The largest airplane in the world
The Antonov 225, the largest airplane in the world
April 15, 2010
The giant, on the ground
Wingspan: 85 meters, eight more than the Airbus 380. Length: 90 meters, ten more than the French giant. It is capable of carrying 250 tons of cargo. The diameter of its air intakes, its "blowers," is such that one could park a large truck inside them. The wings are flexible. On the ground, they give it a pronounced anhedral. During takeoff, these immense feathers, whose surface area is close to 1,000 square meters, gradually rise upwards. The visible protuberances on its upper part allow it to attach heavy and bulky loads such as a 65-ton space shuttle:
**The Antonov 225 taking off with a 65-ton space shuttle on its back. Its main landing gear consists of 32 identical wheels. **
Russian philosophy has not changed: "It's rough, it's heavy, but it works. Ornamentation, design: no! Decadent petit bourgeois
This image reminds me of a visit I made to a huge hall where, in Moscow, the achievements of the Soviet Union in space technology were once displayed. These were not models, but operational vehicles. The "furniture" of the space capsule was made of varnished plywood. On the photo above, note the "formica" style 1950s table, the defect in the plastic trim of an armrest. In the Russian space capsules of the 1960s, the portholes could be covered with a piece of printed fabric, hastily hemmed.
Still in the 1960s, my colleagues and I were amazed to find oscilloscopes whose casings were hand-painted. But their performance was the same as that of their sleek American counterparts. Let's approach the control panel:
The yellow arrow points to an external stiffening angle, made of light alloy, fastened with three round-head screws, whose sharp edges have been "filed down." Red arrows: the paint is flaking on the slightest protrusion and on the rudder pedals. The components of this control panel are fastened with screws that fit into crosshead screwdrivers.
But all of this flies, very well, even. Attention is focused on the essential, not on the accessory. Zoom back camera:
Near the front windows, two sturdy fans. On the left, the crank used to open the window (at rest)
**For the seat covers, a non-staining material was chosen. On the table, a coffee filter. **
**The rest area: deliciously kitsch. Traditionally, Russian airline passengers remove their shoes to be more comfortable
A mobile crane capable of carrying five tons. Normal: the crane can carry 250!
**On either side, firmly braced, spare wheels. **
**And, to conclude the series: **
Now: the Antonov 225 and the Airbus 380 in flight:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dp9JjuJbZ0&feature=fvw