Dimensions of the largest aircraft. The largest passenger aircraft in the world. Parameters of seats in the cabin

Surprisingly, these huge monsters are flying in the sky. They weigh hundreds of tons, cost hundreds of millions of dollars, and are almost as long as a football stadium.

The An-225 Mriya (translated from Ukrainian as “dream”) is the heaviest cargo-lifting aircraft ever taken into the air. The maximum take-off weight of the aircraft is 640 tons. The reason for the construction of the An-225 was the need to create an aviation transport system for the Soviet reusable spacecraft Buran project. The plane exists in a single copy.

The aircraft was designed in the USSR and built in 1988 at the Kiev Mechanical Plant. "Mriya" set a world record for take-off weight and carrying capacity. On March 22, 1989, the An-225 flew with a load of 156.3 tons, thereby simultaneously breaking 110 world aviation records, which is a record in itself.

"Mriya" and small cars.

Dornier Do X is a German passenger flying boat manufactured by Dornier. Intended for operation on long-distance passenger airlines. The first flight took place in 1929. On October 20, the aircraft took off from Lake Constance with 169 passengers on board during a 40-minute demonstration flight. This record remained unsurpassed in the first half of the 20th century.

Length - 40.05 m, wingspan - 48.0 m, number of passengers - 160.

The Dornier Do X's cockpit had no engine controls. Instead, as on large seagoing vessels of the time, the pilot transmitted (by telephone) the command to increase or decrease power to the flight engineer located in a separate cabin.

The flight engineer controls twelve aircraft engines:

This is the largest aircraft with a single propeller, the largest propeller in history. Four connected 260-horsepower Mercedes D.IVa engines drove a huge propeller mounted in the nose.

Looking only at photographs, it is completely impossible to understand the gigantic dimensions of the R.II 55/17 (For some reason, there are no photographs of people standing near the aircraft that give a sense of scale.

The R.II could carry a maximum payload of 7000 kg with a total flight weight of 15000 kg... The upper wing span was 42.16 m, the length was 20.32 m. It made its first flight in January 1919.

Soviet propaganda, multi-seat passenger, 8-engine aircraft, the largest aircraft of its time with a land landing gear. Built at the aviation plant in Voronezh. It made its first flight on June 17, 1934. Length - 33 meters.

In 1934, the plane set two world records, lifting loads weighing 10,000 kg and 15,000 kg to a height of 5,000 m. In 1935, during a demonstration flight, the plane crashed into the holiday village of Sokol. 49 people died

After the crash of the ANT-20, it was decided to build an improved backup, the ANT-20 bis, but neither it nor the ANT-20 were ever put into production.

This is a transport wooden flying boat, which received the unofficial nickname Spruce Goose (“Goldfinch, Dude,” literally “Spruce Goose”).

Weight is 130 tons, and its wingspan still remains a record - 98 meters (Mriya's is 88.4 m). It was designed to transport 750 soldiers when fully equipped.

It is currently on display at the Evergreen International Aviation Museum in McMinnville, Oregon, where it was moved in 1993. The plane is visited by about 300,000 tourists annually.

The Bristol Brabazon is an experimental British passenger aircraft built in 1949. The largest aircraft ever built in the UK.

Length - 54m, wingspan - 70m.

By 1952, it became clear that the upper end of the air travel market would never pay for an aircraft built only for first class service. Even in “general” class, each Brabazon passenger had 6 cubic meters of internal volume, in first class - 8 cubic meters; the plane literally “carried” these cubic meters of fuselage. In March 1952, the government refused to support the completion of the second, turboprop model, and in 1953 both vehicles were sent for scrap.

The world's first long-range, double-deck, wide-body passenger aircraft. The first flight took place on February 9, 1969. At the time of its inception, the Boeing 747 was the largest, heaviest and most spacious passenger airliner, remaining so for 36 years until the introduction of the A380, which first flew in 2005.

The Boeing 747-400 consists of 6 million parts (half of which are fasteners) manufactured in 33 different countries. During Operation Solomon (Israel's military operation to transport Ethiopian Jews to Israel), a world record was set for the number of passengers transported in one flight by one aircraft - on May 24, 1991, a Boeing 747 of El Al airlines transported 1,122 passengers to Israel. Moreover, two babies were born during the flight.

The new Boeing 747-8 is a new generation of the famous Boeing 747 series with a stretched fuselage, redesigned wing and improved economic efficiency. The 747-8 is the largest commercial aircraft built in the United States, as well as the longest passenger aircraft in the world.

Length - 76.3 m, wingspan - 68.5 m.

This is a heavy long-range transport aircraft developed by the Design Bureau named after. O. K. Antonova. It was created primarily for air transportation of mobile launchers of intercontinental ballistic missiles. The prototype aircraft made its first flight on December 24, 1982 in Kyiv. The aircraft entered service with the USSR military transport aviation in January 1987; a total of 56 aircraft were built.

Load capacity - 120 tons, length - 69.1 m, wingspan - 73.3 m. In October 1997, a record was set for the weight of transported commercial cargo. A chemical reactor weighing 125 tons was delivered from Paris to Doha, and the total weight of the cargo with special equipment was 140 tons.

