The largest passenger aircraft. The largest passenger aircraft

For the simultaneous delivery of many people over long distances, there are huge air liners of impressive dimensions.

The planes themselves are already spectacular structures, and having truly gigantic dimensions, they amaze the imagination.

Cars capable of transporting hundreds of people are no longer a fantasy. Year by year, such aircraft are gaining popularity, because the need for people to travel is steadily increasing.

Distances between continents are overcome by modern jet liners in a few hours without refueling. Innovative technologies make it possible to lighten the weight of the aircraft and improve their fuel efficiency.

Passenger airliners compete in terms of length and height, flight range, wingspan, and carrying capacity. Another competitive value is passenger capacity.

Wide-body liners are champions in terms of size among passenger aircraft. Such specimens have a length exceeding 70 meters, and the width of the fuselage (more than 6 meters) allows you to place up to 10-11 seats in one row.

Since 2005, this double-deck long-haul airliner has held the lead among passenger aircraft in the world. In commercial use since 2007.

Has options:

Passenger capacity is 525 people in three classes, 853 in the economy version.
Cabin width - from 6 to 6.6 meters
The height of the machine is 24.08 meters, its length is 72.75 meters, and the wingspan is 79.75 meters.
Flight range 15400 kilometers (without landings)
Empty car weight - 278800 kilograms
Fuel mass - 310 tons
Motors - there are four of them GP7270 with a thrust of 32000 kgf

The A380 wide-body aircraft was manufactured by Airbus in 2005 as a competitor to the then unsurpassed Boeing 747.

The airliner is divided into two decks: upper (first and business class) and lower (economy cabin). There are several modifications of the A-380-800, among them the A-380-1000, the project of which was released in 2010. It is planned that this aircraft will be able to accommodate 1,000 passengers.

Emirates Airline is the largest charterer of A-380 aircraft in the world. In its fleet there are 101 copies of these two-tiered aircraft. At the beginning of 2018, the Arab carrier announced its desire to purchase at least 20 more aircraft of this model.

This event comes against the backdrop of the fact that earlier Airbus intended to stop the production of expensive (450 million dollars) cars altogether. Fulfilling the order of the Emirates (from 20 to 38 units), Airbus will make aircraft of this brand for another decade, or even more.

A-380 is a reliable, lightweight airliner. The noise level in the cabin, compared to the Boeing -747, has been reduced by half, there is satellite communication (Internet, WI-FI), it is possible to install a shower, bars and other improvements, following the wishes of customers.

For all the overall dimensions and complexity of the aircraft, the operating costs for maintenance and the level of comfort in it are optimal.

For thirty-six years (from 1969 to 2007) another two-deck Boeing 747 reigned in the sky. This is the world's first long-haul aircraft made in a two-tier version. The design and production were very costly, but the subsequent demand and success resulted in huge profits.

Characteristics of B-747-8:

Length - 76.3 meters
Wingspan - 68.5 meters
Fuselage / cabin width - 6.5 meters / 6.1 meters
Passenger capacity - in three classes 467 people, in two - 581 people.
Aircraft height - 19.4 meters
Maximum speed 988 km/h
Empty car weight - 214.5 tons
Range - 14815 kilometers
Kerosene reserve - 242.5 tons
Turbofan engines - four of them GEnx-2B67

The power of the parameters of the B-747 is evidenced by the fact that one of its engines has more thrust than all the power plants of the B-707 combined.

The wide-body B-747 remained the record holder for mass production among vehicles of this class. More than one and a half thousand units have been produced so far and their release continues.

Boeing 747, owned by an Australian company, in 1989 made a record non-stop flight (empty) from London to Sydney (Australia) in 20 hours and 9 minutes, flying 18,000 kilometers.

Another record of this aircraft was the flight in May 1991. During the military conflict, 1,122 people were taken from Ethiopia on board the liner at a time to the capital of Israel.

The B-777-300ER long-haul aircraft is capable of covering more than 21,000 kilometers without refueling. The wide-body airliner appeared in 2004 on commercial lines. This is the largest twin-engine passenger aircraft with gas turbine engines.

It has the following parameters:

Passengers can accommodate 365 if it is made in a 3-class variation, 550 - in a one-class.
Aircraft length - 73.9 meters
Wingspan - 64.8 kilometers
The height of the car with the tail is 18.7 meters
Fuselage width / cabin width - 6.19 meters / 5.86 meters
Empty weight - 167 tons
Fuel supply - 181.3 tons
Power plant - 2 GE90-115B motors

GE90-115B turbojet engines from General Electric are the most powerful in the world today. Due to the use of only two motors, the B-777-300ER is efficient in terms of fuel and operating costs.

