The An-225 is a strategic cargo airlift aircraft powered by six turbofan engines. It’s the longest and heaviest aircraft ever built, and first flew in 1988. There is only one of these airplanes in the world, only one was ever built. It holds the world record for single item airlifted payload at 189,980 kilograms (418,834 pounds). This made an airlifted total payload of 253,820 kilograms (545,000 pounds). In fact, it’s maximum takeoff weight is 640,000 kilograms – that’s almost 1.5 million pounds.
The name, Mriya, means “dream” in Ukranian.
Watch this aircraft land at Doncaster airport.
What is more impressive, the aircraft landing or taking off? On take off, this enormous aircraft’s six engines are screaming at full power, making some impressive noise, and showing what it takes to get this heavy airplane off the ground.
Now watch it take off from runway 16 at ZRH, Zurich, Switzerland in 2013.
