AN-225 "Mriya" - the largest aircraft in the world

AN-225 "Mriya" (translated from Ukrainian - "dream" ) is the heaviest lifting aircraft ever rises into the air . Maximum take-off weight of the aircraft is 640 tons. Cause built An-225 was the need to establish the air transport system for the project of the Soviet space shuttle "Buran" . Plane exists in a single copy.
AN-225 "Mriya" - the largest aircraft in the world
The plane was designed and built in the USSR in 1988 at the Kiev mechanical plant.
"Mriya" set a world record takeoff weight and capacity . March 22, 1989 An-225 flew with a load of 156.3 tons , while beating the 110 world aviation records , which is a record in itself .
Since the beginning of operation of the aircraft flown 3740 hours. If we assume that the average speed flight (including takeoff, climb , cruise , descent, approach to landing ) is about 500 km / h , it is possible to calculate an approximate value to kilometer 500 x 3740 = 1,870,000 km ( more than 46 revolutions around the Earth at the equator )
The scale of the AN-225 strike length of the aircraft - 84 meters, height - 18 meters ( as 6- storey house 4 entrances )
If we take the largest of the Boeing 747-800 , the length of the An- 225 is more than 8 meters and a wingspan - 20 meters .
Compared with the Airbus A380 « Mriya" long by 11 meters, and spanwise surpasses it almost 9 meters.
Happens that there is no corresponding airport parking for such a large aircraft , and it is put directly on the runway.
Of course, we are talking about a spare runway , if there is one at the international airport
Wingspan of 88.4 meters , and the area - 905 m ²
Only aircraft An-225 superior spanwise it Hughes H- 4 Hercules, which belongs to a class of flying boats . In the air ship rose only once in 1947. The history of this aircraft is reflected in the film "The Aviator "
Since he spaceship "Buran" and blocks booster "Energy" had dimensions that exceed the dimensions of the cargo hold " Mriya ", the new plane provided strapping outside. In addition it was planned that the aircraft will be used as the first step at the start of the spacecraft.
Education slipstream from the fixed top of bulky cargo aircraft required to establish two-keel tail to avoid aerodynamic shading.
The aircraft has 6 D-18 engines .
At takeoff thrust each engine produces 23.4 tons ( or 230 kN ) ie the total thrust of all 6 engines is 140.5 tons ( 1380 kN)
We can assume that each engine at takeoff power develops about 12 500 horsepower !
Engines D -18T AN- 225 is the same as that of the AN- 124 "Ruslan" .
Height m of the motor 3 , the width of 2.8 m and a weight of 4 tons.
Starting system - air, electric automatic control. The auxiliary power unit , consisting of two turbine units TA -12 installed in the left and right chassis fairings , provides independent power to all systems and start the engines .
Mass of fuel in the tanks is 365 tons , it is located in the wing tanks , 13 caissons .
The aircraft can remain airborne for 18 hours and cover the distance of more than 15 000 km .
While refueling a car ranges from half an hour to half a day and the number of refueling depends on their capacity ( from 5 to 50 tons) , ie, from 7 to 70 tankers.
Aircraft fuel consumption is 15.9 tonnes / h ( in cruise mode )
When fully loaded aircraft could be in heaven without refueling no more than 2 hours .
Chassis includes two post nasal and 14 more Rack Home ( 7 racks on each side) support.
Per rack taken on two wheels. Total 32 wheels.
The wheels need to be replaced every 90 landings.
Tires for " Mriya " produce at the Yaroslavl Tire Plant . Price per tire is about $ 1,000.
On the bow front - wheel size 1120 x 450 mm, and the main - wheel size 1270 x 510 mm .
The pressure inside is 12 atmospheres.
Since 2001, the An-225 performs commercial freight transportation as part of the airline «Antonov Airlines»
Cargo compartment dimensions : length - 43 m, width - 6,4 m , height - 4.4 m
Cargo aircraft cabin is sealed , which allows the transportation of different types of cargoes . Inside the cabin can accommodate 16 standard containers , up to 80 cars and even heavy trucks type "BelAZ" . There's enough space to fit the entire body of the Boeing 737.
Access to the cargo bay through the nose of the aircraft , which tilts upward.
The process of opening / closing the cargo bay ramp takes less than 10 minutes.
To unfold the ramp plane carries a so-called " elephant bow ."
Nose landing gear deflected forward and weight of the aircraft is transferred to the auxiliary supports, which are installed under the front doorstep of the cargo compartment .
