of the AH 225, you can see that the aircraft is the owner of a double-tailed plumage, a vertical type. It is part of the constructive system, which, along with seven two-wheeled racks on each side and a wingspan, allows you to transport "on the back" loads of increased length (up to 70 meters). In the USSR, with its help, it was planned, among other things, to launch complexes that allow cargoes to be taken out to near-earth orbit, and also used in conjunction with the Eaglet-wings for carrying out rescue operations at sea.

The first tests of the aircraft took place in the USSR in 1989. After that, the flight path of this specimen of the AH 225 failed due to the collapse of the country, equipment was removed from it and it stands at the airport in the suburbs of Kiev. In Ukraine, in the early 21st century, a second aircraft was created, which is in operation today. With its help, in 2009 a generator was delivered to Armenia for a hydroelectric power station, in 2011 Japan received a humanitarian aid load , and in 2012, Tajikistan delivered the units for the next hydroelectric power station. In 2014-2015, it is planned to produce one more copy of such a machine, which is not equal in the world. The nearest competitors of Mriya - Airbus and Boeing have a carrying capacity of not more than 150 tons, which deprives them of the ability to carry super-heavy and bulky goods.

Creation of aircraft of this class is a super-expensive operation, and it can be rented only for a very large sum of money, which depends on the type of cargo transported. It is believed that the flying hour of this aircraft exceeds the cost of the flying hour of the Ruslan aircraft, which has a lower payload capacity. The lease of the last aircraft costs about 25 thousand dollars per hour.