Aircraft of this brand are widely represented in the global aviation space, they are very popular for charter flights. Domestic airlines also have Boeing-777-300s in their fleets, and are acquiring new ones.

This airliner is the closest competitor to the Boeing 777-300ER. The aircraft is designed and flies long distances between continents. wide-body airliner with four power plants designed specifically for long routes. Produced from 2002 to 2012. During this period, 97 cars were built.

It has the following dimensions:

Length -75.36 meters
Height - 17.22 meters
Wingspan - 63.45 meters
Passenger capacity - up to 419 people
Takeoff weight - 380,000 kilograms

The Airbus 340-600 is one of the longest aircraft in the world (only the Boeing 747-8 is longer). It is also the quietest in its class despite having four jet engines. This makes the flight comfortable and calm.

Without a doubt, the aircraft manufacturing giant Airbus is the leader in the production of machines with huge dimensions. Airbus developed the A350 XWB line, designed to eventually replace the A330 and A340. This is a family with an ultra-wide fuselage and two motors. More than half of the aircraft structure is made of composite materials.

The A350-900 Ultra LR (from the A350 XWB family) enters service with the Singapore carrier in 2018. The aircraft has an increased volume of fuel tanks, improved aerodynamics. This is an aircraft with increased flight distance and the best fuel efficiency.

The newest airliner will operate the longest commercial route from New York to Singapore.

Characteristics:

Machine length - 73.88 meters
Height - 17.1 meters
Wingspan - 64.75 meters
Passenger capacity - 440 in the economy cabin
Fuselage width / cabin width - 5.96 meters / 5.61 meters
Takeoff weight - 298 tons
Motors - 2 units Trent XWB (Rolls-Royce)

The aircraft is capable of flying 14,800 kilometers.

An-122

The failed project (there was one aircraft) was planned in a double-deck design for 724 passengers. This single copy is memorable for the fact that in 1972 he accomplished a kind of feat, evacuating 700 people from Egypt to the USSR.

Hughes H-4 Hercules

The post-war (1947) American plane made of wood did not take place in the metal version. He made one flight at low altitude, is stored in the museum. It is notable for its size: length 66.45 meters, wingspan - 97.54 meters (unsurpassed in the passenger segment), capacity for metal version - 750 people.

The dimensions of the first powered aircraft were more than modest. It was 6.4 meters long and 2.7 meters high. "Flyer-1", designed and built back in 1903 by the Wright brothers, was able to lift only one person into the air. Wingspan of the first aircraft was just over 12 meters, and the wing area was 47 square meters. Of course, aviation has come a long way since then. Modern liners amaze with their dimensions, power, carrying capacity. The largest aircraft in the world are capable of carrying several hundred tons of cargo, and passenger giants carry more than 800 passengers per flight. Let's talk about the heavyweights of modern aviation.

Leader in wing length

Before moving on to the giants, let's remember the unique Hughes H-4 Hercules. For more than 70 years, it has been holding the lead in terms of wingspan, and only the modern Airbus A380-800 has caught up with it in height.

The history of the aircraft is not simple. At the beginning of World War II, the US government ordered Hughes Aircraft to build an amphibious aircraft for passenger and cargo transportation. Yes, he had to not only fly, but also be able to swim. The main goal stated by the customer is to spend a minimum of strategic raw materials, that is, to make it not from metal, but from wood.

The "flying boat" was intended to be the largest aircraft in existence. But the search for the ideal solution dragged on, and the amphibious aircraft was built only two years after the end of the war. The device, which received the famous nickname "Spruce Goose", was completely made of plywood. According to estimates, the development and construction of the aircraft took 22 million dollars from the US budget, another 18 million were invested by the owner of the company, Howard Hughes.

The dimensions of the Hercules were seven times the size of any aircraft. The length was 66.45 meters, the height was 24 meters, and the wingspan was 97.5 meters. It weighed 136 tons, carrying capacity was 59 tons. The flying boat was capable of holding over 700 soldiers.

According to the project, the aircraft could reach speeds of up to 378 km / h, climb over seven thousand meters and fly 5.6 thousand km. But it was not possible to test its limiting capabilities. The first and only experimental flight "Hercules" made in November 1947 in the harbor of Los Angeles. Having made several passes along the harbor, the amphibious aircraft broke away from the water and flew about two kilometers at a height of 21 meters and a speed of about 120 km / h. After a perfectly perfect landing, the Hercules returned to its hangar, where it was maintained in working order until 1976. Today you can see the wooden giant in the Oregon State Museum of the United States.

