The largest Boeings in the world. The world's largest airplanes. How does he fly

It’s one thing when an ordinary plane, even one designed for a couple of hundred passengers, takes off into the air, and quite another thing when a creation of the human mind tens of meters long, capable of transporting hundreds of tons of cargo over thousands of kilometers, appears in the sky.

IN different time The honorary title of the largest aircraft in the world was carried by various winged machines. For example, among them in the 1930s was the unique 8-engine propaganda aircraft ANT-20 “Maxim Gorky”. Today there are other leaders in this field, although the records they set many decades ago still hold. Around the World invites you to meet some of these record-breakers.

The very best: AN-225 “Mriya”

This is the aircraft with the world's largest payload capacity (can carry cargo with a total weight of 250 tons) and the largest take-off weight (more than 640 tons), as well as the largest in length and wing span that entered service. First, let’s look at the dimensions: the length of “Mriya” (in Ukrainian “Dream”) is 84 meters, and its wingspan is 88.4 meters. As an example, we point out here that a football field that complies with FIFA recommendations has dimensions of 105x68 meters, and Red Square in Moscow has dimensions of 330x75 meters.

The cargo compartment of the Mriya is a sealed space 43 meters long, 6.4 meters wide and 4.4 meters high (that is, approximately the size of a two-story house); for example, 50 cars can fit into it. The aircraft was invented and built in 1984–1988 at the Kiev Mechanical Plant to transport parts of the Buran spacecraft and launch vehicle from the production site to the launch site, as well as, if necessary, the entire Buran - it was supposed to be placed on the “back” of the “ Mriya."

AN-225 at the Swedish airport Stockholm-Arlanda

However, this giant did not perform its main duties for long: by 1990, all work within the framework of the Energia-Buran program was curtailed, and the AN-225 stood half-disassembled from 1994 to 2001. It was restored by 2001 and has since been regularly used to transport heavy loads, including record-breaking transport operations.

"Mriya" has already made flights with the longest (42.1-meter wind turbine blades) and heaviest monocargo (a generator weighing 174 tons), as well as with cargo with the largest total weight - 253.8 tons. In total, Mriya has more than 200 world records of this kind. The plane exists in a single copy, it is operated by a Ukrainian airline Antonov Airlines, however, it is possible that in a year or two, with the help of the Kyiv Antonov Design Bureau and the Chinese company AICC a second one will be completed.

Giant flying boat: Hughes H-4 Hercules

In the previous part, we mentioned that the AN-225 Mriya is an aircraft with the largest wingspan among all those that entered service. This reservation is not accidental: in the history of aviation there was an even larger aircraft, but it made only one test flight at an altitude of 21 meters and a length of about 1.5 km. It's about Hughes H-4 Hercules, a giant flying boat built by 1947 by the brilliant (and crazy) American aviator and businessman Howard Hughes.

Created by Hughes, the 8-engine monster, 66.6 meters long with a wingspan of 97.5 meters, was conceived as a means of transporting cargo, military equipment (with a total weight of about 70 tons) and up to 750 soldiers across the Atlantic from the United States to Europe. The project started in 1942 with money from the American government, but its implementation dragged on for five long years. Now the Second World War is over, but the mega-boat still hasn’t taken off.

In the end, this alerted the American government and Congress, under whose pressure Howard Hughes nevertheless made a test flight on November 2, 1947, near the Californian city of San Pedro. First and last flight. Until Hughes' death in 1976, the Hercules was maintained in flying condition, and then passed from hand to hand until it finally ended up in the aviation museum in McMinnville, Oregon, where it remains to this day - you'll be in Oregon , be sure to check it out.

Hughes H-4 Hercules during testing

The most remarkable thing about this plane is not even the largest wingspan of any aircraft ever flown, but the fact that the car was built from birch, or rather, from birch plywood: the shortage of aluminum during the war years affected it. Despite this, the plane received the nickname "spruce goose" (Spruce Goose)- it has become synonymous with the expression “white elephant”. Let us also add that Hughes H-4 Hercules- also the largest seaplane in the history of aviation.