Repair and modernization of An-124 Ruslan aircraft is now carried out at the aircraft manufacturing plant in Ulyanovsk.

It was built in 1966. It was the largest aircraft in the world before the An-225, which received the name “Caspian monster” from foreign intelligence services. Length - 92 m, wingspan - 37.6 m, maximum take-off weight - 544,000 kg.

The largest production passenger airliner in the world, surpassing the capacity of the Boeing 747, which can only carry up to 525 passengers (the Boeing 747 was the largest passenger airliner for 36 years). Its length is 73 meters, wingspan is 79.75 meters, maximum take-off weight is 560 tons (the weight of the aircraft itself is 280 tons).

Start of production - 2004. The first aircraft sold was delivered to the customer on October 15, 2007.

Beriev Be-2500 “Neptune” is an ambitious project of a super-heavy amphibious transport aircraft, developed at the Taganrog TANTK named after. G. M. Berieva. Is the largest aircraft ever conceived. Length - 115.5 m, wingspan - 125.5 m, take-off weight - 2.5 million kg, maximum payload - up to 1 million kg.

The project remained a project, and in the state program “Development of the Aviation Industry for 2013-2025” adopted at the end of 2012, there is no mention of the aircraft.

LZ 129 "Hindenburg" is a rigid airship built in 1936 in Germany. It was the largest airship in the world created up to that time.

The Hindenburg first flew at Friedrichafen on March 4, 1936. On May 6, 1937, while completing another transatlantic flight, the Hindenburg, filled with flammable hydrogen, caught fire and crashed, killing 35 of the 97 people on board, as well as one member of the ground crew. The crash of the Hindenburg effectively marked the end of the commercial use of airships for transport purposes.

The history of aviation in its modern sense goes back more than 100 years, if you do not take into account the attempts of man to fly into the air since ancient times. During this time, aircraft manufacturing has evolved from the first prototypes of the Wright brothers and other enthusiastic inventors to heavy-duty, multi-ton giants capable of carrying tons of cargo and hundreds of passengers. This article is about the 10 largest aircraft in the world.

The largest passenger plane in the world

The Airbus A380 holds the lead among the largest civil aircraft for transporting passengers. This is the brainchild of the European company Airbus. It first flew into the air with passengers in 2005 after 10 years of development and experimentation by designers.

Fact. The cost of creating the giant was almost 12 billion euros.

This expensive, but the largest passenger aircraft has the following dimensions:

• height – 24.08 m;
• length – 72.75 m;
• wingspan - 79.75 m;
• weight – 280 t.

Additional Information. Despite its impressive dimensions, the Airbus A380 is very economical and even environmentally friendly in operation - only three liters of fuel are consumed to transport one passenger over a distance of 100 kilometers. It can cover a distance of more than 15,400 meters without refueling. And the less fuel is spent, the less emissions into the atmosphere. This result was achieved thanks to the ideal design of the wing and fuselage, as well as the special material from which they are made. These engineering solutions significantly reduced the overall weight of the vessel and improved its aerodynamics.

Today, double-decker Airbus A380s accommodate 525 passengers when divided into three classes and up to 853 people with a single-class cabin configuration. However, development and testing of improved versions of the aircraft are already underway, the capacity of which should exceed 1000 people.

The Airbus A380 unseated the Boeing 747, which had held its position as the largest aircraft since the 1970s. The A380 developers have found a way to reduce production costs by 15% compared to Boeing and increase capacity by 7%.

Second largest aircraft in the world

The already mentioned Boeing 747 (Jumbo Jet) ranks honorably second in size among passenger airliners. At the time of its creation in 1969, it was the largest, heaviest and most spacious aircraft, 70.6 m long.

For 36 years it was produced in various modifications, however, maintaining their main characteristics: a wide fuselage and two floors for passengers. This design gives the Jumbo Jet a recognizable hump-like silhouette, as the upper deck is significantly shorter than the lower deck.

Interesting. In the late 1960s, it was believed that the future of passenger aviation belonged to supersonic light aircraft that would displace the clumsy heavyweights. Therefore, the 747 was designed with the ability to be converted into a freighter. Experts estimated the capacity of the market for spacious aircraft at no more than 400 units, but these forecasts did not come true, and in 1993 the company sold its thousandth Boeing 747. Only in our century, with the advent of the Airbus A380, demand began to fall.

In the 1970s There was a fuel crisis in the world; prices for jet fuel skyrocketed, as did ticket prices. Companies that have a Boeing 747 in their fleet are faced with its unprofitability; the plane often flies empty. However, on particularly busy routes and on intercontinental flights, the Jumbo Jet has been and remains a popular model.

The longest passenger plane in the world

This is a record holder from the latest history of aviation - the Boeing 747-8, which began production in 2008. It is a modification of the legendary Boeing 747, with significant modifications. The designers extended the fuselage as much as possible, redesigned the wing and worked on efficiency in operation.

The length of the Boeing 747-8 is 76.25 m, making it the longest passenger airliner in the world. However, it is also the heaviest US aircraft, its take-off weight is 447 tons, which is still considered a record in the entire history of aircraft manufacturing in America.

