The largest civil aircraft in the world. How is the world's largest passenger plane made? Airbus A380

Once upon a time, a man could only dream of conquering heights and flying like a bird. With the invention of airplanes, the dream of learning to fly became a reality. Moreover, modern flying machines are so amazing and high-tech that sometimes it seems that there is no limit 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 - the flying giant

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

the height of the liner is 24 meters;
the wingspan of the giant 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. Moreover, the charter type of such an 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 this class. Fuel consumption for 3 passengers and 100 kilometers is only 3 liters.

The developers of this model have 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 initially developed as alternative version Boeing 747, which was considered the largest passenger aircraft for 35 years before the appearance of the Airbus А-380. However, the appearance of the Airbus A380 immediately "pushed" Boeing off the podium of the winners. So, if we compare these two giants, then the Airbus A380 is more economical, since Boeing can accommodate 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. aircraft... Interestingly, the Airbus A380 is almost 40 percent graphite. So, the fuselage and wings of the aircraft are made of this material. The cost of this flying giant is 390 million dollars (!).

Other large passenger aircraft include:

Boeing 747-8
This airliner is a novelty from one of the leading manufacturers of aircraft, military and space technology. 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 major member 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 will help accommodate 380 passengers on board.
Boeing 747
This flying giant for 35 years (from 1969 to 2005) held the leading position among the largest passenger airliners. This plane was the first in the world to make a non-stop flight from London to the Australian capital 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 sad statistics indicate not its best feature. So, 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, which has a 2-keel "tail" and an arrow-shaped wing. The Mriya was based on its predecessor, An-124. An interesting fact is that the development of "Mriya" was closely related to the Soviet space program "Buran", since a powerful cargo-lifting transport was required that could transport the parts of the launch vehicles from the assembly site to the cosmodrome itself. The task for the developers was to create an air cargo transport that could lift at least 250 tons into the sky at a time. This is 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 a 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. It is Antonov's plans to complete the construction of the twin brother "Mriya" as the designer of the aviation complex. It is believed that its readiness is already 70 percent.

Other large cargo aircraft include:

1. An-124 "Ruslan"
This aircraft is the predecessor of the Mriya. Initially, this aircraft was created in order to transport intercontinental ballistic missiles. However, the result obtained significantly exceeded all the designers' expectations. This giant began to be actively used in order to transport large-scale amphibious 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 a time, this cargo giant is capable of transferring 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 plane is a kind of rarity, as it was developed back in 1947. This aircraft holds the record for a wingspan of 98 meters. This record has not yet been surpassed. This 136-ton giant was created to transport 750 soldiers who would be fully equipped. It is worth noting that only one unit of such a cargo aircraft was manufactured. Today, this flying giant is an airplane museum.

2. Boeing 747-8I

This model is a cargo-passenger aircraft, which 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 serial production. So, to date, about 76 of these 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 mass of such an empty aircraft is about 213 thousand kilograms, and the maximum mass at which a successful take-off is possible is 442 thousand kilograms.

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

The fastest planes in the world

They are fast, like a bullet, as they can develop just 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, then this figure is almost 10 times the speed of sound.
This supercar was designed by NASA. It took almost 10 years to develop this hypersonic aircraft. The wingspan of this "Shustrik" is only 3.6 meters. The fuel used to power 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 can reach speeds of 12144 kilometers per hour. However, in the rating of the fastest aircraft in the world, it occupies the second position, since during the experiments its speed did not exceed that of 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 liner weighs 1270 kilograms, but this does not allow it to rise to a height that is more than 75 kilometers.
North American X-15
This aircraft is capable of speeds of 7274 km per hour. Interestingly, the altitude record among supersonic aircraft lasted for this model from 1963 to 2004. This "shustrik" 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 speeds of 3715 kilometers per hour. It weighs impressively, namely 77 tons. However, the aircraft weighs only 27 tons without fuel.
MiG-25 ("The Bat")
This supersonic aircraft is the fastest jet military model. Almost 30 world records have been set on this aircraft. The speed at which this record holder can fly is 3395 kilometers per hour. The mass of this liner reaches almost 41 tons during takeoff, and only 18.8 tons during landing.

The largest aircraft in the world is the An-225. They built an airplane in Ukraine and use it to transport a huge mass. The An-225 is also called a military transport aircraft. The height of this aircraft is 24.1 meters, the length is also amazing - 73 meters. The wingspan is 88.4 meters. The weight of the aircraft is 250 thousand kg, and it can take off with a total weight of 600,000 kg. It was built back in 1988. The aircraft is equipped with six engines. In the whole world there is only one An-225, which belongs to the Antonov airline. The construction of the second An-225 is also underway, but it is not fully completed.

