Antonov An-225
From Freepedia
The Antonov An-225 Mriya (Антонов Ан-225 Мрія, NATO reporting name: Cossack) is a strategic airlift transport airplane that was built by Antonov (ASTC) and it is the largest airplane of the world. Mriya (Мрія) means "dream" (as in aspiration) in Ukrainian.
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Development
The An-225 was designed for the Soviet space program as a replacement for the Myasishchev VM-T 'Atlant'. Able to airlift the Energia rocket's boosters and the Buran space shuttle in captive carry, its mission was almost identical to that of the American Shuttle Carrier Aircraft.
The An-225 is an extension of the earlier An-124 design. To meet the needs of its new role, fuselage barrel extensions were added fore and aft of the wings, which received root extensions. Two more engines were added on the new wing roots, and an increased-capacity landing gear system with 52 wheels was designed. The An-124's rear cargo door and ramp were removed, and the empennage was changed from a single vertical stabilizer to a twin tail with an oversized horizontal stabilizer. Unlike the An-124, the An-225 was not intended for tactical airlifting and is not designed for short- field operation.
Service
The An-225 first flew on 21 December 1988. Only one An-225 is currently in service. It is commercially available for carrying ultra heavy and/or oversize freight, up to 227 metric tons (250 short tons). A second An-225 was partially built during the late 1980s—in connection with the Soviet space program—but was never finished. This aircraft is finally nearing completion as of 2005. The construction of further units will depend upon demand for outsize cargolifting.
At 600 metric tons, the An-225 is the world's heaviest aircraft, although its wingspan is less than that of the "Spruce Goose", Howard Hughes' flying boat, which never went beyond a single short low-altitude test flight. Both the An-124 and An-225 are larger than the C-5 Galaxy, the largest aircraft in the U.S. inventory. The An-225 is also larger than the Airbus A380.
In November of 2004, FAI placed the An-225 in the Guinness Book of Records for its 240 records and overall outstanding aerial performance.
Specifications
General characteristics
- Crew: 7
- Capacity: 70
- Payload 551,150 lb.
- Length: 84 m (276 ft)
- Wingspan: 88.74 m (291 ft 2 in)
- Height: 18.1 m (59.3 ft)
- Wing area: 905.0 m² (9,741 ft²)
- Empty: kg ( lb)
- Loaded: 250,000 kg (551,000 lb)
- Maximum takeoff: 600,000 kg (1,320,000 lb)
- Powerplant: (six) ZMDB Progress D-18 turbofans, 229 kN (51,600 lbf) thrust
- Takeoff run: apprx. 3,500 meters (11,500 feet) with maximum payload
Performance
- Maximum speed: 850 km/h (530 mph)
- Range: 4,500 km (2,800 miles) with 200,000 kg (440,000 lb)
- Service ceiling: m ( ft)
- Rate of climb: m/min ( ft/min)
- Wing loading: kg/m² ( lb/ft²)
- Thrust/weight:
Related content
Designation sequence:
An-180 - An-204 - An-218 - An-225 - An-400
Related development:
Similar aircraft:
External links:
References:
- Antonov Aeronautical Scientific/Technical Complex (Antonov ASTC)
- Antonov ASTC - Mriya
- Aircraft-Info.net - Antonov An-225
- An-225 Mriya, Nato: Cossack
- [1]
- [2]
- Airliners.net
- The Antonov Giants at Air Vectors
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