Characteristics:

• length – 76.25 m;
• height – 19.35 m;
• wingspan - 68.45 m.

In addition to cargo, this aircraft can accommodate up to 581 passengers.

The most "hardy" aircraft

For the successful operation of aircraft, in addition to capacity and payload capacity, it is important how far they can travel without refueling. Today, the record holder for long-distance flights is the Boeing 777, which is capable of flying half the circumference of the Earth at a time - 20,000 km. However, this is the maximum value of the flight length; in normal practice, the distance covered is 9000-17000 km.

Interesting. The Boeing 777E is the first modern airliner to be created using computer modeling instead of paper drawings. In the early 1990s. Such technologies have become a breakthrough in the aircraft industry, since 3D modeling makes it possible to eliminate errors in the joining of parts even at the design stage.

The Boeing 777 has different modifications depending on the fuselage length and range. 777-300ER is one of the most “hardy” and popular modifications. It is a large airliner with two turbofan engines. Maximum capacity – 550 people.

As a long-haul aircraft, the Boeing 777 can stay in the air for up to 18 hours without a break. However, there is a limitation on the duration of the crew’s work shift, so there are special places in the cabin for pilots and flight attendants to sleep and rest.

Leader in wing length

The Hughes H-4 Hercules entered the TOP 10 largest aircraft in the world due to its wing size. Despite the fact that this is the oldest aircraft described here, no one has yet been able to break its record: the span reaches 98 meters.

The plane took off for the first and last time in 1947; it has a sad history of creation. At the beginning of World War II, the American government commissioned the development of a military aircraft from Hughes Aircraft under the management of Howard Hughes. However, the search for a perfect solution took a long time. Hughes could not be satisfied with the result. In addition, there was a shortage of aluminum in the world. As a result, the war ended, but there was still no plane. Only two years after the end of hostilities, the Hughes H-4 Hercules made its first flight. Surprisingly, this device was made entirely of plywood and, in fact, was a flying boat.

Specifications:

• length – 66.45 m;
• height – 24.08 m;
• wingspan - 97.54 m;
• maximum take-off weight – 180 tons.

Interesting. This “boat” could transport 750 soldiers in full uniform to the battlefield. However, in reality, her flight was limited to two kilometers above Los Angeles. After which the plane remained in the personal property of G. Hughes, who until his death annually spent a lot of money on maintaining it in working condition. After the death of the designer, the giant was sent to a museum in California to attract tourists. The film The Aviator, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, is based on the life of engineer Howard Hughes.

Not long ago (May 31, 2017), the Hughes H-4 Hercules record for wingspan was surpassed: the Stratolaunch aircraft with a wingspan of 117 meters was presented to the world. However, it has not yet made a single flight, so Hughes’ brainchild is still the leader among the models in use.

The largest cargo plane in the world

This title belongs to the An-225, designed in the USSR at the Kiev Mechanical Development Plant, at the Design Bureau named after. O. K. Antonova. The Ukrainian name for the heavy-duty truck is “Mriya” (translated as “dream”). The first flight took place in 1988.

The impetus for the creation of Mriya was the Soviet space program Buran to develop a reusable transport spacecraft. To implement ambitious plans, an aircraft with an ultra-high payload capacity was required to participate in the cargo transportation of ship components. The designed aircraft had to lift at least 250 tons at a time and have attachments for transporting external cargo.

The designers took the An-124-100 (“Ruslan”) as a basis and changed some components and parts to obtain the necessary technical characteristics. This is how the largest transport aircraft An-225 appeared. Despite the fact that Mriya was created for very specific tasks, it has become a universal vessel in cargo aviation.

The cargo compartment is sealed and has the following dimensions:

• length – 43 m;
• height – 18.2 m;
• width – 6.4 m;
• wingspan - 88.4 m;
• weight – 250 tons.

The plane has space for 6 crew members and 88 people accompanying the cargo. The likelihood that the plane will fail during flight is extremely low - all important systems are duplicated 4 times.

While the Mriya has been created in a single copy, the winding down of the Buran program has also suspended the production of the heavyweight aircraft. It is known that the design bureau named after. Antonova continues to develop the second modification of the giant.

The largest military aircraft

The An-124 Ruslan, the prototype of the An-225, was at one time considered the largest aircraft in the world. It is now the largest military aircraft with a huge payload capacity. It has four turbojet engines, a wide fuselage and two decks. The lower one is for cargo, the upper one is for the crew (8 people) and accompanying people (up to 21 people). The volume of the cargo compartment is 1000 cubic meters. An-124 lifts 120 tons into the air.

Characteristics:

• length – 69.1 m;
• height – 21.08 m;
• wingspan - 73.3 m;
• weight – 178.4 tons;
• take-off weight - 392 tons.

"Ruslan" was also developed at the Design Bureau named after. O.K. Antonova, like “Mriya”. The purpose of its creation is to transport transcontinental ballistic missiles. However, the result of the work of Soviet designers exceeded expectations - the An-124 turned out to be a universal military aircraft that can transport large military equipment. “Ruslan” was mass-produced; a total of 56 copies were produced. In the early 2000s. There were attempts to resume its production by Ukraine and Russia, but due to the worsening political relations between the two countries, the project was curtailed.