Hughes H-4 Hercules, or as it is also called - NK-1 spruce Goose, is the second largest aircraft. This wooden plane was built back in 1947, the project was developed by the American company Hughes Aircraft. According to its idea, the plane was designed to carry 750 soldiers, plus their equipment. To this day, the wingspan of the aircraft is the largest in the world - 98 meters. The aircraft is 66.45 meters long, 24 meters high, and its maximum take-off weight is 180,000 kg. The maximum speed of the aircraft is 351 miles per hour, and the distance that the aircraft could cover is 5634 kilometers. About $ 13 million was allocated for its manufacture. Nowadays, the plane is located in the exhibit museum in the state of Oregon, which is located in the northwestern United States.

Airbus A380 is a passenger aircraft capable of carrying up to 525 people. It was created by the company "Airbus S.A.S", the height of this aircraft is 24 meters, length - 73 meters, wingspan - 79.75 meters. The maximum flight range without refueling is 15,400 km. The maximum take-off weight is 560,000 kg, and the weight of the aircraft itself is 280,000 kg. This aircraft is by far the largest passenger airliner in the world. It is also the most economical in terms of fuel combustion, for 1 passenger - 3 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers. The entire development of the program for the construction of the A380 went to about 12 billion euros.

An-124, or Ruslan, is one of the largest cargo-lifting aircraft in the world. Its main and initial goal during its creation was: transportation of launchers of intercontinental ballistic missiles, transportation of paratroopers, heavy military equipment. An-124 in 1987 was used in military operations in Afghanistan, a total of 56 aircraft were involved. A film entitled "Ruslan Who United the World" was also shot about this plane. An-124 is currently in service with the Air Force in Russia, it is also used for NATO military transport in areas Central Asia, Afghanistan, Persian Gulf. The length of the aircraft is 69.1 meters, the wingspan is 73.3 meters, the height is 21.1 meters, and the weight is 173,000 kg.

We continue to review the largest aircraft in the world. The fifth on the list is the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy. It is one of the American heavy-duty military transport aircraft. Until 1982 - the largest serial cargo aircraft in the world. Able to carry on board up to 270 soldiers, 118,300 kg of additional weight. The maximum take-off weight is 348,300 kg, the maximum speed is 920 km / h, the flight range is 5,600 km, and the maximum climbed altitude is 10,100 meters.

The Boeing 777-300ER is a large passenger aircraft that can fly a record 21,601 km without refueling. Used for long haul airlines. It was developed in 1990, a test flight was made in 1994, and it began to operate in 1995. It can accommodate from 305 to 550 passengers. It is also the world's largest twin-engine jet airliner. The engines that are installed on it are also champions, they are the largest and most powerful in the history of aviation.

Airbus A340 is a four-engine passenger aircraft developed by Airbus S.A.S. To date, about 389 of these aircraft have been ordered. The development program began back in 1987. The A340 is a new four-engine aircraft designed for intercontinental flights. Previously, all aircraft below the A340 class had two engines, and were forced to stay at a minimum distance from the emergency airfield in case of breakdown. They had to spend more fuel and it was inconvenient. In 1991, a significant error was noticed, the wings of the A330 and A340 were no different, and this was the problem, since the A330 used only two engines, while the A340 had four. The length of the aircraft is 75.3 meters, the height is 17.3 meters, the wingspan is 63.5 meters, the maximum flight with passengers without refueling is 14,600 km.

The Boeing 747 at the time of its creation was the largest, heaviest and most spacious passenger aircraft in the world, holding the record for 37 years until the A380 appeared. The aircraft has two decks where passengers sit - upper and lower. The top is much smaller than the bottom. The record set by one of the Boeings is a flight from London to Sydney, which is 18,000 kilometers and took 20 hours and 9 minutes from the time of takeoff and landing. Also Boeing 747 is one of the most widely used aircraft in the world. Since the creation of the aircraft and by September 2010, 1,527 units have been ordered. Its length is 70.6 meters, wingspan is 64.4 meters, maximum take-off weight is 412 770 kg, height is 19.4 meters.

It is the ninth largest aircraft in the world. The Boeing 777-200ER is nothing more than a modification of the Boeing 777. Compared to the Boeing 777, the Boeing 777 of the 200ER class has increased take-off weight and fuel capacity. It is intended for international transportation, holds the record for an emergency flight on one engine - 177 minutes, with 255 passengers on board. The first purchase was made by British Airways in 1997. As of September 2010, 415 of these aircraft have been sold.

