All proceeds go to the reconstruction of the Ukrainian aircraft.
As part of Microsoft flight simulatorIt is pleased to announce today the world’s largest aircraft, the Ukrainian-built Antonov An-225 Mriya. It is a six-engine, ultra-heavy lift jet transport aircraft and holds the record for the world’s longest aircraft, as well as many other size-related aviation records. Only one Mriya was ever completed, and it was disastrously rendered inoperable in the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. Efforts are being made to try to rebuild the aircraft and fly it again.
Using the An-124 Ruslan as a design basis, in 1985 Antonov began constructing a project called the “Mk. 401.” It was later called the An-225 because it could carry up to 225 tons of cargo. Aside from being much larger than the An-124, the Mriya (“dream” in Ukrainian) was fitted with six turbofan engines, the same power sources as the Ruslan. To further distinguish it from the An-124, the tail of the An-225 took on a different shape than that of its smaller predecessor. Instead of one large vertical stabilizer, the An-225 was designed with two, one at each end of its horizontal stabilizer, a design dictated by the aerodynamics of carrying massive loads on the fuselage. The landing gear was also enlarged compared to that of the An-124; The Mriya had a total of 32 wheels, of which the rearmost one on the main landing gear was rotatable.
Two An-225s were slated for production, but Antonov only completed one. It made its maiden flight on December 21, 1988, officially becoming the heaviest aircraft ever flown. On a follow-up flight on March 22, 1989, the AN-225 set 110 world records, which is a record in itself.
A few months later, the plane arrived at the Baikonur Cosmodrome and technicians mounted the Buran orbiter on its upper fuselage. And on June 9, 1989, spectators at the Paris Air Show were stunned by the sight of the massive An-225 with which Buran, riding on its form, approached through the clouds, the first plane to fly over the Eiffel Tower, and then Landing.
Tragically, on February 27, 2022, during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Mriya was attacked and rendered unusable. Preliminary plans are to get the Mriya back in the skies by reassembling parts of the destroyed An-225 with those of the never-completed airframe.
The An-225 measures 275 feet, 7 inches in length (longer than the Wright Flyer’s first flight), stands 59 feet, 5 inches tall and has a wingspan of 290 feet. It is powered by six Progress D-18T high-bypass turbofan engines, each delivering 51,600 pounds of thrust, capable of carrying up to 559,580 pounds (253.8 tons), and has a maximum takeoff weight of 1,410,958 pounds. With a range of 9,600 miles and a service ceiling of 36,000 feet, it cruises at 500 mph and has a top speed of 530 mph.
The An-225 Mriya has six liveries:
- Antonov Airlines ‘2010’
- Antonov Airlines ‘2008’
- Antonov Airlines ‘2006’
- White
- Xbox Aviators Club
- aviator club
Try flying the An-225 available in the Microsoft flight simulator In-Game Marketplace for PC today for $19.99. All proceeds go to the Antonov Corporation to rebuild the An-225. It will be available for Xbox Series X|S and Xbox Cloud Gaming by the end of March.
Join the more than 10 million pilots Microsoft flight simulator Today! Heaven is calling! Microsoft flight simulator is available on Xbox Series X|S and PC with Xbox Game Pass, PC Game Pass, Windows and Steam, as well as on Xbox One and supported lower-spec phones, tablets and PCs via Xbox Cloud Gaming.
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Microsoft Flight Simulator is the next generation of one of the most popular simulation series. From light aircraft to widebody jets, fly highly detailed and stunning aircraft in an incredibly realistic world. Create your flight plan and fly anywhere in the world. Enjoy flying day or night and face realistic, challenging weather conditions.