The largest turboprop aircraft in the world

The An-22 was developed in the Soviet Union in the 1960s, at the height of the Cold War. It was codenamed “product 100”. As a result, five years later the world saw this gigantic “product” called AN-22 “Antey”. This is the first Soviet and Russian aircraft with a wide fuselage. It is still considered the largest aircraft with a turboprop engine. The diameter of the propellers is 62 cm, and the power of each of the four engines is 11227 kW.

Characteristics:

• length – 57.31 m;
• height – 12.53 m;
• wingspan – 64.40 m;
• weight – 119 kg;
• load capacity – 60 tons.

"Antey" is capable of transporting heavy and large military equipment over long distances and is used for airborne landings.

The heaviest combat aircraft in history

The Tu-160 is a representative of a completely different generation of military aircraft. It flies at supersonic speed and is a strategic bomber. So far this is the largest and most powerful aircraft in Russia and the world in the history of military aviation.

The Tu-160 concept was born in the 1970-1980s. as a response of Russian strategists to the military developments of the United States and NATO. The future aircraft was supposed to fly to the neighboring continent and overcome enemy air defenses at supersonic speed.

Characteristics:

• length – 54.1 m;
• the wing is variable sweep, so the span is different: 55.7/50.7/35.6 m;
• height – 13.1 m;
• weight – 110 t.
• maximum take-off weight – 275 tons.

Most Tu-160 missile carriers are named after prominent figures in Russian aviation. As of 2017, our country Russia has 16 aircraft in service. There are plans to completely modernize them.

The largest mass-produced cargo aircraft

The “Largest Aircraft” selection is completed by the American cargo aircraft Lockheed C-5 Galaxy. Today it is the largest model among mass-produced cargo carriers. Since 1968, the aircraft has been successfully operated by the US Army, and regular upgrades allow it to be considered modern and promising.

Characteristics:

• aircraft length - 75.54 m;
• aircraft height – 19.85 m;
• wingspan - 67.88 m;
• weight – 169.6 tons.
• maximum take-off weight – 379.6 tons.

The aircraft can fly over 4 thousand kilometers at an altitude of 10 km without refueling. The maximum developed speed is 920 km.

The largest aircraft are milestones in the history of aviation. They demonstrate how engineering thought developed, what path the designers saw before them. As history shows, the most outstanding achievements in aircraft manufacturing are associated with military operations.

These giants plow the skies with ease and grace, and, looking at them from the ground, no one would think that these steel birds represent such a huge structure that the height of the tail of one of these airliners - the A-380 - is five giraffes, set Each other. The Airbus A-380 is the largest passenger aircraft in the world, but this article will not only talk about it.

"Boeing 747"

Among passenger aircraft, the Airbus A380 and Boeing 747 have the maximum size. These are airliners capable of simultaneously carrying more than five hundred passengers. In particular, the A380 is capable of lifting 853 passengers into the air. Before the advent of this giant, the Boeing 747 with a length of 70.6 meters and the Boeing 747-8 with a length of 76.25 meters (the longest passenger aircraft) were the most spacious airliners in the world (the maximum number of simultaneously transported passengers reached 600 people). The Boeing 747-8 is more fuel efficient than the Boeing 747, which first flew on February 9, 1969. The designers originally planned a double-deck aircraft design, but the upper deck was shortened due to technical problems. The Boeing 747 was the first airliner in the world to have two aisles between seats. This aircraft is certified to fly on three engines, and if one of the four fails, the aircraft can fully take off, fly and land on the remaining three engines. At the same time, the cruising speed of the Boeing 747 passenger aircraft is 913 km/h.

Giant A-380

The giant double-deck “French” airliner A380, the first copy of which rolled off the production line in 2005, is the largest passenger aircraft in the history of world aviation. Indeed, its creators have something to be proud of - the cabin of the Airbus A380 can accommodate 853 passengers. To date, more than 110 machines have already been built and put into operation. The monthly production volume of these aircraft is 2.5 aircraft. Today, these giants are used by 20 airlines, with Emirates airline having the largest fleet.

The cruising speed of the A380 passenger aircraft reaches 1020 km/h. Each aircraft consists of about four million individual parts and components, which are manufactured in thirty countries around the world by one and a half thousand manufacturing companies and delivered using a unique logistics system developed by Airbus, which includes routes by water, as well as by air and road transport. Each landing gear can withstand a load of about 260 tons (200 passenger cars). For comparison with its predecessor, the wing area of ​​the A380 aircraft is equal to one and a half wing areas of the Boeing 747-400 and is 845 square meters.

The world's largest passenger aircraft can be powered by two types of low-noise engines: either the Rolls-Royce Trent 900 or the Engine Alliance GP7000. At the same time, the A380 is the most economical airliner in its segment - fuel consumption for transporting a passenger per 100 km with a cabin layout of 525 seats does not exceed three liters.