Largest passenger: Airbus A380

First place in this category Airbus A380 in modification 800. This is generally the largest production airliner in the world: height - 24.1 meters, length - 72.8 meters, wingspan - 79.8 meters, on its two decks it can carry a total of up to 853 people (in a one-class configuration ) over a distance of 15,700 km.

It is on this aircraft that the second and third longest commercial flights are operated today - from Auckland, New Zealand to Dubai (about 17 hours) and from Dallas, Texas, to Sydney, Australia (about 16 hours). During this time, aircraft cover approximately a third of the length of the equator (first place in the length of a commercial flight since February 2017). Qatar Airways from Oakland to Doha by Boeing 777-200LR).

A380 towed to the runway

In the plans Airbus creating larger versions of this airliner - even more spacious A380-900 for 900 passengers (all in economy class), as well as a cargo version A380F, which will be second after Mriya in terms of carrying capacity. And both of them, presumably, will be even greater in length and wingspan. So far, however, not a single such aircraft has been built: there are no required number of orders for them.

Longest passenger: Boeing 747-8

Interestingly, the gigantic size and record capacity Airbus A380- not the longest passenger aircraft in the world. This title is held by the former number one among airliners. Boeing 747 in version 8. Boeing 747-8 is the third generation of the double-deck 747, which made its first flight back in 1969 and entered commercial service about a year later.

The record for this aircraft in terms of size, weight and capacity among passenger airliners lasted 36 years - just before the advent of Airbus A380. At the same time, some of his records have not yet been broken. Yes, exactly Boeing 747-400 in 1989, made the longest non-stop flight for a commercial airliner, covering a distance of more than 18,000 km from London to Sydney in 20 hours 9 minutes. There was no cargo or passengers on board.

Boeing 747-8I German airline Lufthansa

Boeing 747-8 It is produced in two versions - passenger (747-8I) and cargo (747 -8F). And in the near future, another highly specialized one will probably appear: the US Air Force is eyeing the 747-8 as the future “Air Force One” - for the President of the United States. Now this role is played by the 747-200, which was heavily redesigned in comparison with the production version, and was put into operation in the late 1980s. It is noteworthy that a Russian trace appears here: they are going to convert it into a presidential aircraft. Boeing 747-8I, ordered by a broke Russian company"Transaero" and is now in storage in the Mojave Desert in the USA (thanks to climatic conditions aircraft stored there at a special training ground are practically not subject to corrosion).

The most voluminous: Boeing 747 Dreamlifter

Surprisingly, the giant Mriya was not omnipotent. When companies Boeing it was necessary to establish supply chains for parts for the latest Boeing 787 Dreamliner, its capabilities were not enough to transport parts of the Dreamliner's wings and fuselage from Japan and Europe to a plant in Washington state. Moreover, none of the then existing aircraft (the Soviet AN-124 and Boeing's own 747 -400F) were suitable for the company, and transporting components by sea would have taken too long. Then the engineers Boeing developed (note, not without the participation of the company’s Moscow bureau) a modified version Boeing 747 by calling her Dreamlifter.

Boeing Dreamlifter V International airport Chubu (Japan)

The difference between this one is honestly quite ugly plane(President of the commercial division Boeing Scott Carson even had to jokingly apologize to the creator of the 747, Joe Sutter, “for what [they] did to his plane”) visible to the naked eye: the 747 is noticeably swollen - the diameter of the plane’s body has been significantly increased, and it opens for loading sideways tail section.

As a result, engineers managed to achieve a record volume inside of 1840 cubic meters. notice, that Dreamlifter not unique. Previously, the American Aero Spacelines Super Guppy(parts were and are being transported on it spacecraft) and European Airbus Beluga, which delivers aircraft parts to the Toulouse plant. Both of them, however, have a smaller usable volume.

Potential Champion: Scaled Composites Model 351

May 31, 2017 in the Mojave Desert from a hangar with a crowd of public and journalists Scaled Composites Model 351- double-fuselage, 6-engine aircraft, element of the aerospace air launch system Stratolaunch, designed to lift rockets to a height of 11 kilometers Pegasus XL, from where they will be able to launch into space, spending significantly less fuel and, therefore, having more payload on board.