Passenger transportation record holders

Among the largest modern liners in the segment passenger air transportation two models of competing aircraft stand out: the Boeing 747 and the Airbus A380. The first holds the palm in length, the second has become the undisputed leader in terms of capacity.

Leader in size

The longest passenger airliner today is the Boeing 747-8. It is also the largest commercial aircraft ever built in the US.

The wide-body double-deck Boeing 747-8 exceeds the length of the previous leader Airbus A340-600 by almost a meter. The fuselage is 76 meters long and over 19 meters high. The wingspan of this giant is almost 68.5 meters.

The liner was announced in 2005, and the first flight took place five years later. Its key differences from the previous Boeing 747 models were an elongated fuselage, a new wing, engines and on-board systems. Significant improvements have led to the fact that it has become the quietest and most economical liner of the family. Business card Boeing, the hump in front of the hull remains, here is the upper deck.

On board the liner fit up to 581 passengers. The liner is capable of covering up to 14.1 thousand kilometers at a speed of 917 km/h. The maximum speed of the Boeing 747-8 reaches 950 km/h, which makes it the leader among passenger subsonic liners.

Boeing 747-8 is available in three versions: cargo, passenger and presidential. Today, the world's longest planes are used, Air China, Korean Air, Cathay Pacific Airways, UPS Airlines and others. It is he who holds the lead in orders for VIP versions of the aircraft, intended for flights by the first persons of the state, statesmen and politicians.

Passenger capacity record holder

For 37 years, the leadership in three parameters: size, weight and capacity, was held by the passenger Boeing 747. Everything changed in 2005, when the Airbus A380 took off into the sky. Since then, it has been he who holds the lead in passenger capacity.

Up to 853 passengers can be on board the liner at the same time, while the Boeing 747 can accommodate up to 600 people.

The development of the liner took about ten years and 12 billion euros. According to Airbus S.A.S, in order to recoup the project, 420 aircraft need to be sold. At the end of 2017, 317 aircraft were ordered, more than 220 of them are already operated by airlines.

The A380 made its first commercial flight in 2007 from Singapore to Sydney under the flag of Singapore Airlines. In honor of this event, passengers were treated to champagne and presented with commemorative certificates.

The dimensions of the champion are no less impressive: the height is 24 meters, the length is almost 73 meters, the wingspan is almost 80 meters. It weighs 280 tons, and can lift the same amount more. The most difficult question, according to the developers, was how to make such a giant as easy as possible. To solve the problem during construction, light composite materials were used.

Despite its size, the A380 is the most economical among the giants, fuel consumption is 20% lower than the Boeing 747. It can cover up to 15.4 thousand kilometers without landing at a speed of 1020 km/h.

Heavyweights in the world of aviation

Let's move on to the largest and heaviest cargo aircraft. The line of leaders here has not changed since the 80s of the last century, when the An-225 entered the “pedestal”. Among the serial versions of cargo models, the championship is held by its prototype - An-124. Although American aircraft designers are already catching up with the leaders with the latest developments.

Freight record holder

The An-225, called the Mriya (Dream), is officially recognized as the world's most cargo-lifting aircraft. The pinnacle of thought of Soviet designers set about 250 world records, many of which have not been surpassed to this day.

An-225 was designed and built at the Antonov Design Bureau. The aircraft was intended to solve specific problems in the implementation of the Soviet space program "Buran". In particular, it was supposed to carry the heavy components of the spacecraft and launch vehicle, and also be used as the first stage of the spacecraft's launch system.

The designers took the An-124 as a basis, which gave it the qualities of a universal cargo aircraft. And fundamental improvements have made it possible to achieve record-breaking carrying capacity: Mriya can transport up to 250 tons over a distance of up to four thousand kilometers.

The An-225 made its first flight in 1988, and a year later the demonstration of its capabilities made a splash at the Paris Air Show.

An-225 is striking in size. Its length is 84 meters, its height is more than 18 meters (the height of a five-story building), the wingspan exceeds 88 meters. Empty aircraft weight - 250 tons.

The Mriya is capable of carrying super-heavy loads both in the pressurized cabin and outside on the fuselage. The length of the cargo compartment is 43 meters, width - 6.4 meters, height - 4.4 meters. This area can accommodate 50 cars. The second deck accommodates 6 crew members and 88 passengers.

To date, "Mriya" exists in a single copy. The aircraft is used for the transport of goods and during rescue operations. The second plane was planned for release, but remained in a semi-assembled state. Due to the lack of a customer, the completion and modernization of the second An-225 is still in question.

Biggest serial heavyweight

Of the mass-produced heavyweights, the most lifting in the world is considered to be another development of the Design Bureau. Antonov An-124, or "Ruslan". Before the advent of the Airbus A380, it was second in size only to the Boeing 747.

