The largest planes in the world. The largest plane in the world The largest plane in the world

There are about a thousand different aircraft models in the world today. They differ not only in their optional purpose, but also in size. In addition to light single-engine aircraft that are designed for one pilot, there are also real world record-breaking giants. So check out the list below.

1. An-225

We give the first place to the largest Russian-Ukrainian project in the world. He also acquired the name Mriya. The wingspan of such a giant is more than 88 meters. But its length at this time exceeds 73 meters. All over the world today there is only one single aircraft of this production. Undoubtedly, he occupied and occupies first place in all ratings.

2. Hughes H-4 Hercules

But silver goes to the aircraft whose wingspan is 98 meters. Thanks to this, it is considered the most wide-body project. It is worth noting the fact that it was built back in 1947. Moreover, the material used was exclusively wood, or rather spruce. Because of this, the project was called the Spruce Goose. In the world, only two seaplane models were built. But in our time, only one of them could survive.

3. Airbus A380

This airliner occupies third place in the rating. It is considered the largest passenger aircraft in the world. Due to its enormous size, the project can accommodate 525 people. The length of the aircraft is 73 meters, and the wingspan is 80 meters. Despite these facts, the flight range of the aerial structure is limited to only 15.4 thousand kilometers.

4. An-124

Among pilots, the plane is referred to as Ruslan. In Russia, this is one of the few projects that is used. If we talk about the main purpose of its creation, it was the transportation of large loads. At the same time, the version of transporting ballistic missiles was considered. The military transport aircraft has a wingspan of more than 73 meters and a length of more than 69 meters.

5. Lockheed C-5 Galaxy

In the middle of our list of the biggest and best aircraft you can see the American military transport model. Its size can truly impress almost anyone. From the tip of the tail, the length is more than 75.5 meters. But as for the width, it is slightly less than 68 meters. The design is capable of carrying up to 270 soldiers, or about 75 passengers, if the necessary seats are installed on board the aircraft.

6. Boeing 777-300ER

The sixth place in the ranking goes to the passenger airliner that everyone has heard of. The structure is ready to accommodate up to 550 passengers. As for the aircraft’s parameters, the length is about 74 meters and the width is 64.8 meters. But the flight range without additional refueling is also impressive, as it is more than 21.6 thousand kilometers.

7. Airbus A340-600

The passenger airliner also makes it onto our list of the world's largest aircraft. The design, with a flight range of up to 14,600 kilometers, is capable of carrying 380 passengers. If we talk about the size of the airliner, then they cannot leave you indifferent. The length of the aircraft is more than 75 meters and the width is about 63.5 meters.

8. Boeing 747

This airliner is considered one of the most recognizable in the world, as well as the most beautiful giants of civil aviation. The plane was able to hold the record for the number of passengers carried on board for almost 40 years. The length of the aircraft is 70.6 meters and the width is 64.4 meters. It must also be said that the giant aircraft also holds another interesting record - the structure covered the distance from London to Sydney in only 20 hours and 9 minutes. And this, in turn, is equal to 18 thousand kilometers.

9.777-200ER

In all fairness, this aircraft model ranks ninth in the ranking. If we compare it with the base model of the Boeing 777, then in this modification of the design the useful take-off weight was increased, as well as the amount of fuel in the aircraft tanks. Its length is 63.7 meters and its width is almost 61 meters.

10. Airbus A330-300

And the last place remains with the airliner from Airbus. If we talk about the main purpose of its creation, then it is a high-quality replacement of the already obsolete Airbus A300. Back then it had a high fuel consumption and the plane was not capable of carrying many people. But if we talk about the new model, then it is ready to take 295 passengers on board. The length of the airliner is less than 59 meters and the width is more than 63 meters. That is why the model falls into the class of wide-body aircraft.

Video: Top 10: The largest plane in the world

A hundred years ago, no one would have thought that huge colossus weighing tens of tons would be able to rise into the air and carry gigantic loads. Now this is a reality, but still, every time we see these giants, we are surprised how the design idea made their flight possible.

An-225 "Mriya"

In 1985, the Soviet Union was looking for solutions to create a transportation system for its Burana reusable spacecraft. There was an urgent need for an aerial vehicle capable of transporting multi-ton spacecraft parts to the place of its assembly and launch. As a result, a project for a cargo aircraft was proposed, called the An-225.