This loading method has several advantages in comparison with the 747 ( which is carried on the loading chamber through the side of the fuselage.
"Mriya" - record weight of cargo : Commercial - 247 tons ( which is four times greater than the maximum payload of 747 ), a commercial Monocargo - 187.6 tons , an absolute record carrying capacity - 253.8 tonnes. June 10, 2010 is the long loads transported in the history of air transportation - two blades windmill length 42.1 m each .
To ensure the safe conduct of the flight , the aircraft 's center of gravity with a load must be within certain limits on its length. Loud - master performs loading in strict accordance with the instructions, and then the second pilot checks the validity of stowage and shall report to the commander of the crew , who makes a decision about the flight and is responsible for it .
The aircraft is equipped onboard loading complex consisting of four hoists , load capacity 5 tons each .
In addition, there are two floor winch for loading propelled vehicles and cargo loading ramps .
For towing aircraft An -225 aircraft carrier can not use other firms , so the carrier is transported by aircraft.
And as the aircraft is not equipped with rear carrier and towing gruzolyuka unloaded and loaded through the front gruzolyuka that requires performing a full cycle squats airplane on the front foot , the result is lost at least 30 minutes and unnecessarily consumes resources of the aircraft structure and systems squats .
To ensure the motion turns the aircraft on the ground the last four series of the main rack supports are oriented .
Large aircraft weight causes the chassis leave traces on the asphalt
The passenger compartment is divided into 2 parts : the front is the aircrew , and in the back - and accompanying staff.
Sealing separate cabins - they are draining .
The rear of the cabin attendants, intended for eating, working with technical documentation and conferences.
On the plane, provided 18 places to stay and crew members of the engineering team - 6 seats in the front cabin and 12 in the rear .
Staircase and a hatch in the cockpit accompanying tail of the plane .
All aircraft systems are highly automated and require minimal intervention crew during operation. Their work is supported by on-board computers 34 .
The most distant point from the main airport , which managed to visit an aircraft - an island of Tahiti , which is part of French Polynesia.
Shortest distance along the arc of the globe around 16,400 km .
To become the commander of the AN-225 , you must have the experience of flying on a plane An-124 as commander of at least 5 years .
Control weight and balance facilitated by the installation of the system chassis measuring the weight loads .
The plane's crew consists of 6 persons :
the aircraft commander , copilot , navigator , flight engineer senior , flight engineer on aircraft equipment , radio operator .
To reduce the effort to improve the accuracy of the ores and the installation mode of the engine system is provided remote control motors. In this pilot makes a relatively small effort , with the help of ropes move the lever electromechanical device , mounted on the engine , which reproduces this movement on the lever of the fuel regulator with the necessary effort and accuracy. For the convenience of co-management at takeoff and landing throttles outer engines ( RUD1 and RUD6 ) respectively engage with RUD2 and RUD5 .
Control of the aircraft that is Booster control surfaces are deflected solely by means of hydraulic steering gear failure which control the aircraft manually ( with an increase of effort required ) is impossible. Therefore applied quadruple redundancy . Mechanical part of the control system (with steering wheel and pedals to the hydraulic steering gear ) consists of rigid rods and cables .
The total length of these cables is : aileron control system in the fuselage - about 30 meters in each arm ( left, right ) wing - approximately 35 meters ; elevator control system and rudder - about 65 meters each.
With an empty plane - takeoff and landing enough 2400m runway .
Takeoff with a maximum weight - 3500 m, with a maximum landing weight - 3300 m
Enforcement begins at the start of the warm engine , which takes about 10 minutes.
Thus preventing the engine surge on takeoff and provides its maximum takeoff thrust . Of course, this requirement leads to the fact that : The Rise performed during periods of minimum load of the airport or the aircraft has been waiting for their turn to take off , skipping scheduled flights .
Speed ​​at takeoff and landing depends on the takeoff and landing weight of the aircraft and is 240 km / h to 280 km / h
The height is set at a speed of 560 km / h , when the vertical velocity of 8 m / s .
At an altitude of 7100 meters, the speed increases to 675 km / h with a further continuation of the climb to flight level.
Cruising speed An-225 - 850 km / h
When calculating the cruising speed is taken into account aircraft weight and range that the aircraft must overcome.