"Ruslan" was originally created for military purposes. With its help, they planned to transport ballistic missile launch systems, heavy military equipment and the military. The first test of Ruslan took place in 1982. For three years it was used exclusively in the interests of the army. The heavyweight was able to carry up to 120 tons of cargo, up to 440 paratroopers or 880 soldiers with equipment.

Since 1985, Ruslan switched to serving civilian transportation, having made the first “delivery” of a 152-ton mining dump truck from Vladivostok to Yakutia. Of the unusual “orders”, it is worth noting the delivery of 140 tons of legendary Pink Floyd equipment from London to Moscow, the transportation of more than 50 tons of gold from the UAE to Switzerland. Michael Jackson also took advantage of the Ruslans, transporting 310 tons of his cargo on three planes.

The An-124 is somewhat shorter than the Mriya (69 meters), but taller (21 meters). The wingspan exceeds 73 meters. The weight of the empty aircraft is 178 tons.

On the upper deck there are crew cabins (for 8 people) and two passenger cabins (7 + 21 people). Lower deck- the pressurized cargo compartment is shorter in length than the An-225 and is 36.5 meters.

The production of Ruslans was stopped in 2004. A total of 55 aircraft of this model were produced. After some of them were modernized: the fuselage and wing were updated, some systems and blocks were replaced, and the carrying capacity was increased.

Ruslans can transport cargo up to 120 tons over a distance of 4.8 thousand kilometers. If the cargo is three times lighter, the flight range will be up to 12 thousand kilometers. The maximum speed that the liner can develop is 865 km / h.

Western analogue of An-124

The closest competitor to the Russian serial heavyweight is the American military transport aircraft Lockheed C-5 Galaxy. This is the third largest air transportation giant in the world after Mriya and Ruslan.

The Lockheed C-5 Galaxy first flew in 1968. Pretty soon, it became the main means for transporting military forces and equipment to the places of military operations. In total, several modifications of the aircraft were produced. The latter - C-5M Super Galaxy - is capable of carrying almost 130 tons of cargo (for comparison, 150 Volkswagen Beetle cars weigh so much in total).

The height of the hull here is almost 20 meters, the length is 75.5 meters, and the wingspan is 67.9 meters.

The dimensions of the aircraft are no less impressive than its capabilities. The length of the aircraft is 75.5 meters, the height is almost 20 meters, the wingspan is just under 68 meters. In a cargo compartment 37 meters long and 5.8 meters in diameter, 270 soldiers and another 118 tons of payload can fit. On the upper deck - a crew cabin for five people and seats for passengers. The flight range with a maximum load is 5.5 thousand kilometers at a speed of up to 888 km/h.

Promising giant

Aircraft designers do not get tired of competing in the production of giants. So, in 2011, it was announced, and six years later, the largest twin-fuselage transport aircraft Stratolaunch Model 351, developed by Scaled Composites, was presented. The new "titan" with a wingspan of 117 meters surpasses the "Mriya" and even the famous "Hercules".

The length of the aircraft is more than 72 meters at a height of 15 meters. According to the project, he will be able to lift up to 250 tons of cargo on an external sling. The purpose of the Stratolaunch Model 351 is to be an aerial launch platform.

Now the aircraft is undergoing the necessary tests. Its commissioning is scheduled for 2019.

The first passenger plane successfully took to the skies in 1913 with only 16 passengers on board. Modern liners are much more spacious.

The biggest passenger aircraft entered our current Top 8. Not all of them have found wide application, but still each deserves attention.

8. IL-96-300

The liner can accommodate up to 300 passengers who sit in rows of 9 seats. Only 9 such liners are used on passenger lines. Much more planes involved in shipping.

The maximum flight range of the passenger modification is 9,000 km.

7. Airbus A340-600

The four-engine liner carries from 380 to 419 people for distances up to 14,600 km. Commercial operation of the model began in 2002.

The cost of the liner is from $245 million to $255 million.

6 Boeing 777-300ER

The aircraft in this modification can accommodate from 305 to 550 passengers. The liner can fly a record distance of 21,000 km without refueling.

The engines installed on the liner are by far the most powerful in civil aviation.

5 Boeing 787 Dreamliner

"Dreamliner" can accommodate up to 330 people maximum, depending on the modification. The aircraft made its first commercial flight in 2011. The Wi-Fi option on board this aircraft is widely advertised. The creation of multimedia presentations of the Dreamliner was supervised by the creative design studio of Elena Shutova.

To date, 183 aircraft have been produced, 22 of which are in the Aeroflot fleet.

4. Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental

This double deck passenger liner accommodates up to 467 passengers. The maximum flight range of the aircraft is 15,000 km.

To date, 74 liners of various modifications, including VIP, have been produced. Among Russian airlines Boeing 747-8 customer is Transaero. The company intends to receive 5 such liners by 2016.

3. McDonnell Douglas DC-10

The aircraft can accommodate up to 380 passengers. In 2010, 168 were used worldwide McDonnell Douglas DC-10. Gradually, the liners were taken out of service, and today they are used for cargo transportation and military purposes.

The reason for the refusal to use the model for the transport of passengers was the high accident rate. This is one of the world.

2 Hughes H-4 Hercules

This aircraft, designed in 1947, was intended to transport 750 soldiers. The liner was developed under the guidance of tycoon Howard Hughes.

Hercules made one single flight, after which it was maintained by Hughes in working order until 1976.

Today, the largest aircraft in terms of wingspan can be seen at the Aviation Museum in Oregon.

1 Airbus A380

The largest aircraft in the world made its first flight in 2005. A total of 139 Airbus A380 aircraft were produced, each of which costs $414 million. Only ten airlines can afford such an aircraft, including Lufthansa, Emirates, Air France.

Initially, 2 modifications of the liners were developed - for 555 and 853 passenger seats. Today in active development Airbus new a model that can carry up to 960 passengers.

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

An-225 "Mriya"

In 1985, the Soviet Union was looking for solutions to create transport system for his reusable spacecraft Burana. There was an urgent need for an air vehicle capable of carrying multi-ton parts of the spacecraft to the place of its collection and launch. As a result, a draft cargo aircraft was proposed, which received the name 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 were implementing 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, 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 has become a reality.

The parameters of the An-225 are amazing: its wingspan is 88.4 meters, its length is 84 meters, and it can take on board a load of 250 tons!

An-225 "Mriya" was built in a single copy and on this moment is in working condition, regularly flying.

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 terms of the maximum takeoff weight of the An-225: 590 tons against 640 tons. The machine has a twin-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 rockets intended for launching into near-Earth orbit will be launched from this aircraft during the flight.

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 aircraft made a test run on the runway, during which it accelerated to 74 km/h. It is planned that the car will make its first flight in 2019.

Airbus A380 is the largest passenger aircraft in the world. In a single-class layout, it can take 853 passengers on board, there is also the A380-1000 project, which can accommodate 1073 passengers in economy class.

2. The Airbus A380 made its first flight on April 27, 2005, and began operating on October 25, 2007. This month we will celebrate our 10th anniversary.

3. Several countries are involved in the production of the liner. The main sections of the airliner are being built at facilities in France, the UK, Germany and Spain. Russia also did not stand aside. The design of the A380F was attended by employees of the Airbus ECAR Engineering Center in Moscow, the first design bureau established by the concern in Europe outside the territories of its member countries in June 2003. Russian designers perform a significant amount of work on the design of fuselage parts, strength calculations, placement of onboard equipment and support for serial production of aircraft.

4. Airbus is very open and often hosts events for aviation enthusiasts. On October 1, together with Domodedovo Airport, another spotting was held. To get to spotting, follow the accounts of Airbus and Domodedovo Airport. But if you don't want to wait, you can take a picture of the Airbus from behind the fence, now you can do it during daylight hours and every day.

5. Wingspan Airbus A380 is 79.75 m, and the wing area is 845 m². The wing size of the A380 is designed for a maximum takeoff weight of over 650 tons. The flight range for the A380-800 model is 15,400 km.

6. The length of the takeoff run of the airliner is 2050 m, the length of the run is 2900 m.

Cruise speed is 900 km/h and top speed is 1020 km/h.

7. Domodedovo Airport became the first airport certified to receive the A380. For this, special equipment had to be purchased. For example, the height of the aircraft is 24.09 m - this is an eight-story building. You need to get to such a height, for example,.
By the way, the equipment is delivered because of the large size.

8. Currently, Domodedovo Airport remains the only airport in Russia that receives Airbus A380 on a regular basis. From 1 October Airbus A380 Emirates airlines flies on the route Dubai - Moscow - Dubai.

9. There are known cases of manufacturing A380 by special order of individuals. The first to order a personal Airbus A380 Super Jumbo was Saudi Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal, the nephew of King Abdullah. The price of the order is $488 million US dollars.

10. Now 215 Airbus A380 aircraft have been produced in the world, orders have been received for another 100 aircraft. On average, Airbus now produces about 30 A380 aircraft per year.

Thanks to the staff of Airbus and Domodedovo Airport for the invitation to spotting. It was very cool.