What Is the Biggest Airplane Ever Built?

The Antonov An-225 was the heaviest aircraft ever built, designed by the Ukrainian company Antonov Design Bureau to transport the Soviet Union's Buran space shuttle. From its first flight in 1988 until 2022, this massive aircraft set multiple records in aviation history.

At 84 meters (276 feet) long and with an 88.4-meter (290 feet) wingspan, the An-225 could lift an astonishing amount of weight. While empty, it weighed 285 tonnes (628,317 pounds), but could take off carrying up to 640 tonnes (1.4 million pounds). Juts for reference, that's equivalent to about 850 full-grown elephants. Its cargo hold had room for huge loads like industrial machinery, trains, and spacecraft.

The plane had an unusual nose design. The entire front could swing up while the plane was on the ground, allowing cargo to be loaded through the front rather than the side. This meant it didn't need to turn its massive body around to load or unload cargo, saving valuable space at airports. The nose gear was also designed to kneel, lowering the cargo floor for easier loading.

Only one An-225 was ever completed and put into service. A second frame was started but never finished. The operational An-225, nicknamed "Mriya" (meaning "dream" in Ukrainian), flew cargo missions for over three decades until February 2022, when it was destroyed during the Russian invasion of Ukraine at Hostomel Airport near Kyiv.

When people talk about the "largest aircraft," the specifics matter. While the An-225 held the record for maximum takeoff weight, other aircraft claim different size records. For example, the Stratolaunch Roc has a wider wingspan at 117 meters (385 feet), and the H-4 Hercules ("Spruce Goose") was taller. What set the An-225 apart was its combination of size and lifting power, along with its six engines, which happens to be the most ever installed on an aircraft.

The Airbus A380-800 holds the title of largest passenger aircraft ever built. Since its first flight in 2005, this double-deck jetliner has transformed how airlines handle high-capacity routes.

The A380's stretches 72.7 meters (238.6 feet) in length, which is about as long as two blue whales. On the other hand, its wingspan is 79.8 meters (261.8 feet), and standing is 24.1 meters (79.1 feet) tall, similar to an eight-story building. But the real achievement lies in its passenger capacity. Depending on the airline's configuration, it can accommodate between 555 and 853 passengers across its two full-length decks.

Four engines power this aircraft, each generating enough thrust to cruise efficiently at high altitudes. The A380's design combines advanced materials and engineering techniques to keep weight down and improve fuel efficiency, despite its considerable size. For context, even when fully loaded, it can fly non-stop for up to 14,800 kilometers (9,195 miles).

Airbus built this aircraft to solve a specific problem, which was moving large numbers of people between major hub airports efficiently. While smaller aircraft might need multiple trips, one A380 can handle the same passenger load in a single flight.

Engineers had to design special taxiways at airports because the A380's massive wingspan created dangerous air vortices powerful enough to flip smaller planes parked nearby. Additionally, some runways needed to be reinforced because the standard concrete wasn't strong enough to handle the weight of a fully loaded A380.

The A380 program produced commercial aircraft from 2007 to 2021, when Airbus delivered its final A380. Though production has ended, many A380s continue serving major airlines worldwide.

Boeing 747-8

The Boeing 747-8, evolving from the original "Jumbo Jet," comes in two versions: a passenger model (Intercontinental) and a cargo variant (Freighter).

At 76.3 meters (250 feet) long with a wingspan of 68.4 meters (224.4 feet), it's among aviation's giants. The passenger version carries up to 467 people, while the Freighter can haul 137 tonnes (302,033 pounds) of cargo.

During its development, Boeing designers found that painting the engine nacelles (the housing around the engines) with a special serrated pattern called "chevrons" reduced engine noise significantly. This feature, which looks like a saw-tooth pattern at the back of each engine cover, can cut engine noise by up to 30%.

Stratolaunch

The Stratolaunch has the widest wingspan of any aircraft ever built at 117 meters (384 feet), with a length of 73 meters (239.5 feet).

Built as a flying launch platform for space rockets, it can carry up to 280 tonnes (617,294 pounds) and reach speeds of 850 km/h (528 mph). Its first flight in April 2019 marked a significant step in aerospace technology, offering a new way to launch spacecraft from the air.

The aircraft uses six engines and many parts from retired Boeing 747-400 aircraft, including the engines, landing gear, and some flight deck instruments. In fact, it has two separate cockpits - one in each fuselage - though only the right-side cockpit is used for flight control. The left one is empty and unpressurized.

Lockheed C-5 Galaxy

The Lockheed C-5 Galaxy, developed in 1970, remains the largest military transport aircraft. Measuring 75.3 meters (247 feet) long with a 67.9-meter (222.8 feet) wingspan, it can transport up to 127 tonnes (280,000 pounds) of military equipment, including vehicles and helicopters.

Its range continues to impress. It can fly 4,440 kilometers (2,760 miles) with a full load, extending to 11,000 kilometers (6,835 miles) without refueling.

The C-5 can actually "kneel", which means lowering its front and rear sections independently to make loading easier. More surprisingly, despite its enormous size, it can operate from semi-prepared runways (like packed dirt) and doesn't always need a paved surface. This ability was built in specifically so it could deliver cargo to remote military outposts.

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