The dimensions of passenger aircraft are impressive; the A380 cabin area is 554 square meters. The liner has two decks - the main one, the width of which is a record high - 6.5 meters, and the upper one with a width of 5.8 meters.

An air volume of 1,500 cubic meters is replaced every three minutes by the air conditioning system; during the flight, there is a pleasant silence in the aircraft cabin, the hum of the turbines is practically inaudible.

Russia is proud of them

What does the domestic aviation industry offer us? The largest turboprop aircraft in the world is the Antonov An-22. Its length is about 60 meters, flight speed is 580 km/h. The first airliner was released in 1965.

"That"

The legendary Tu-134 is a passenger airliner for medium-distance flights, up to 2800 meters. It is designed for a maximum of 96 seats, its cruising speed is 850 km/h at an altitude of 11,000 m. The Tu-154 is a larger capacity aircraft, 158 people can be accommodated in the cabin of three classes, 180 in economy class. The maximum flight speed of this airliner is 950 km/ h, and the Tu-154M modification is capable of covering distances of up to 5200 km.

The Tu-204 can accommodate 214 passengers, and the cruising speed is slightly lower than its previous “brother” - 850 km/h.

"Su"

The Sukhoi Superjet 100 is not the largest passenger aircraft in the world, but it is famous for being the first Russian airliner designed using digital technologies. It is designed for flights up to 3,000 kilometers on lightly loaded airlines. The maximum number of passengers is 98 people.

"Il"

Speaking about domestic aircraft, one cannot fail to mention the Ilyushintsy. Russian passenger aircraft presented by this design bureau have several main types that are well known to us. Let's talk about each of them in more detail.

Let's start with the simplest one - the IL-62, an airliner that has been produced since 1971 and is designed for medium-distance flights - up to 10,000 kilometers. This aircraft accommodates 198 passengers and five crew members. Its maximum speed at cruising altitude is 850 km/h.

As for the Il-86 aircraft, it is also designed for medium-distance flights; the cabin, containing two classes, can accommodate 234 passengers; if the aircraft is three-class, then 314 people. At the same time, 11 flight attendants serve customers. The aircraft are equipped with twelve emergency slides and all the necessary modern rescue systems. The cruising speed of the Il-86 is 950 km/h, the distances over which it flies do not exceed 5,000 kilometers with a maximum flight duration of eight hours.

IL-96

Now about the largest representative of the Ilyushin family - the Il-96 airbus. It is designed for long distance flights. Three hundred people in economy class and 262 passengers in three classes - this figure is practically no different from the previous described model of this family. The airliner flies at a maximum cruising speed of 900 km/h and is capable of covering a distance of up to 12,100 km. Its improved “model” - Il-96M - can accommodate a larger number of passengers - up to 435 people in the charter version.

Near term, or domestic developments

Today, the largest Russian aircraft project is the Irkut MS-21. Within its framework, it is planned to produce short- and medium-haul passenger airliners. Now the Irkut company is carrying out development and construction, the first copies of the aircraft according to the plan will be certified in 2016, and flight tests will begin at the same time. The start of serial production of MS-21 is expected in 2017-2018. On the Russian passenger aircraft market, these airliners should replace the Tu-154 and Tu-204 and will be operated on domestic and international routes.

The project is not developing the largest passenger aircraft in the world, but the family of airliners being created will include various aircraft of three types in length and passenger capacity - with 150, 180 and 210 seats. The model range will contain aircraft with an increased flight range. The vessel's cruising altitude will be 11,600 kilometers, the speed that the liner will develop will be 870 km/h, and the maximum fuselage length will be 39.5 meters. The crew will consist of two people.

As for the progress of work, the base of the project is the Yak-242. The development of the new wing belongs to the Sukhoi Civil Aircraft company, fuselage work is carried out directly by the Irkut corporation and the Yakovlev Design Bureau.

It is expected that the new airliners will be more economical due to the use of modern composite materials, as well as new generation engines. The aircraft will be equipped with Pratt & Whitney geared turbofan engines; in the future, it is possible to install domestic Perm PD-14 engines.

Once upon a time, a person could only dream of conquering heights and flying like a bird. With the invention of airplanes, the dream of learning to fly became feasible. Moreover, modern aircraft are so amazing and high-tech that sometimes it seems that there are no limits to human thought. That is why this material will be devoted to the story of the largest and fastest aircraft in the world.

The largest passenger planes in the world

Airbus A380 - a flying giant

It is believed that the largest aircraft for passenger transportation is the Airbus A380. This double-decker giant has the following dimensions:

1. The height of the liner is 24 meters;
2. the giant's wingspan reaches almost 80 meters;
3. The length of this flying giant is 73 meters.

It is also worth noting that this flying giant can accommodate 555 passengers on board. Moreover, the charter type of such aircraft can accommodate 853 passengers.

A distinctive feature of the Airbus A380 is that it can fly 15 thousand kilometers without landing. It is also worth noting that this passenger aircraft is very economical compared to aircraft of its class. Fuel consumption per 3 passengers and 100 kilometers is only 3 liters.