Landing at night " Mrie " performed instrumentally , ie, instrument , from the height and alignment to touch - visually. According to the crew, one of the hardest landings - in Kabul , which is associated with the highlands and a lot of obstacles . Sunset at the start speed of 340 km / h to a height of 200 meters, then gradually dropping speed .
Planting is carried out at a speed of 295 km / h with fully released by mechanization. Allowed to touch the runway at the vertical speed of 6 m / s . After touchdown , immediately shifted to the reverse thrust engines from 2 to 5 , and 1 and 6 left at idle . Deceleration gear speed is carried out on 140-150 km / h to standstill of the aircraft.
Life of the aircraft - 8,000 flying hours , 2,000 takeoffs and landings , 25 calendar years.
Plane can still fly up to December 21, 2013 ( the 25th anniversary since the start of its operation ) , and then will do a thorough study of its technical condition and make the necessary adjustments to ensure the calendar life extension to 45 years.
Because of the high cost of transportation to the AN- 225 , the orders appear only for very long and very heavy loads , when the transport land transport impossible. Flights are random in nature : from 2-3 a month to 1-2 per year. Periodically there are talks about building a second instance of the AN- 225, but it needs the appropriate order and appropriate funding . To complete the construction is required amount approximately equal to $ 90 million , and with the test , it increases to $ 120 million
This is probably one of the most beautiful and impressive aircraft in the world .

Historical experience shows that Stalin was always right

November 28 - December 1, 1943 in the Iranian capital, there was a meeting of heads of the three great powers : the Soviet Union, the United States and Britain. Joseph Stalin , Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Winston Churchill met in Tehran to address a number of complex issues related to the continuation of the war against Nazi Germany , postwar order in Europe, the world and the Soviet Union entered the war against Japan . It was the first meeting of the so-called. "Big Three" . In Western Europe, to hold a meeting "Big Three" was nowhere or dangerous. Washington and London did not want to hold a conference on Soviet territory. In August 1943, Roosevelt and Churchill told Stalin that , in their opinion , such a conference is not suitable nor Archangel nor Astrakhan. They offered to hold a meeting in Alaska, Fairbanks. But Stalin refused in such a stressful time to leave from the front at such a remote distance . Soviet leader proposed a meeting in the State , where there was representation from all three powers , such as in Iran. In addition to Tehran as " capitals conference " treated Cairo ( Churchill suggested it ), Istanbul and Baghdad . But stopped at Tehran , as at this moment it was controlled by Soviet and British troops have been here and the American contingent . Iranian operations ( "Consent" ) of the British- Soviet troops conducted in late August - early September 1941. Allied forces occupied Iran of military-strategic and economic considerations (Operation "Consent ." The Soviet invasion of Iran in 1941 ) . First, the Iranian leadership in the prewar years, actively collaborated with the Third Reich ideology gained momentum Iranian nationalism. As a result, there was a real threat of Iran's involvement on the side of the German Empire as an ally in World War II and the emergence of the German troops here . Second, Iran has become a base of German intelligence , which threatened the interests of Great Britain and the Soviet Union in the region. Third, it was necessary to take control of the Iranian oil fields , preventing possible their capture by German troops . In addition, the USSR and the United Kingdom have created south transport corridor through which the Allies could maintain Russia as part of the Lend-Lease program . The Red Army occupied the northern Iran . The intelligence of the Soviet 44th and 47th armies were actively work to eliminate the German agents . British forces occupied the south- western provinces of Iran. American troops , under the pretext of goods supplied to the Soviet Union , came to Iran in late 1942 . Without any formalities Americans occupied the ports of Bandar Shahpur and Khorramshahr . Through Iranian territory stretched the important communication by which the USSR threw American strategic goods. The overall situation in the Iranian state was though difficult, but manageable. In the Iranian capital stationed Soviet 182nd Mountain Rifle Regiment, who was guarding the most important objects ( before the conference was replaced by a more prepared part ) . Most ordinary Persians belonged to the Soviet people with respect. This facilitated the actions of Soviet intelligence , which can be easily found among Iranians volunteers. arrival Stalin refused to fly the plane and went to the conference 22 November 1943 on the special train number 501, which proceeded through Stalingrad and Baku. For traffic safety Beria personally responsible , he rode in a separate car. The delegation also included Molotov, Voroshilov , Shtemenko , relevant staff of the Foreign Affairs and the General Staff. Baku flew on two planes . First ran flying ace , commander of the 2nd Air Division Task Viktor Grachev , the plane flew Stalin, Molotov, Voroshilov . Long-Range Aviation Commander Alexander Golovanov personally ran the second plane . Churchill went from London to Cairo, where waiting