Description of ANTONOV AN-225
Want to rent the Antonov An-225, the world’s largest cargo aircraft?
The Antonov An-225 is a Soviet transport aircraft that entered service in 1988. Nicknamed Mriya, the “dream” in Ukrainian, it is a unique model. It is the largest aircraft in the world and the only one equipped with six turbojets.
It is capable of transporting up to 250 tons over 4000 to 14,000 kilometres, depending on the load. The An-225 can carry all types of cargo but it is most often used for military equipment. Its first mission was the transfer of the Russian space shuttle Buran, which it mounted on its back.
NATO nicknames it “Cossack”.
The An-225 is 88 metres long, 18 metres high and is ranked third in terms of wingspan (89 metres), behind the Stratolaunch and the H-4 Hercules.
About the Antonov An-225
The Antonov An-225 was built to replace the An-124 and become the world’s longest and heaviest aircraft in service. The first time it took off, it broke more than a hundred world records, including the maximum take-off weight and the highest altitude reached with a heavy load.
However, the collapse of the USSR in 1991 put a temporary halt to its career until 2001, when it was put back into use by the Ukrainian company Antonov Airlines. In 2016, there was talk of restarting production with China, but the project was abandoned. There is therefore only one of these aircraft in circulation.
The creation of an even more efficient aircraft, with two more engines, was envisaged in the 1990s, but did not come to fruition.
The An-225 has been used in operations in Mali as well as more recently in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic. It landed at Châlons-Vatry airport to deliver masks from China to France.
It also appears in some video games such as Battlefield: Bad Company 2 or Fire Department 3.
Trust AEROAFFAIRES to charter your air cargo plane
Tailor-made air freight avoids the constraints of international cargo airlines. AEROAFFAIRES allows you to immediately deliver freight at your choice of date and time.
Customised cargo transportation allows you to transfer cargo to airports located as close as possible to its final destination. Cargo airlines, in comparison, only serve a handful of airports in each country. Whether you’re needing to transport urgent freight, heavy or bulky goods, hazardous and classified products or high-value goods, we work around you to adapt the aircraft to your needs.
Thinking about renting an Antonov An-225 for your next trip? Get in touch with us to request a free, no-commitment quote or contact our air experts 24/7 at +33 (0) 1 44 09 91 82.