The developers of this model spent 10 years creating it. The costs of implementing the idea of ​​​​creating a large passenger aircraft are also worthy of respect. Thus, more than 12 billion euros were spent to create the Airbus A380.

Interestingly, this model was first developed as an alternative version of the Boeing 747, which was considered the largest passenger aircraft for 35 years before the advent of the Airbus A-380. However, the appearance of the Airbus A380 immediately “moved” Boeing from the winner’s podium. So, if we compare these two giants, the Airbus A380 is more economical, since the Boeing can seat no more than 400 passengers, and its cost is about 15 percent more expensive.

It is noteworthy that the developers of the largest airliner also managed to significantly reduce the weight of the aircraft. Interestingly, the Airbus A380 consists of almost 40 percent graphite. Thus, the fuselage and wings of the aircraft are made from this material. The cost of this flying giant is 390 million dollars (!).

Other large passenger aircraft also include:

1. Boeing 747-8
   This airliner is a new product from one of the leading manufacturers of aircraft, military and space equipment. The advantages of this flying giant include an elongated fuselage, which makes it the longest passenger aircraft in the world.
2. Airbus A340-600
   This flying “monster” is another large representative of the Airbus family of aircraft. The two-class configuration of such an airliner can accommodate about 420 people on board, and the three-class configuration can accommodate 380 passengers on board.
3. Boeing 747
   This flying giant held the lead among the largest passenger airliners for 35 years (from 1969 to 2005). For the first time in the world, this aircraft was able to fly non-stop from London to the capital of Australia, Sydney. At the same time, he flew a distance of 18 thousand kilometers in just over 20 hours.
4. Boeing 777-300ER
   This airliner is also a modification of its predecessor. In addition to its impressive size, this giant also has the most innovative modifications. This is what made this aircraft very economical among the largest airliners in the world.
5. Airbus A330
   This large airliner also has a number of very successful modifications, but the sad statistics do not indicate its best feature. Thus, from 1994 to 2010, 6 crashes of such aircraft were registered.

The largest cargo planes in the world

Of course, the Ukrainian An-225 Mriya is considered the largest cargo-lifting aircraft in the world. This flying “monster” was developed during 1984-1988 at the Antonov Aviation Complex. The first flight of this aircraft took place on December 21, 1988.

This giant is equipped with a six-engine turbojet high-wing aircraft, which has a 2-fin “tail” and an arrow-shaped wing. The Mriya was based on its predecessor, the An-124. An interesting fact is that the development of Mriya was closely connected with the Soviet space program Buran, since a powerful lifting transport was required that could transport launch vehicle parts from the assembly site to the cosmodrome itself. The task for the developers was to create an aerial lifting vehicle that could lift at least 250 tons into the sky at a time. This is exactly how the giant Mriya was created.

The main characteristics of the An-225 Mriya cargo cabin are as follows:

1. the width of this cargo airliner is almost 6.5 meters;
2. the height of the giant reaches almost 4.5 meters;
3. The length of the aircraft is 43 meters.

In addition to these characteristics, the Mriya can comfortably accommodate 88 people to accompany the cargo, and the crew cabin is designed for 6 people.

It is noteworthy that all control systems have 4-fold duplication.

General characteristics of the aircraft:

1. the width from one wing to the other is almost 89 (!) meters;
2. the height of this giant reaches 18 meters, which is equal to the height of a five-story building.

Today there is only one such aircraft in the world. The designer of the aviation complex plans to complete the construction of Antonov’s twin brother “Mriya”. It is believed that its readiness is already 70 percent.

Other large cargo aircraft also include:

1. An-124 “Ruslan”
This aircraft is the predecessor of the Mriya. Initially, this aircraft was created to transport intercontinental ballistic missiles. However, the result obtained significantly exceeded all the designers' expectations. This giant began to be actively used to transport large-scale landing and military equipment. One such aircraft is estimated at $300 million.

2. Lockheed C-5 Galaxy

This aircraft was developed by American designers for the military transport system back in 1968. At one time, this cargo giant is capable of transporting 6 Apache helicopters, 4 infantry fighting vehicles, 2 tanks and 6 armored personnel carriers. Until 1982, this flying giant was considered the largest cargo airliner in the world.

3. Hughes H-4 Hercules

This cargo aircraft is something of a rarity, as it was developed back in 1947. This aircraft is considered the record holder for its wingspan, which is 98 meters. This record has not yet been surpassed. This 136-ton giant was created to transport 750 soldiers who would be in full equipment. It is worth noting that only one unit of this cargo aircraft was manufactured. Today this flying giant is a museum aircraft.

2. Boeing 747-8I

This model is a cargo-passenger aircraft that began to be produced relatively recently, namely in 2008. In terms of its parameters, it is inferior to the Ukrainian An-225 Mriya aircraft, but it differs in that it is the largest cargo aircraft in the world that was able to enter mass production. So, to date, about 76 such models have been produced. The parameters of this lifting giant include:

1. the length of this aircraft is almost 76 meters;
2. its height is almost 20 meters, which is higher than a five-story building;
3. The wingspan of this aircraft is almost 69 meters.