This launch scheme is not new - for the first time, launching aircraft from other aircraft was invented back in the first half of the last century: in the 1930s, two airships were built in the USA, from which they were supposed to launch not large planes. And after World War II, first in the 1970s in the USA (project Convoy Virtus), and then in the 1990s in our country (project “Molniya-1000”, also known as “Hercules”), projects were developed for launching spacecraft from superplanes. So far, however, none of them, including the one described Startolaunch, didn't take off.

But a much smaller one took off White Knight Two, a similar design twin-fuselage carrier aircraft built by the same Scaled Composites for the air launch of a tourist spaceplane SpaceShipTwo billionaire Richard Branson. In 2010 SpaceShipTwo made its first flight, separating from the carrier in the air White Knight.

SpaceShipTwo(center) and carrier aircraft White Knight Two, analog Scaled Composites Model 351

If the flight Scaled Composites Model 351 ever take place, this aircraft will break the record Hughes H-4 Hercules by wingspan of any aircraft ever flown: with a length of 71 meters, the wing length Startolaunch(and technically it has one solid wing connecting both fuselages) is 117 meters.

Photo: Larske / commons.wikimedia.org, commons.wikimedia.org, Monty Rakusen / Getty Images, Kiefer / commons.wikimedia.org, Muroi 8210 / commons.wikimedia.org, Virgin Galactic / Mark Greenberg / commons.wikimedia.org

Since man was able to invent the airplane and take to the air, this industry has developed incredibly quickly. Now the biggest passenger Boeing can accommodate almost a thousand people, which just a few decades ago seemed simply impossible.

Dimensions and capacity of the largest passenger Boeing

The largest passenger Boeing is the Boeing 747. This aircraft has held its honorary title for several decades. The American aircraft began to operate in 1970, and since then it has been considered the largest and largest aircraft for transporting passengers.

The Boeing 747 lost its honorary title only in 2005, when the Airbus A380 aircraft was put into operation.

The capacity of Boeing's largest aircraft is about seven hundred people, depending on the modification of the aircraft. Due to the enormous popularity of this aircraft, Boeing hastened to release as many models as possible, distributing them throughout the world. In total, about 1,500 of these giants were produced, each of which was in operation for several years.

Despite its enormous size, the Boeing 747 is an example highest quality aircraft and complete thoughtfulness of the design. The length of the aircraft itself was initially 70.6 meters, and the wingspan was 59.6 meters. Now the length of the aircraft has increased to 76 meters. Such a giant could reach speeds of up to 955 kilometers per hour, which in 1970 seemed unthinkable.

Because Boeing is constantly modifying its most famous model, the maximum speed of the modern Boeing 747 is 988 kilometers per hour.

Other large passenger aircraft of the world

Now the biggest by passenger plane considered to be an Airbus A380. The aircraft received its honorary status only in 2005, displacing the previous leader, the Boeing 747.

The Airobus A380 has a capacity of 852 passengers, which seems like an incredible number. The passengers themselves are located on two decks in the highest class salons. Great Britain, Italy and France took part in the production of this aircraft. Another large aircraft from Airbus is the A340-600. This airliner can accommodate a little less than 700 passengers, but is capable of flying more than 14 thousand kilometers without additional refueling.

Boeing is also proud of the 777-300 ER. This model can accommodate up to 550 passengers. At the same time, the aircraft is an absolute record holder in terms of flight duration without additional refueling. The plane can fly 21 thousand kilometers non-stop, which is unattainable for any other air transport model.

The impressive dimensions of the most large aircraft the world speaks only of the ambition of modern aircraft designers. Most likely, humanity will not stop there, and many more huge Boeings will appear in the world, striking not only with the quality of their equipment, but also with their incredible, hitherto incomprehensible dimensions.

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

The height of the liner is 24 meters;
the giant's wingspan reaches almost 80 meters;
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. Costs of implementing the idea of creating a large passenger plane 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 themselves large airliner It was also possible 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:

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.
Airbus A340-600
This flying “monster” is another large representative of the family Airbus 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.
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.
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.
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 compartment are as follows:

the width of this cargo airliner is almost 6.5 meters;
the height of the giant reaches almost 4.5 meters;
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:

the width from one wing to the other is almost 89 (!) meters;
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 type was produced. cargo plane. 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:

the length of this aircraft is almost 76 meters;
its height is almost 20 meters, which is higher than a five-story building;
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:

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. To develop this hypersonic aircraft it took almost 10 years. 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.
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. Also 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.
North American X-15
This aircraft is capable of reaching a speed of 7274 km per hour. Interestingly, the height record among supersonic aircraft stuck with this model from 1963 to 2004. This “nimble” can rise to a height of 110 kilometers, and it weighs about 15 tons.
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.
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.