The creation of this giant became possible thanks to the hard work and cooperation of design bureaus throughout the USSR. In Voronezh, Kyiv, Moscow, Tashkent and dozens of other cities, thousands of scientists and engineers implemented the most daring project in the history of aeronautics. It took a huge country three years to turn the idea of ​​the An-225 into reality: the first flight of the An-225 Mriya aircraft, assembled at the Kiev Mechanical Plant, took place on December 21, 1988.

“Mriya” is translated from Ukrainian as “dream”. And thanks to the efforts of thousands of people, this dream became a reality.

The parameters of the An-225 are amazing: its wingspan is 88.4 meters, its length is 84 meters, and it can carry a cargo weighing 250 tons!

The An-225 Mriya was built in a single copy and is currently in working condition, regularly performing flights.

Stratolaunch Model 351

On May 31, 2017, the Stratolaunch Model 351 aircraft with a record wingspan of 117.3 meters was presented to the general public, which is only slightly inferior in maximum take-off weight to the An-225: 590 tons versus 640 tons. The vehicle has a double-fuselage design and is equipped with six jet engines.

The creation of the giant aircraft Stratolaunch Model 351 is also associated with space launches. It is assumed that during the flight this aircraft will launch rockets intended for launch into low-Earth orbit.

So far, the Stratolaunch Model 351 has never flown and is being tested on the surface. Just the other day, to test the operation of the landing gear and braking system, the plane made a test run on the runway, during which it accelerated to 74 km/h. It is planned that the machine will make its first flight in 2019.

Aviation has long been part of our lives; air transportation, like airplanes, has already become something commonplace and familiar. However, there are planes whose appearance will impress anyone who sees them. These are the largest planes. Their apparent power, wingspan, and size are amazing.

The brightest representatives

The largest aircraft in the world, of course, is not a combat vehicle, fighter or attack aircraft, but a transport one. Its task is to deliver by air large and heavy cargo, or a sufficiently large number of passengers. Among the dozens of giants there are both military aircraft and huge passenger airliners. In the top there are cars that have remained only in history, but most of the places are occupied by modern aircraft that successfully plow the airspace.

It is the largest aircraft built before World War II. It was made by Soviet aircraft manufacturers. Its wingspan was 63 m, and the length of the vessel was 33 m. The release of ANT-20 was timed to coincide with the 40th anniversary of the literary career of the famous writer. Its crew consisted of 20 people, and the largest number of passengers was 70 people. This passenger plane first saw the sky on June 17, 1934 during a test flight.

The interior of the ship included not only ordinary passenger seats, but also such delights as a library, laboratory, printing house, and sleeping places inside the wings of the giant. The aircraft was powered by 8 engines capable of accelerating it to 275 km/h and providing a flight of up to 1 thousand km. Its maximum take-off weight was 53 tons.

The main areas of its use were:

• Passenger Transportation;
• propaganda flights;
• entertainment flights.

The fate of the ANT-20, produced in a single copy, is tragic - in 1935 it crashed, killing all passengers and crew.

In terms of wingspan (98 m), this seaplane, made mostly of wood, still holds the record. This 136-ton colossus was adapted to transport an entire army over long distances - 750 soldiers with full equipment. It owes its creation in the 40s to the eccentric tycoon Howard Hughes. The use of wood was caused by a shortage of aluminum. The seaplane made its first flight in 1947. Currently, its only copy has turned into a museum, which is visited by hundreds of thousands of people every year.

For the American army, this military aircraft has long become a living legend. The US Air Force's Stratospheric Fortress first flew in 1952, but the aircraft is planned to be removed from service only in 2040. The B-52 was originally designed as a strategic nuclear bomber. It was subsequently modified and turned into a multifunctional aircraft. Its maximum take-off weight is 220 tons, and its wingspan is 56.4 m.

This is one of the air combat vehicles made in Russia that is included in the list of the most prominent representatives of military aviation. Currently, the Tu-160 or “White Swan” is considered the most powerful and largest supersonic aircraft. It is also the largest bomber. This is the largest aircraft with variable wing geometry. This military giant has a record take-off weight for this class of aircraft - 275 tons, and its wingspan is 55 m.