The empty weight of such an aircraft is approximately 213 thousand kilograms, and the maximum weight at which a successful takeoff is possible is 442 thousand kilograms.

In addition to cargo, this aircraft can accommodate 581 passengers in a two-class configuration, and 467 in a three-class configuration.

The fastest planes in the world

They are fast, like a bullet, as they can develop incredible speed. The fastest aircraft in the world are the following models:

1. Boeing X-43
   This hypersonic aircraft is the fastest aircraft in the world. This drone shows simply stunning results. So, this plane can fly at a speed of 11,230 km per hour. If you imagine, this figure is almost 10 times the speed of sound.
   This supermachine was designed by NASA specialists. It took almost 10 years to develop this hypersonic aircraft. The wingspan of this “nimble” is only 3.6 meters. The fuel that powers this aircraft consists of hydrogen and oxygen. At the same time, the aircraft consumes oxygen directly from the atmosphere, which made it possible to “save” on the weight of this super-fast aircraft.
2. Orbital Sciences Corporation X-34
   This plane is also super-fast, as it is capable of reaching a speed of 12,144 kilometers per hour. However, in the ranking of the fastest aircraft in the world, it occupies second position, since during experiments its speed did not exceed the previous Boeing X-43. It is worth noting that the development of this aircraft took a quarter of a billion dollars and about 7 years. Another interesting fact is that this high-speed airliner weighs 1270 kilograms, but this does not allow it to rise to a height of more than 75 kilometers.
3. North American X-15
   This aircraft is capable of reaching a speed of 7274 km per hour. Interestingly, the altitude record among supersonic aircraft held by this model from 1963 to 2004. This “nimble” can rise to a height of 110 kilometers, and it weighs about 15 tons.
4. SR-71 ("Blackbird")
   This supersonic aircraft is a reconnaissance aircraft subordinate to the US Air Force. It can reach a speed of 3,715 kilometers per hour. It weighs impressively, namely 77 tons. However, the aircraft weighs only 27 tons without fuel.
5. Mig-25 ("Bat")
   This supersonic aircraft is the fastest military jet model. Almost 30 world records were set on this aircraft. The speed at which this record holder can fly is 3395 kilometers per hour. The weight of this airliner reaches almost 41 tons during takeoff, and only 18.8 tons during landing.

The Airbus A380 is a passenger double-decker (double-decker) jet aircraft. Today it is the largest and most spacious airliner in the world. Officially, its development began in 2000, the first flight was made in 2005, and in 2007 it was fully put into operation by the companies that pre-ordered it.

Airbus A380 review

The Airbus A380 has several modifications:

• Basic models Airbus A380-800, 842, 861, 862. The length reaches about 73 meters. The difference lies in the installed engines: GP72XX and Trent 900. The ability to vary the on-board temperature from 18 to 30 degrees Celsius, thanks to internal 16 temperature zones, has become unique;
• A380-800F. Cargo model of an airplane. For some time, Airbus S.A.S. accepted orders for the supply of such a modification, but its production was shelved until the design of the passenger version was fully adjusted. The specific timing is still unknown;
• A380-900. Currently in the design stage. It is 7 meters longer than the original version, and if the aircraft goes into mass production, it will be the longest and most powerful. The possible flight distance will reach 14,200 km;
• A380-1000. It is planned to be the most spacious airliner. In the future, it will be able to accommodate 1,073 passengers exclusively in economy class and 757 people in three classes. The start of use is expected to date from 2020-2025. The length of the aircraft is 87 meters;
• A380plus. This modification is currently being tested. On board it will be able to accommodate 80 more people than in the basic version, and also reduce fuel consumption and operating costs.

Airbus A380 passenger cabin design

Airbus a380-800 Emirates interior diagram

The aircraft has an upper and lower deck, which are connected by two staircases, at the nose and tail of the aircraft. Various modifications of the A380 accommodate first class, business economy and premium economy classes.

First grade

On an Airbus A380 passenger aircraft, as a rule, first class seats are located at the very beginning. Everyone already knows that these places are the best, and the attitude towards the passenger is as if he were a guest of a five-star hotel. Each chair here can be converted into a small bed. The first class section may even have a shower, which is widely used by some airlines.

However, not everything is so smooth and the “suite” also has its drawbacks: these are seats located in the 1st and 4th rows, located in close proximity to the toilet. Also, opposite the 1st row there is a staircase connecting the two decks of the plane, and not every passenger will like such a neighborhood.

Business Class

Business class in the Airbus A380 is located immediately behind the first. There are also comfortable armchairs that can be turned into a bed if desired. The distance between the seats is sufficient, so you can easily stretch your legs to their full length. Passengers are provided with a minibar, which is usually included in the ticket price.

Economy class

On the bottom or main (if the plane consists entirely of one class) there is an economy class. It amounts to 399 seats in the classic layout offered by the manufacturer. The seats here do not lie flat, as in first and business class, but they are quite comfortable. According to the world standard, the distance for the legs between the rows reaches 80 cm. Each passenger has his own screen installed in the back of the previous seat, the ability to watch video, listen to audio, a USB connector and paid Internet. Availability of the latter will depend on the airline.