Air transport today is considered one of the most popular. Every day, planes carry millions of passengers around the world by air, transporting cargo and correspondence. In some cases, the size of the aircraft is important.

Let's look at the largest aircraft in the world, learn about the history of their creation, goals and demand in modern conditions.

Among cargo planes

Today, the creation of an aircraft is a planned program for which funds are allocated in order to subsequently earn money and justify the investment. Previously, a number of record-breaking developments were created only in order to make themselves known, to test the technical solution proposed by the designer. Super-heavy aircraft were produced in single or limited copies.

Large airliners were originally conceived to transport heavy and bulky cargo. Let's talk about the largest passenger aircraft in the world, transport and military giants.

An-225 "Mriya"

The creation of "Mriya" took place in as soon as possible, since the management of the Antonov plant was tasked with resolving the issue of transporting the Buran space shuttle. Additionally, it was planned to make the An-225 a flying spaceport. The aircraft was built in 1988 based on developments for the An-124.

“Mriya” with the ship “Buran”. Paris, 1989

Today “Mriya” is presented in a single copy, belongs to Ukraine and is used as a means of transporting heavy and bulky cargo. In the period from 1991 to 2000, the An-225 was idle. This is the largest aircraft in the world. Below is a comparison table of technical characteristics largest aircraft in the world.

An-124 "Ruslan"

Ruslan was designed and built at the same Antonov design bureau as the above-described An-225. Under the leadership of designer Tolmachev, the aircraft saw the light of day in 1982. It was conceived as a unique heavy transport aircraft for serial production and was supposed to primarily solve military problems. The last model was assembled in 1995.

"Ruslan" of the Volga-Dnepr company during unloading

If we calculate the carrying capacity and flight range, then “Ruslan” has no analogues in the world. Soviet designers were given another task - to get ahead of the Americans, who presented the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy.

The model is equipped with four turbojet engines; a 24-wheel chassis on several struts was developed especially for Ruslan. "Ruslan" is a two-deck liner. A modified version of the An-124-100 has been created for civil transport.

The rivalry between the USA and the USSR in the military sphere led to the creation of both the Ruslan aircraft and the American Lockheed C-5 Galaxy. It was assembled to counter the Soviet model An-22 “Antey” and for a long time remained the world’s largest military transport serial aircraft.

C-5 taking off from the airfield

The C-5 Galaxy made its first flight back in 1968; a total of 131 copies were produced; subsequently, modernization work was carried out. The liner received new engines, which increased its carrying capacity by 20%, while reducing fuel consumption by 10%.

It is noteworthy that the Americans wanted to equip the Soviet Ruslans with new engines, but the deal subsequently fell through on the initiative of the United States.

ANT-20 "Maxim Gorky"

In the USSR, the 30s became a priority for industry and aviation. In those days, Russia was actively creating heavy aircraft. On the eve of the 40th anniversary of Maxim Gorky’s creative activity in the country, it was decided to build a giant aircraft for propaganda. A committee was created to build the giant, headed by M. Koltsov.

Giant propaganda aircraft named after Maxim Gorky

The construction was carried out with money raised by readers of newspapers and magazines; the process was headed by designer Tupolev. The duration of production and assembly is 14 months. In the summer of 1934, the ANT-20 took to the air for the first time. At that time it was the largest aircraft. Could be used as a passenger or cargo vehicle. Inside there was a library, a wardrobe, two passenger lounges, and a restaurant. It had a unique control system. Could carry up to 15 tons of cargo.

It was lost in 1935 as a result of a freak accident.