Closing the list of the largest aircraft in the world - Airbus A330-300. It was designed to replace the A300. This aircraft can carry up to 295 passengers. The maximum flight distance is 10 800 km. The plane can also be used as a cargo carrier, its volume is equal to the volume of a Boeing 747. The plane has two engines, so it is forced to fly near emergency airfields, while spending a lot of fuel.

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

The production of this aircraft began in 2005 and was put into operation in 2007.Since that time, it has officially ranked first among the 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 kilometers.

Such a huge aircraft would not be able to take off if it was built from traditional materials - it would simply be too heavy, and the lift 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 minimizing its weight as much as possible.

The solution to this problem became possible due to the use of the latest composite materials, some of which were specially developed for this aircraft. For example, the center and main part of the wing (which itself weighs 11 tons!) Is 40 percent carbon fiber. For welding of structural elements, laser technology was used, which significantly increased the reliability of the joints 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 have also achieved a reduction in CO2 emissions - they are 75 g per passenger per 1 km.

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 over 36 years - from 1969 to 2005. In 1970, the serial production of this aircraft 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 the methods of training pilots.

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 dramatically, and it was profitable to maintain spacious aircraft. Currently, there are 1.5 thousand 747s flying around the world in such companies as British Airways, Korean Air, China Airlines. In Russia, the 747s are operated by the Rossiya company. She inherited five 747s from the disintegrated Transaero company.

The 747 also holds significant records: in 1989, it was this aircraft, owned by Australian Qantas Airways, that made a non-stop flight to Sydney from the British capital, covering 18 thousand km in over 20 hours. True, he flew empty: without cargo and passengers. Another record is associated with the number of passengers: in 1997, 1,112 people flew to Israel on it during the military operation "Solomon".

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

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

Such a superstructure was designed so that the bow of the ship could be modified into a cargo ramp, because it was assumed that the 747 would be operated primarily for the transport of goods.

There are 7 modifications of the Boeing-747, almost all of them have both passenger and cargo and cargo-passenger versions. It will not be wrong to say that the 747 is one of the most widespread 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 - Concern Airbus S.A.S

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

Its commercial release began in 2002 and was discontinued in 2011. For 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 mean Extended Range - increased range. It is capable of flying 14 690 km without refueling due to an increase in fuel capacity compared to the previous modification of the "three sevens". This particular aircraft is the main competitor of the Airbus A340-600 and the best-selling 777 in the world. About 400 aircraft of this modification are currently in operation in 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 structural elements that are reinforced compared to its predecessors: landing gear, empennage, wings, as well as additional fuel tanks.

We will consider those liners that occupy the first 5 places in the ranking of the largest aircraft in terms of size. Each of these aircraft became famous for one or another position.

This review article with brief description each position and photos will give you the opportunity to receive reliable information on the issue of interest to you. If you have any other information or want to express your opinion, do it in the comments window located at the bottom of the page.
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TOP 5 largest aircraft in the world

1st place - An-225

Let's start our story with an overview of the largest aircraft in every sense that exists in the world in a single copy. The manufacture of the airliner was so costly that the aircraft plant was forced to stop its production.

An-225 is a joint Russian-Ukrainian brainchild called Mriya. The board was produced in 1988 as a cargo ship, which is later a military transport aircraft.

An-225 has the most inconceivable parameters even for big plane:

height just over 24 m;
length - 73 m;
first of all, the wingspan is amazing, which is almost 88.5 m;
a vessel weighing 250,000 kg is capable of flying with a maximum take-off weight of 600,000 kg.

There is information that the production of the world's second An-225 has begun, but due to a lack of funds, the air monster is only ready by no more than 70%.

2nd place - Airbus A-380

The largest passenger aircraft is the Airbus A-380. This model of the liner gained fame thanks to its belonging to one of the richest people in the world - to the Arabian oligarch Al Walid bin Talal.

Unlike the An-225, the Airbus A-380 is a production aircraft that has been actively put into production since 2005.

Interesting article:
The most expensive plane in the world
how much does it cost and who owns the most luxurious liner: what is the difference between the most expensive plane and the usual one, and what constitutes the price of a luxurious personal transport vehicle?

The liner is available in two modifications:

single-class configuration that can accommodate up to 850 passengers;
a three-class configuration, where 525 people can spend their time in the most comfortable way.

Large Airbus has impressive parameters:

liner length - 73 m;
height of the vessel - 24.1 m;
as much as 80 m is the wingspan of the A-380;
an aircraft weighing 280,000 kg can easily fly with a maximum take-off weight of 560,000 kg.