Best places

As mentioned earlier, the ideal seats on this airliner are in first and business class. In economy you can also get a good job on rows 45, 54 and 82. The seats are located far from the toilets and technical areas, there are no seats in front, which means there is plenty of legroom. Rows 68 and 81 would also be good. They are located near the windows and are considered one of the most comfortable in economy class.

Rows 43, 52, 67 and 80 are considered “average” in terms of convenience. There is enough space between the seats, but technical rooms and a toilet are located nearby, which can cause inconvenience. The worst seats are in row 88. This is where the wall is located, because of which the seat and the toilet room do not recline, where passengers scurry back and forth. It is better to buy tickets here when there are no other options.

Photo of the cabin in economy class:

Main characteristics

The Airbus 380 has a wide fuselage (aisle). It is unique in its kind, which is why it is in great demand among many airlines, both domestic and foreign. The cockpit is the same for all models. Airbus S.A.S. uses this tactic. used to save on crew training.

The Airbus 380 airliner has the following technical characteristics:

• Number of seats as standard - 525;
• Capacity - 853;
• Cabin width - 6.5 m;
• Length - 72.7 m;
• Height - 24.1 m;
• Wing span - 80 m;
• Wing area - 845 sq. m;
• Empty aircraft weight - 276.8 thousand kg;
• Takeoff weight - 560 thousand kg;
• Landing weight - 386 thousand kg;
• Weight without fuel - 361 thousand kg;
• Fuel tank capacity - 310 thousand liters;

Aircraft flight data:

• Maximum flight altitude - 13.1 thousand m;
• The maximum flight distance with a full load is 15 thousand km;
• Run length - 2.9 thousand m;
• Take-off run length - 2 thousand m;
• Engines - 4 R-R Trent 970 or 4 Alliance GP7270.

History of creation

The development of the wide-body aircraft project was started by Airbus S.A.S. back in 1994. Then it was planned to compete with the then monopolist Boeing with its Boeing-747 airliner. Initially, the future brainchild of Airbus had the code name A3XX. The designers wanted to combine two fuselages of the company's largest aircraft at that time, the A340, but this would have led to a significant decrease in flight parameters, an increase in the acceleration length and total weight.

It was decided to use a two-deck model, which gave the car a number of advantages. The project started in 2000, and the amount of planned costs reached 8.8 million euros. The name of the aircraft also has an interesting history. Instead of A340, it received the number A380. In a number of Asian countries, eight is considered a lucky number and this probably served as a positive impetus for customers to purchase an airliner.

Construction was completed in 2005 and the aircraft was demonstrated at the airfield in Toulouse. During the tests, engineers identified errors in the design of the wing and it had to be changed in a timely manner. Tests on the ground and in the air were completed at the end of 2007 and the A380 received European certificates of conformity.

Where is it produced?

Fuselage cross-section

The aircraft is manufactured by the European company Airbus S.A.S., based in Toulouse (France). It also has several offices in Germany, Spain, France and the UK and two factories in Blagnac (a suburb of Toulouse) and Hannover (Germany). The company's activities began in 1969 after the merger of several small European aircraft manufacturing companies. Here, not only passenger aircraft are being developed, but also cargo aircraft, as well as vehicles adapted for military needs.

Cost of different models

The price of different modifications of the A380 can vary greatly. Its growth is also affected by the unstable economic situation in the world. Recently, there has been a steady trend towards higher prices for aircraft. And in general, the airliner itself of this model is considered the most expensive in the entire Airbus family.

The current price of the Airbus A380-800 is US$428 million. The company is still silent about the cost of the models, the production of which is planned to begin in the near future, and the final figure is known only to airlines that have placed pre-orders. Every year prices rise by about 2-3%. A total of 219 vehicles were sold and put into operation, and another 317 are under construction. This information is provided by the official Airbus representative office.

News, modernization, prospects

There are several cases where the order for the A380-800 was placed by important people and famous people. For example, the most common story was about the prince of Saudi Arabia, who bought his own A380 Super Jambo from the company, whose total cost was 488 million US dollars.

There was an opinion that this plane was capable of damaging airport runways, but this turned out to be untrue. The landing gear pressure turned out to be much less than that of its main competitors Boeing 747 and 777. In Russia, the first airport adapted to receive the wide-body A380 was Moscow Domodedovo. The order to rebuild the runway was issued by the air transport agency in Russia.

The A380 is a true world record holder. It has the quietest passenger cabin noise levels, is the most fuel-efficient and largest aircraft available today.

Due to the large size of the aircraft, 597 kg of paint have to be spent on painting it, and the total surface area reaches 10 thousand square meters. m. Also, thanks to the expanded wing area, the airliner's speed is 35 km/h lower than that of its main competitor. This allows you to reduce possible noise at the airport during landing or takeoff.

At the moment, the development of the A380-1000 and A380plus is actively underway. A huge number of airlines have already placed pre-orders for the latest aircraft and passengers can only wait for the modern aircraft to enter service and delight us with their reliable build quality and speed.

Watch a video about the Airbus A380, the largest passenger aircraft in the world.