In total, there are 16 Tu-160s in service with the Russian air force. The main armament of the White Swan is long-range cruise missiles with nuclear warheads. It is also possible to equip the vehicle with free-falling bombs. The maximum flight range without refueling is also impressive - almost 14 thousand km.

This is the largest passenger aircraft (serial), the capacity of this colossus is 853 passengers for cars with one class of service and 525 passengers for aircraft with three classes of service. Its maximum take-off weight is 575 tons. This huge airliner, 73 m long with a wingspan of about 80 m, made its first flight in 2007.

To reduce the weight of an aircraft, parts made of composite materials are widely used during its manufacture. It is considered the most economical large airliner, as it consumes 3 liters per 100 km per passenger. The Airbus A-380-800 is capable of non-stop flights of up to 15 thousand km.

Before the advent of the Airbus A-380, it was the largest double-deck wide-body passenger airliner. The aircraft of its latest, longest modification, 747-8 (76.3 m), can accommodate up to 581 passengers, making it the longest passenger airliner in the world. Boeing 747s have been flying for 45 years.

The maximum take-off weight of the Boeing 747-8 is 442 tons. Due to its size and shape, the aircraft received the unofficial name Jumbo Jet. The flight range of the aircraft with a maximum load is about 14 thousand km. The giant's wingspan is 68 m.

The An-22 Antey turboprop wide-body cargo aircraft still remains the largest in its class, despite the fact that it made its first flight back in 1965. Its wingspan is 64 m, the maximum take-off weight is 225 tons. The aircraft is designed to transport cargo (including airborne military equipment) with accompanying specialists, the wounded, paratroopers, and soldiers.

Until the giants of the Antonov Design Bureau appeared, the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy was the largest cargo aircraft. The military transport aircraft made its first flight in 1968. Currently, the Americans are in service with 19 transport aircraft of the C-5M Super Galaxy modification, by 2018 their number is expected to increase to 53. The wingspan of the aircraft is 67.9 m, and the length of the vessel is 75.5 m. Its maximum take-off weight is 381 T.

The answer to the question of which aircraft was able to take the palm from the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy lies on the surface. Of course, this is a machine designed by a competitor on the world stage at the time. In 1982, the American record was broken by the brainchild of the Soviet military-industrial complex, the An-124 Ruslan. Its maximum take-off weight is 392 tons, and its wingspan is 73 m. Currently, it is the largest military aircraft.

10. An-225 “Mriya” (Dream)

Today it is the largest transport aircraft and the largest aircraft in the world. The wingspan of the giant “Dream” is 88.4 m, and the length is 84 m. It was built to transport the Buran space shuttles at the end of the USSR’s existence. The maximum take-off weight of this colossus is 640 tons, which is significantly higher than that of all previous TOP-10 models. True, at present only one operational copy of the An-225 is in operation, and not for its intended purpose, but for commercial purposes.

Video about An-225:

As can be seen from the above list of the largest aircraft, most of them appeared as a result of competition or confrontation between states. There will probably be new flying monsters in the future.

The plane itself is already a genius of engineering. Making hundreds of tons of iron rise above the ground is a non-trivial task. Even the smallest details matter, it takes the highest precision and the hard work of hundreds of people to create even the simplest aircraft by modern standards.

The greater the challenge for aircraft designers to experiment with materials, sizes, and technologies in order to create aircraft that are lighter, more economical, and larger than their predecessors. This article will focus on the largest passenger aircraft. Now in the world there are two main players producing huge passenger aircraft - Boeing and Airbus.

The competition between them led to the creation of colossal machines. Among them, the recognized leader is the Airbus A380. The span of its huge wings reaches almost 80 m, and its length is 73 m. Read about it, as well as other flying giants, below.

Airbus-A380

• Wingspan - 79.75 m
• Length - 72.75 m
• Height - 24.08 m
• Weight - 280 t
• Takeoff weight, max. - 560 t
• Number of engines - 4
• Passenger capacity, max. - 853 people

Production of this aircraft began in 2005 and was put into operation in 2007. Since that time, it has officially taken first place among passenger aircraft not only in size, but also in capacity, as well as in many other parameters. For example, for aircraft of this category it is the most economical. Its fuel consumption is only 3 liters per passenger per 100 km.