The aircraft has only one drawback: rising into the sky and traveling around the world, it can cover a distance of no more than 15,400 km without refueling.

3rd place - Boeing 777-300ER

Can't be overlooked by the next representative largest liners in the world. The Boeing 777-300ER was developed in 1990 and only began operating in 1995. The liner is capable of carrying simultaneously up to 550 passengers.

The aircraft is used by airlines for longer flights, because it is the Boeing 777-300ER that has a record figure - the possibility of the largest flight without refueling. The aircraft is capable of flying a distance of 21,600 km without additional landings.

Boeing 777-300ER specifications:

the largest and most powerful engines are installed;
length - 74 m;

able to accommodate the following number of passengers:
- modification with 3 classes - 368 people;
- configuration with 2 classes - 451 people;
- board with 1st class - 550 people.

the wingspan is about 65 m.

4th place - Airbus A340-600

The 4th place is occupied by the longest passenger liner Airbus A340-600. The first flight of a large aircraft was made in 2001 and since then the Airbus A340-600 has been among the aircraft a considerable number of air carriers around the world.

Two possible options for modifying the liner allow passengers to be transferred anywhere in the world:

2nd class equipment - 419 passengers;
3-class room - 380 people

The Airbus A340-600 boasts a spacious cargo hold with impressive volumes and the ability to fly up to 14,600 km without refueling.

From the technical characteristics of the aircraft, the following can be distinguished:

length - slightly more than 75m;
wingspan of about 64 m;
the height is slightly less than 17.5 m.

5th place - Boeing 747

The fifth, but no less honorable place, is the Boeing 747, which for almost 40 years was considered the largest and most capacious passenger aircraft. But since the Airbus A380 appeared in the world, its leading position has plummeted. In 2005, the Boeing 747 lost leadership.

The largest is the Boeing 747-400. Distinctive feature the liner can be called the presence on board of two decks for accommodating passengers. The decks are of different sizes, the upper one is much smaller than the lower one. It is the world's first double-deck aircraft capable of long-distance flight.
It is safe to say that the Boeing 747 is the most widely used aircraft among air carriers. Major airlines are actively using it for flights. One of these Boeing has a record on its account: the distance of 18,000 km (London-Sydney) was covered in just 20 hours and 9 minutes, including the moment of take-off and landing.

Interesting information about the plane:

length about 71 m;
width is almost 64.5 m;
height as much as 19.4 m;
number of passengers:
- modification with 3 classes - 416 people;
- 2-class configuration - 524 people

On a note:
First class on the plane
What makes first class on board as luxurious and as comfortable as possible? Why do we so rarely hear from our friends about the first category flights?

Economy class on the plane
Why are flights in the economy zone attractive for the vast majority of tourists? What inconveniences can a flight in such an area cause? What is the most comfortable time in the most accessible classroom?

Business class on the plane
Should you pay extra for flights in the business zone? The main differences between business and economy class. What category of tourists is better to give preference to when buying air tickets in the direction of servicing a category with a business service?

The future has already arrived
The largest passenger aircraft in the world Airbus A380 (Airbus A380) has been operating on the routes of carriers since October 2007. The first operator of the airliner was the Singapore aircraft, which supplied the A380 for servicing the Singapore-Sydney line. Soon, the giant aircraft Airbus A380 embarked on intercontinental flights of other international airlines and began operating flights between major airports Europe, Asia, North America and Australia. The largest aircraft customers are, and.

Extraordinary comfort
The brainchild of the European aircraft manufacturer Airbus, the Airbus A380 is capable of carrying 555 passengers over a distance of 15,000 km in a standard three-class layout (first, business, economy) and up to 700 people in a single-class (only economy class). The double-deck passenger cabin of the aircraft provides highest level in-flight comfort with first-class sleeping cabins, business-class armchairs and state-of-the-art economy class seats. The huge dimensions of the aircraft allow them to accommodate special walking areas, bar counters and spiral staircases.

Huge size
The Airbus A380 is the largest passenger aircraft in the world, both in size and weight. The aircraft is 73 meters long, 24 meters high, and has a wingspan of 80 meters. The wing area of the Airbus A380 is 845 square meters, the takeoff weight is 560 tons. The giant is lifted into the air by four powerful Rolls-Royce Trent 970 engines with a diameter of 3 meters (the American Engine Alliance GP7200 will also be installed on subsequent aircraft).

Photo the first Airbus aircraft The airline's A380 is owned by renowned aviation photographer Andrew Hunt.