The Hollywood film “The Aviator” was made about the story of Howard Hughes. The Hughes H-4 Hercules is his project and brainchild. It is the world's largest amphibious aircraft. The background of its creation dates back to World War II, when transporting goods across the Atlantic was dangerous. German submarines easily sank merchant ships. It was decided to create a flying boat, an idea supported by billionaire Hughes.

First and last flight of the H-4

In November 1947, the aircraft designer himself lifted the airliner into the air and flew 2 kilometers on it. It still ranks 1st in the world in terms of wingspan. Unfortunately, the flying boat was not a commercial success and remained a museum exhibit.

Technical characteristics of the largest aircraft in the world

Characteristic	An-225 "Mriya"	An-124 "Ruslan"
Number of engines, pcs	6 brands D-18T	4 brands D-18T	4 grades CF6-80C2	8 turboprops	8 radial
Range, km	15600	16500	9700	1200	5600
Cruising speed, km/h	850	800	750-800	198	408
Take-off weight, t	600	405	348,3		180
Aircraft weight, t	250	173	172,4	–	136
Wingspan, m	88,4	73,3	68	63	97,5
Length, m	84	69,1	75	32,5	66,6
Height, m	18,2	20,78	19,85	4,5	9,1

Among passenger planes

Today, the cities of the world are connected not only through railways and highways, but also by air. The number of regular flights is growing, and airlines are trying to expand their fleet. The passenger capacity of an airliner is an important parameter by which the model is evaluated.

Let's look at the largest aircraft in terms of passenger capacity.

French Airbus company produces the world's largest passenger aircraft. The development cost the concern $12 billion. The wingspan is 79.8 meters, the maximum take-off weight is 560 tons.

The largest customer of the A-380 is Emirates

In 2019, the company announced it would stop production of the airliner due to a decline in orders. The first model was put on the market in 2005. Available in two types of interior configurations:

only economy class, with a capacity of 700-853 seats;
3 classes, capacity 525 seats.

The maximum speed is 1100 km/h. The wide-body, double-deck airliner is equipped with four engines and is capable of covering a distance of over 15 kilometers.

This Boeing is often called the “Jumbo Jet”. It is known in the world as the first civilian double-deck long-haul airliner. Produced from 1969 to the present. Operated by most airlines in the world.

Boeing 747 of Lufthansa airlines

There are several modifications of the Boeing 747, each generation surpassed the previous one in a number of parameters, but the standard characteristics of the body remained the same:

wingspan - 59.6 m;
length – 70.5 m;
cabin capacity with different seat configurations is 366 or 452.

The maximum flight range is 12 kilometers. The Boeing 747 Domestic model, whose cabin capacity reached 600 passengers, was produced for a number of companies.

The presented model of the American company Boeing is distinguished by the fact that it can fly up to 14.6 kilometers without landing, which is reflected in the name (the abbreviation ER translates as “extended range”). The developers achieved this effect by increasing fuel reserves. The two GE90-115B jet engines are considered the most powerful non-military jet engines in the world.

Boeing 777-300ER owned by Turkish Airlines

The aircraft's carrying capacity is 103 tons, and with the simplest cabin layout with one economy class, it can accommodate up to 550 passengers.

This is one of the longest airliners in the world. The fuselage length is 75 meters. In order for this giant to take off, Rolls-Royce Trent500 engines are used.

Takeoff of the passenger giant Airbus A340-600

This modification was developed exclusively for flights between continents; the aircraft is capable of covering a distance of 14,600 kilometers. It was created to compete with Boeing; the length of the fuselage exceeds all modifications of Airbus airliners. In this indicator, the airliner is superior only to the American Boeing 747-8 (76.4 meters versus 75.3).

In 2008, Boeing began production of a new wide-body airliner with two decks. The basis for the model was the 747-400 series. Of all the aircraft in the family, the aircraft boasts:

efficiency;
environmental friendliness;
efficiency;
noiselessness.

Boeing 747-8 on display

The passenger version was supplemented by a cargo version, produced under the name Frighter. The standard capacity is 467 seats in the cabin. The empty weight of the aircraft is 212 tons.

Developed in the 60s of the 20th century, the Tu-154 is still in operation. Economical modifications were developed, as well as a cargo model 154C. Tu-154 is one of the longest Soviet passenger aircraft. Its length is 48 meters. It is difficult to compare with modern giants in this parameter, but at that time it was important to increase passenger capacity.