for the U.S. president to once again coordinate positions of the United States and Britain on the main issues of the negotiations with the Soviet leader. Roosevelt crossed the Atlantic Ocean on the battleship " Iowa ", accompanied by significantly escort. They managed to avoid a collision with the German submarines . After a nine-day sea crossing American squadron arrived in the Algerian port of Oran . Then Roosevelt arrived in Cairo . November 28 delegations of the three great powers were already in the Iranian capital . Because of the threat posed by German saboteurs were taken extensive measures to ensure the safety dignitaries . Soviet government delegation stopped in the territory of the Soviet Embassy . The British settled in the territory of the British Embassy . British and Soviet embassy located on opposite sides of the same streets of the Iranian capital width not exceeding 50 m American President , in connection with the terrorist threat , has accepted an invitation to settle in the Soviet embassy . The American Embassy is on the outskirts of the city , seriously worsened ability to create a dense ring of security. The meetings were held at the Soviet Embassy , where Churchill went on a specially built covered walkway , connecting the Soviet and British missions . United around this " security corridor " Soviet- British diplomatic complex , Soviet and British intelligence agencies have created a three-ring for enhanced protection , backed by armored vehicles . All press Tehran stopped its activities were disconnected telephone, telegraph and radio . Germany , relying on numerous agents who tried to assassinate the leaders of the "Big Three " ("Operation Long Jump "). However, the Soviet intelligence knew about this operation . Besides Soviet intelligence together with British colleagues MI6 taped and transcribed all posts by German radio operators who prepared base for the landing subversive group . German radio operators intercepted , and then took the entire German spy network ( over 400 people ) . Some of them have been recruited by . Attempt on the leaders of the "Big Three " have been prevented . The conference planned to solve a number of important questions : - To establish the exact date of the opening of the Second Front allies . It was the most difficult question. England and the United States strongly delayed timing of opening a second front. In addition, Churchill wanted to open a " Balkan front, with the participation of Turkey to stepping through the Balkans , cut the Red Army from the major centers of Western Europe ; - Polish question - Poland's borders after the war ; - The question of entry of the USSR into the war against the Empire of Japan ; - The question of the future of Iran , granting him his independence ; - Issues of the postwar order in Europe (primarily decided the fate of Germany ) , and security in the world after the war key problem The main problem was the decision to open the so-called . "Second front" , ie the landing of Allied forces in Europe and the creation of the Western Front , which should greatly accelerate the fall of the Third Reich. After strategic radical change in the Great Patriotic War , which occurred during the battles of Stalingrad and Kursk , the situation on the Eastern Front were favorable for the Red Army . German troops suffered irreparable loss, and the German military and political leadership has lost the strategic initiative . Wehrmacht moved to strategic defense . However, the victory was still far off , the Third Reich was still a formidable opponent . Accelerate its defeat could only together three great powers. Allies promised to open a second front in 1942 , but a year has passed , and no progress was not. Militarily, the Allies were ready to start operations by July-August 1943, when the Eastern Front went fierce battle in the Orel- Kursk. In England, was deployed 500 - thousand . expeditionary force , which was in full combat readiness , it provided everything necessary , including ships and vessels for combat shield , fire support and landings . However, the front did not open for political reasons. London and Washington were not going to help Moscow. Soviet intelligence learned that in 1943 the Allies second front in northern France will not open . They will wait , "while Germany will not be mortally wounded Russian offensive ." In addition, it was announced that London and Washington have developed a strategic plan to attack from the south , on the outskirts of Italy and the Balkan Peninsula . They planned to withdraw from the war Italy , having secret negotiations with Italian politicians ; force to act on its side Turkey and using it to open the way to the Balkans , launched an offensive in the autumn ; wait until the fall , watch what is happening on the Eastern front . Anglo-American leaders believed that the Germans were deployed in the summer of 1944 a new strategic offensive on the Eastern Front , but after some success will again stopped and discarded. Germany and the Soviet Union will suffer huge losses bled their armed forces. At the same time plans were the Allied landing in Sicily, Greece and Norway . United States and Britain wanted to convince the Soviet Union that the landing in northern France is complicated by a lack of transport, making it impossible to supply large military formations . Involvement in war on Turkey and the offensive through the Balkans - a more favorable scenario , which will connect the Allied armies on the Romanian territory and strike at Germany from the