The Heaviest Airplane in the World

Antonov An-225 Mriya is the heaviest airplane on the planet.?It was originally developed as an enlargement of the Antonov An-124 to transport?Buran-class orbiters, and only one example was ever completed.?

After successfully fulfilling its military missions, the aircraft was mothballed for eight years. It was then refurbished and reintroduced into commercial operation with Antonov Airlines, carrying oversized payloads.

?While a second airframe with a slightly different configuration was partially built, construction was halted more than once due to a lack of funding and interest. This second aircraft was last brought up to 60–70% completion in 2009.

With a maximum takeoff weight of 640 tonnes (705 short tons), the An-225 held several records, including the heaviest aircraft ever built and the largest wingspan of any aircraft in operational service. The Mriya attracted a high degree of public interest, attaining a global following due to its size and its uniqueness. People frequently visited airports to see their scheduled arrivals and departures.

The world's largest plane, the Antonov AN-225, has been destroyed during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, according to Ukrainian officials, generating alarm and sadness among the aviation world in which it occupies almost cult status.

Source: CNN and Airways Magazine?

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