aircraft AN 225 appeared thanks ... missiles.The fact that the beginning of the use of heavy rockets resulted in the need to create an airplane that could be quickly transported massive and very heavy items over long distances.So, just 3.5, was created AN 225 in which the number "225" means the number of tonnes that the flying machine can lift.Today it is the largest aircraft in the world with the highest load capacity.
Work on the aircraft giant began in the USSR in the design office of Antonov.Developments led Balabuev Designer.Under his leadership, the company has successfully coped with the creation of a universal type transport aircraft, which was carrying various cargoes to the inside and outside of the fuselage.Additionally, it was assumed that AH 225 can be the first step for the spacecraft will start in the air.
Antonov 225, the characteristics of which are likely to allow you to perform such a mission has a very impressive parameters.The aircraft has a length of 84 meters, its wingspan is close to 90 meters (one side of a football field), the vehicle has a top speed of 850 km per hour, it can rise to 9 km and fly 2,5 thousand. Kilometers with a maximum load of 250 tons.He has a huge cargo bay height of 4.4 meters and a length of 43 meters and a width of about 6.4 meters, which can easily fit more than 70 cars and models such as Komatsu and BelAZ.To turn this giant could need a strip at least 60 meters wide.
If you look at the appearance of the Academy of Sciences 225, you will notice that the plane is the owner dvuhkilevoe tail, vertical type.It is part of the structural system, which, along with seven two-wheeled racks on each side and wingspan, can carry "on the back" loads increased length (70 meters).In the Soviet Union with the help of planned, including the launch complexes, allowing output loads into orbit, as well as the use in combination with ekranoplan class "Eaglet" for rescue operations at sea.
first test aircraft passed in the USSR in 1989.After that, the flight path of the instance AN 225 went wrong in connection with the collapse of the country, it has been removed from the equipment and he stands at the airport in a suburb of Kiev.In Ukraine, in the early 21 th century, it was created by a second instance of the flying machine, which is operated today.Using it in 2009 in Armenia delivered a generator for hydropower plants, in 2011, Japan received a cargo of humanitarian aid, and in 2012 were delivered to Tajikistan for another hydroelectric units.In 2014-2015, it is planned to release another instance of such a machine, which has no equal in the world.Nearest rivals Mriya - Eerbus and Boeing have a lifting capacity of not more than 150 tons, leaving them unable to carry extra-heavy and bulky loads.
Creating aircraft of this class is a super-expensive operation, and to take it out only for a very large sum of money, which depends on the type of cargo.It is believed that the flying hour of aircraft exceeds the cost of flight hours of the aircraft "Ruslan", which has a lower load capacity.This last aircraft rental costs in the amount of about 25 thousand. Dollars per hour.