south. Thus, Churchill wanted to cut off most of the Soviet Union in Europe. Moreover , the pace slowed warfare , which made it possible to work out new anti-Soviet scenarios and to minimize the importance of the Red Army in the final stage of the war , when the fighting will go on German territory . Thus, the anti-Hitler coup scenario was worked in Germany, when the new German leadership understand hopelessness of the situation , surrenders and let the Anglo -American forces to save the country from the Red Army. After the war, planned to create a buffer from the anti-Soviet regimes hostile to the USSR in Finland, the Baltic States , Poland, Romania , the new Germany . Besides allies hid from Moscow its nuclear project, which was not directed against the Third Reich and the Anglo-Saxons had to do complete masters of the planet after the Second World War. In Moscow and knew about it, and prepared responses moves. conference summary "Operation Overlord ." After much debate, the problem of opening a second front was at an impasse. Then Stalin expressed his willingness to leave the conference : "We have too much to do at home to spend time here . Nothing worthwhile , as I see it is impossible . " Churchill realized that the question can not be more glowing , compromised . Roosevelt and Churchill promised the Soviet leader to open a second front in France no later than May 1944. The final operation was to determine the time in the first half of 1944 in order to mislead the German command to the place and began landing Anglo-American troops in Western Europe was planned amphibious operation in the South of France. Soviet troops during Operation Allied offensive had to take to prevent transfer of German troops from east to west. Allies agreed to take measures to assist the Yugoslav partisans . Polish question . The future of Poland also caused serious disagreements . However tentatively agreed that the eastern border of the Polish state will be held on the " Curzon Line ". This line is basically consistent with the ethnographic principle : to the west of it were area dominated by the Polish population to the east - land with a predominance of Belarusian , Ukrainian and Lithuanian population . Territorial appetites of Warsaw decided to meet the expense of Germany ( Prussia ), which in the Middle Ages occupied significant Polish lands . Stalin rejected the claims of Roosevelt and Churchill for the recognition by Moscow of Polish Government in Exile in London. United States and Britain planned to plant in Poland their puppets . Moscow did not go for it and stated that separates Poland from Soviet government in exile in England. Iran . "Big Three" adopted the "Declaration on Iran ." The document stressed the desire of Moscow, Washington and London to maintain the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iran . Occupation forces after the war and launch it . I must say that Stalin was not going to leave Iran in the clutches of the Anglo-Saxons . During his stay in Tehran Stalin learned the general condition of the Iranian political elite , the British influence on her , examined the condition of the army. It was decided to organize the aviation and tank school , give them a technique to organize the training of Iranian personnel. Postwar . U.S. president offered to dismember Germany after the war in 5 autonomous public entities and to establish international control (in fact England and the United States ) for the most important German industrial areas - the Ruhr , Saar and others supported him and Churchill . In addition, Churchill suggested to create so-called. " Danubian federation" of the Danube countries , with the inclusion of the South German territories. Almost Germany offered to return to the past - to dismember her . This lays a veritable " mine " under the future structure of Europe. But Stalin did not agree with this decision and offered to send the German question in the European Advisory Commission . USSR as a contribution received after winning the right to annex the part of East Prussia . Security issues in the world after the war. American President Roosevelt proposed the creation of an international organization ( this question has already been discussed previously with Moscow ) on the principles of the United Nations. This organization was to ensure a lasting peace after World War II . The committee , which was to prevent the start of a new war and aggression by Germany and Japan were the USSR , USA, UK and China . Stalin and Churchill were generally supportive of the idea. The war with Japan. The Soviet delegation , given the repeated violations of the Japanese empire of the Soviet- Japanese Neutrality agreement in 1941 and the assistance of Germany , as well as going to meet the wishes of allies , said that the USSR would enter the war against Japan after the final defeat of the Third Reich . In general, Stalin won the Tehran Conference : - Gave London and Washington to push the " southern strategy" - the Allied advance across the Balkans , the Allies made ​​a promise to open a second front ; - The Polish question was resolved in favor of Russia ; - Germany gave to kill and dismember that would create a zone of instability on the western borders of the USSR. Moscow was favorably unified German state as opposed to Great Britain and France ; - In Japan let himself be persuaded , but in reality, Stalin himself wanted to take historical revenge for the Russian war of 1904-1905 . , To regain lost territory and strengthen the position of the USSR in the Asia- Pacific region