Antonov An-225 - Mriya

Antonov An-225 Mriya is the world's largest aircraft. When it was built, it surpassed any airliner built before by 50%. It was designed for the transportation of the Russian Space Shuttle "Buran" by the Antonov Design Bureau (HQ in Kiev, Ukraine), which already had built good and large cargo aircraft such as the Antonov An-124 "Ruslan".

The basic configuration of the An-225 is the same as the An-124, except the An-225 is longer, has no rear ramp/door assembly, and incorporates a 32-wheel landing gear system (two nose and fourteen main wheel bogies, seven per side, each with two wheels).

The An-225 first flew on 21 December 1988. Only one An-225 is currently in service. It is commercially available for carrying ultra heavy and/or oversize freight, up to 227 metric tonnes (250 short tons) or 40 tonnes on the outside of the plane. A second An-225 was partially built during the late 1980sin connection with the Soviet space programbut was never finished due to the collapse of the Soviet Union. This aircraft is finally nearing completion as of 2005. The construction of further units will depend upon demand for outsize.

General characteristics
Crew: 7
Capacity: 70
Payload 250,000 kg (551,000 lb)
Maximum takeoff: 600,000 kg (1,320,000 lb)
Empty: 175,000 kg ( 385,800 lb)
Length: 84 m (276 ft)
Wingspan: 88.74 m (291 ft 2 in)
Height: 18.1 m (59.3 ft)
Wing area: 905.0 m (9,741 ft)
Powerplant: (six) ZMKB Progress D-18 turbofans, 229 kN (51,600 lbf) thrust
Takeoff run: apprx. 3,500 metres (11,500 feet) with maximum payload

Performance
Maximum speed: 850 km/h (530 mph)
Range: 4,500 km (2,800 miles) with 200,000 kg (440,000 lb)

Picture taken at Basrah Airport