The remaining Tu-154s are operated by the Russian Armed Forces

The Tu-154 could seat up to 180 people and was developed by the Tupolev Design Bureau. Due to the light weight and thrust of two turbofan engines, it reached speeds of up to 950 km/h. The cost of producing one unit averaged $45 million.

The length of the Concorde, whose name literally translates as “concord,” was 62 meters. Produced by several large companies with the cooperation of Great Britain and France. A total of 20 units of equipment have been released onto the market since 1976.

British Airways Concorde takes off

Concorde - supersonic passenger airliner, which was developed as a counterweight to the Soviet development, Tu-144. By technical specifications it was not inferior to it, had less weight and a shorter fuselage. Cruising speed – 2158 km/h. Four powerful engines were developed by Rolls-Royce and SNECMA. The main reasons for refusing to use a supersonic model in commercial transportation were:

unprofitability of the project;
inconvenience for passengers;
high noise level.

The length of the Tu-144 fuselage is 66 meters. The Tupolev design bureau developed a supersonic aircraft in the 60s, and the airliner became one of two of this type that was used in commercial transport.

The battle for supersonic between the USSR and the West ended in nothing

Cruising speed - 2300 kilometers per hour, which was a record for this type aircraft. Designed to transport 150 passengers over long distances. Operation of the world's first supersonic passenger aircraft began in 1975 with the transportation of cargo and mail between major cities of the USSR. The main flight of Tu-144 is Almaty – Moscow. Due to the high cost of tickets, transportation turned out to be unprofitable.

The predecessor of this airliner was the Boeing 767, the body of which was significantly expanded for greater capacity and convenience for travelers. Compared to previous versions of the aircraft, the area of the cabin and toilets was increased. The cabin width is 5.49 meters. The wingspan is 60 meters.

The Dreamliner features a comfortable, wide cabin

With maximum load, the aircraft can cover 13,000 kilometers.

The widest salon Boeing aircraft 787 Dreamliner

World record for fastest airplane speed

If commercial passenger transport is not ready for the use of supersonic airliners, then military technology has moved forward. Hypersonic technologies are used here for aviation flights.

The fastest plane in the world X-43A

The NASA X-43A aircraft is capable of reaching speeds of 11,760 km/h. This is the maximum figure in the world. This is an experimental unmanned model with a length of 3.66 meters.

conclusions

The largest cargo aircraft in the world was produced in the USSR in a single copy and bears the name “Mriya”. This is An-225. Only the An-124 Ruslan can compete with it in a number of parameters.
The largest passenger aircraft is the Airbus A-380. This is a double-deck liner that can accommodate 853 passengers.
An aircraft capable of reaching enormous speeds in the air (11,760 km/h) is the hypersonic X-43A.

Today, not a single person can imagine life without the existence of airplanes, but previously people could only dream of flying in the sky. Thanks to the colossal work done by scientists and design engineers from different parts of the planet, the world became acquainted with the first aircraft. And on October 25, 2007 it went into operation Airbus A380- the largest passenger aircraft in the world, photos of which to some extent reflect the real size of the giant.

We will not dwell on one model, but will introduce you to other airliners capable of carrying a considerable number of passengers on board.

Introduced in 2005, the Airbus A380-800 passenger aircraft supplanted the Boeing 747, the leading air giant for 36 years.

Technical specifications:

Vessel length: 73 m
Passenger capacity: 525 people
Wingspan: 79.75 m
Wing area: 845 sq. m
Height: 24.09 m
Weight: 280 tons
Maximum speed: 1020 km/h
Takeoff length: 2050 meters

Airbus took one decade and 12 billion euros to develop. Maximum distance covered aircraft without in-flight refueling, it is 15,400 km. In terms of the amount of fuel consumed, the Airbus A380-800 is much more economical compared to others aircraft of this class.

It was possible to reduce fuel consumption thanks to the correctly designed shape of the wing and fuselage. To achieve such precision, milling machines used in aircraft production were specially developed in Japan. For 100 kilometers, three passengers consume 3 liters of fuel.

