Antonov 225

Crew (Besatzung): 6 (pilot, co-pilot, two flight engineers, navigator, communications specialist) plus loadmaster
Passengers (Passagiere): Room for 60 - 70 people in cabin behind wing carry-through
Cargo (Fracht): Limit for single external item is 200 tons. Loads of up to 70 m length and 10 m diameter are possible on the back of the fuselage.
Power plant (Antrieb): 6 x Progress D-18T Series 3 turbofans
Power (Leistung): 6 x 229 kN (51590 lbs)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dimensions (Abmessungen)
Length (Länge): 84,00 m
Height (Höhe): 18,20 m
Span (Spannweite): 88,40 m
Wing area (Flgelfläche): 905 sq m
Max. cargo compartment height (Frachtraumhöhe): 4,4 m
Max. width at floor (Breite): 6,4 m
Cargo compartment length (Frachtraumälnge): 43,0 m

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Weights (Massen)
Max. payload (Nutzlast): 250000 kg
Fuel (Kraftstoff): more than 300 000 kg
Max. take-off weigth (max. Startmasse): 600000 kg

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Performance (Flugleistungen)
Cruise speed (Reisegeschwindigkeit): 800 - 850 km/h
Required field length (Startstrecke): 3000 - 3500 m
Range (Reichweite):
- 4500 km with 200 tons internal cargo
- 9600 km with 100 tons internal cargo
- 15400 km with maximum fuel

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Customers (Kunden)
Only one An-225 was built for the transport of the Buran space shuttle and other outsize caro loads.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Competition (Konkurrenz)
None. The An-225 is far and away the largest and heaviest aircraft ever built, surpassing even the An-124 and Lockheeds C-5 Galaxy.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Remarks (Bemerkungen)
Because available aircraft like the An-22 and the Myasishchev M-4 (VM-T) were too small, Antonow got an order to build a new transport for the carriage of outsize loads, namely the Russian space shuttle orbiter Buran and associated rocket stages.
A logical starting point was the An-124. Antonows designers stretched the fuselage, eliminated the rear cargo doors to save weight and fitted twin fins to avoid airflow problems with external loads. Also, a new wing centre section was built, with an additional two engines. The main landing gear got additional wheels.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
History (Geschichte)
Design studies for the the An-225 started in mid-1985.
The An-225 was rolled-out at Kiew in December 1988 and flew for the first time an the 21st of the month. The crew included Alexander Galunenko (pilot), Sergei Grbik (copilot) and Alexander Shileshchenko (flight engineer).
On 22 March 1989, the aircraft set a total of 106 world and class records, with a payload of 156 tons. The first flight with the Buran on the back took place on 13 May 1989, from Baikonur. The next month, the An-225/Buran was the star at the Paris Air Show at Le Bourget.
With the end of the Buran programme, the only aircraft built was stored at Kiew from about 1994. By that time it had made 347 flights and 200 flight hours. Certification trials were finished about 90 per cent.
From time to time, there were efforts to bring the An-225 back in operation for worldwide outsize cargo operations. These then led to the refurbishment of the sole An-225 from automn 2000, with new avionics (Honeywell) and modified engines to lower noise levels. Price for the work is said to be 20 million US-Dollars, paid by Antonow and engine maker Motor-Sich.
The An-225 flew again on 7 May 2001 from Gostomel airfield. This was later then first thought (February). The first sortie lasted 30 minutes. After a few further flights, it is expected that the aircraft will appear at the Le Bourget Air Show in June. Service entry with Antonov airlines could be by the end of the year. There are also plans to complete the second An-225, which was partly finished when work stopped in 1994.

[Dit bericht is gewijzigd door Kreator op 20-11-2002 18:10]

quote:

---

Op woensdag 20 november 2002 18:23 schreef sunbloem het volgende:
dat vliegtuig zou ik ook nog wel eens in het echt willen zien

---

Beetje onduidelijk, maar wel een indruk. .

quote:

---

Op vrijdag 22 november 2002 01:40 schreef xyz het volgende:
en special voor Kreator een foto van de wielen:
http://www.airliners.net/open.file/154898/M/

---