The world’s largest aircraft is set to arrive in Australia in May for the first time ever. The transport and logistics company DB Schenker is facilitating the airfreight of a 117-tonne power generator from the Czech Republic to Western Australia for a refinery.
In order to achieve this ultra-heavy airlift, the Antonov-225 Mriya has been designated to fly the long distance route between Prague and Perth
The aircraft is programmed to arrive on 15 May after several refuelling stops en-route across Eurasia and South East Asia, before it finally reaches Perth.
Designed and developed in the 80s and originally assigned to carry the ‘Buran’ spacecraft, the AN 225 is the only one of its kind in the world and has been used as a commercial freighter to assist with worldwide ultra-heavy cargoes and humanitarian relief work for the past three decades.
Specifications:
Crew: 6
Length: 84 m
Wingspan: 88.4 m
Height: 18.1 m
Wing area: 905 cbm
Empty weight: 285 tonne
Max take-off weight: 640 tonne
Cargo hold: volume 1,300 cbm (L 43.35m, W 6.4m, H 4.4m)
Power plant: 6 × ZMKB Progress D-18 turbofans, 229.5 kNeach
Flight range with 200 tonne payload: 4,000 km