Such a huge aircraft would not be able to take off if it were built from traditional materials - it would simply be too heavy, and the lifting force of the wings would not be enough to lift it off the ground. Therefore, the main challenge for engineers and designers was the task of reducing its mass as much as possible.

The solution to this problem was made possible through the use of the latest composite materials, some of which were specially developed for this aircraft. For example, the central and main part of the wing (which itself weighs 11 tons!) consists of 40 percent carbon fiber. Laser technology was used to weld structural elements, which significantly increased the reliability of connections and reduced the number of fasteners.

Among other things, the designers also took care of environmental friendliness. By reducing the amount of fuel consumed by 17% compared to the Boeing 747, they also achieved a reduction in CO2 emissions - they amount to 75 g per passenger per 1 km of travel.

Boeing 747

• Wingspan - 68.5 m
• Length - 76.3 m
• Height - 19.4 m
• Weight - 214.5 t
• Takeoff weight, max. - 442.2 t
• Number of engines - 4
• Passenger capacity, max. - 581 people
• Manufacturer - Boeing

The Boeing 747 held the lead among passenger aircraft for more than 36 years, from 1969 to 2005. The introduction of this aircraft into mass production in 1970 was a breakthrough because the construction of such a new model entailed a whole series of changes in the production process, technology, operational requirements and even in pilot training methods.

Initially, it was not planned to produce a large number of 747s, but when this model proved its reliability, many world airlines began to order it, because the volume of passenger traffic began to increase sharply, and it was profitable to maintain spacious aircraft. Currently, 1.5 thousand 747s fly in the world in companies such as British Airways, Korean Air, China Airlines. In Russia, the 747 is operated by the Rossiya company. She “inherited” five 747s from the collapsed Transaero company.

The 747 also holds significant records: in 1989, this particular aircraft, owned by the Australian Qantas Airways, made a direct flight to Sydney from the British capital, covering 18 thousand km in just over 20 hours. True, it was flying empty: without cargo or passengers. Another record is related to the number of passengers: in 1997, 1,112 people flew on it to Israel during the military Operation Solomon.

The 747 was also used to transport Space Shuttle spacecraft. For such transportation, space shuttles are mounted on the aircraft's back.

The most distinctive detail of the 747 is the “hump” on the fuselage. It was originally planned that the fuselage would be double-decker along its entire length, but this option had to be abandoned for technical reasons. Therefore, the second deck of this Boeing is short.

This superstructure was designed so that the bow of the ship could be modified into a cargo ramp, because the 747 was intended to be used primarily for cargo transportation.

There are 7 modifications of the Boeing 747, almost all of them have both passenger and cargo and cargo-passenger versions. It would not be a mistake to say that the 747 is one of the most common aircraft of this type in the world.

Airbus A340-600

• Wingspan - 63.45 m
• Length - 75.36 m
• Height - 17.22 m
• Weight - 177 t
• Takeoff weight, max. - 380 t
• Number of engines - 4
• Passenger capacity, max. - 419 people
• Manufacturer - Airbus S.A.S Concern

The Airbus S.A.S concern owns another giant aircraft. This is the Airbus A340-600, which, before the release of one of the Boeing 747 modifications, was the world's longest passenger aircraft.

Its commercial release began in 2002, but was stopped in 2011. Over 9 years, 97 aircraft of this modification were produced. 340-600 was created specifically for intercontinental flights. Its declared flight range is 14,600 km without refueling.

Boeing 777-300ER

• Wingspan - 64.8 m
• Length - 73.9 m
• Height - 18.7 m
• Weight - 166.9 t
• Takeoff weight, max. - 351.5 t
• Number of engines - 2
• Passenger capacity, max. - 365 people
• Manufacturer - Boeing

The letters ER in the name of the modification stand for Extended Range - increased range. It is capable of flying 14,690 km without refueling thanks to an increase in fuel reserve compared to the previous modification of the “three sevens”. This aircraft is the main competitor of the Airbus A340-600 and the best-selling 777 in the world. There are currently about 400 aircraft of this modification in operation around the world.

The aircraft of this model are powered by the world's most powerful turbofan jet engines, General Electric 90-115B, which provide a maximum thrust of 513 kN. The 300ER modification has reinforced structural elements compared to its predecessors: landing gear, tail, wings, as well as additional fuel tanks.