Despite the larger capacity of the Airbus compared to the Boeing 747, its production is 15 percent cheaper. For the first time, the air giant began to be operated by the national airline of Singapore. Singapore Airlines servicing the Singapore-Sydney route.

“Boeing 747-8”

In 2005, the American corporation The Boeing Company introduced another modification of the passenger aircraft - the Boeing 747-8. The main differences from previous airliners are the elongated hull and efficiency. By changing the deviation of the wing in plan from perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the aircraft and reducing its thickness, manufacturers managed to improve the quality of aerodynamics. Thanks to this wing shape, fuel consumption has decreased.

“Boeing 747-8”

This modification was preferred by the governments of 19 states, using the aircraft for flights of the country's top leaders.

At 76.25 meters long, the Boeing 747-8 is the largest commercial aircraft built in the United States. In addition, the Boeing 747-8 is the leader in orders for VIP versions, which are intended for government politicians.

The largest passenger aircraft in history is the Hughes H-4 Hercules. The giant received this title in 1947. Compared to the existing flying “machines” of that period, the Hughes H-4 Hercules stood out with its 98-meter distance between the edges of the wings, due to which this modification was considered the most wide-body.

A total of 2 aircraft of this type were produced; today only one remains. The Hughes H-4 Hercules, with a capacity of 750 passengers, was brought to the Long Beach Museum in 1993, where it remains today. Large quantity no one plane transported people in one flight.

The Boeing 777-300ER passenger aircraft, designed in 1990, can fly 20,000 km without in-flight refueling. The test flight took place in 1994.

The Boeing 777-300ER is the first passenger aircraft to be designed using virtual computer assembly rather than paper drawings. Thanks to new computer technologies, or rather the program for creating three-dimensional models CATIA, it was possible to avoid typical connection errors not during production, but at the design stage.

The airliner is equipped with powerful turbojet engines with a high bypass ratio and is equipped with additional tanks for storing fuel. The introduction of this modification reduced fuel consumption by 1.4 percent. 305-550 passengers can fly on board the aircraft at a time.

The most big liner, produced in Russia, is recognized as the Il-96M with a capacity of 435 passengers. Its design was carried out by domestic and Western companies. The aircraft model was exhibited more than once at specialized air shows, but mass production was never started. In 2009, the plane was destroyed due to physical wear and tear.

The aircraft, 63.7 m long and with a capacity of 400 people, holds the absolute world record for flight with one working engine. In 2003, in March, after one of the engines failed, the airliner flew for 2 hours and 57 minutes with 255 passengers. Despite the appearance of modifications of improved quality, the Boeing 777-200 EP remains in demand as before. There are more than 400 aircraft of this modification in the world.

The Airbus A340-600 is one of the long-haul airliners. On one fill, it is capable of covering a distance of 14,800 kilometers. The Airbus A340-600 has been in operation on international and intercontinental routes since 2002. The aircraft, which is 75 meters long and has a wingspan of 63.5 meters, has a capacity of 380 people.

A total of 97 Airbus A340-600 models were assembled. In 2011, serial production of the aircraft ceased.

The wingspan of the Russian Ruslan aircraft reaches 73 meters with a length of 69 meters. Main difference flying machine– a colossal cargo compartment with a volume of 1050 cubic meters. meters. The aircraft with a cruising speed of 850 km/h was used for cargo transportation (carrying capacity - 120 tons); if necessary, it could transport military personnel. The flight life of the An-124 model does not exceed 45 years.

The military model of the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy is also worthy of competing for the title of largest passenger aircraft. The liner was used both for transporting people and cargo. On board the aircraft, 270 military personnel can simultaneously fly; in addition, if necessary, the aircraft can be equipped with 75 additional passenger seats. Thanks to its impressive dimensions (vessel length - 75.5 meters, width - 68 meters), the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy was classified as a giant aircraft.

Without refueling, the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy covers a distance of 5,600 kilometers at a speed of 920 km/h. The maximum height to which the giant rose is 10,100 meters.

60 years passed from the moment the first passenger was taken on board until the advent of spacious airliners. And today we can no longer be surprised by huge airplanes with excellent flight characteristics, nor by transcontinental flights, nor by long hours of travel on airliners.

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