The Airbus A380 is a passenger double-decker (double-decker) jet aircraft. Today it is the largest and most spacious airliner in the world. Officially, its development began in 2000, the first flight was made in 2005, and in 2007 it was fully put into operation by the companies that pre-ordered it.
Airbus A380 review
The Airbus A380 has several modifications:
- Basic models Airbus A380-800, 842, 861, 862. The length reaches about 73 meters. The difference lies in the installed engines: GP72XX and Trent 900. The ability to vary the on-board temperature from 18 to 30 degrees Celsius, thanks to internal 16 temperature zones, has become unique;
- A380-800F. Cargo model of an airplane. For some time, Airbus S.A.S. accepted orders for the supply of such a modification, but its production was shelved until the design of the passenger version was fully adjusted. The specific timing is still unknown;
- A380-900. Currently in the design stage. It is 7 meters longer than the original version, and if the aircraft goes into mass production, it will be the longest and most powerful. The possible flight distance will reach 14,200 km;
- A380-1000. It is planned to be the most spacious airliner. In the future, it will be able to accommodate 1,073 passengers exclusively in economy class and 757 people in three classes. The start of use is expected to date from 2020-2025. The length of the aircraft is 87 meters;
- A380plus. This modification is currently being tested. On board it will be able to accommodate 80 more people than in the basic version, and also reduce fuel consumption and operating costs.
Airbus A380 passenger cabin design
Airbus a380-800 Emirates interior diagram
The aircraft has an upper and lower deck, which are connected by two staircases, at the nose and tail of the aircraft. Various modifications of the A380 accommodate first class, business economy and premium economy classes.
First grade
On an Airbus A380 passenger aircraft, as a rule, first class seats are located at the very beginning. Everyone already knows that these places are the best, and the attitude towards the passenger is as if he were a guest of a five-star hotel. Each chair here can be converted into a small bed. The first class section may even have a shower, which is widely used by some airlines.
However, not everything is so smooth and the “suite” also has its drawbacks: these are seats located in the 1st and 4th rows, located in close proximity to the toilet. Also, opposite the 1st row there is a staircase connecting the two decks of the plane, and not every passenger will like such a neighborhood.
Business Class
Business class in the Airbus A380 is located immediately behind the first. There are also comfortable armchairs that can be turned into a bed if desired. The distance between the seats is sufficient, so you can easily stretch your legs to their full length. Passengers are provided with a minibar, which is usually included in the ticket price.
Economy class
On the bottom or main (if the plane consists entirely of one class) there is an economy class. It amounts to 399 seats in the classic layout offered by the manufacturer. The seats here do not lie flat, as in first and business class, but they are quite comfortable. According to the world standard, the distance for the legs between the rows reaches 80 cm. Each passenger has his own screen installed in the back of the previous seat, the ability to watch video, listen to audio, a USB connector and paid Internet. Availability of the latter will depend on the airline.
Best places
As mentioned earlier, the ideal seats on this airliner are in first and business class. In economy you can also get a good job on rows 45, 54 and 82. The seats are located far from the toilets and technical areas, there are no seats in front, which means there is plenty of legroom. Rows 68 and 81 would also be good. They are located near the windows and are considered one of the most comfortable in economy class.
Rows 43, 52, 67 and 80 are considered “average” in terms of convenience. There is enough space between the seats, but technical rooms and a toilet are located nearby, which can cause inconvenience. The worst seats are in row 88. This is where the wall is located, because of which the seat and the toilet room do not recline, where passengers scurry back and forth. It is better to buy tickets here when there are no other options.
Photo of the cabin in economy class:
Main characteristics
The Airbus 380 has a wide fuselage (aisle). It is unique in its kind, which is why it is in great demand among many airlines, both domestic and foreign. The cockpit is the same for all models. Airbus S.A.S. uses this tactic. used to save on crew training.
The Airbus 380 airliner has the following technical characteristics:
- Number of seats as standard - 525;
- Capacity - 853;
- Cabin width - 6.5 m;
- Length - 72.7 m;
- Height - 24.1 m;
- Wing span - 80 m;
- Wing area - 845 sq. m;
- Empty aircraft weight - 276.8 thousand kg;
- Takeoff weight - 560 thousand kg;
- Landing weight - 386 thousand kg;
- Weight without fuel - 361 thousand kg;
- Fuel tank capacity - 310 thousand liters;
Aircraft flight data:
- Maximum flight altitude - 13.1 thousand m;
- The maximum flight distance with a full load is 15 thousand km;
- Run length - 2.9 thousand m;
- Take-off run length - 2 thousand m;
- Engines - 4 R-R Trent 970 or 4 Alliance GP7270.
History of creation
The development of the wide-body aircraft project was started by Airbus S.A.S. back in 1994. Then it was planned to compete with the then monopolist Boeing with its Boeing-747 airliner. Initially, the future brainchild of Airbus had the code name A3XX. The designers wanted to combine two fuselages of the company's largest aircraft at that time, the A340, but this would have led to a significant decrease in flight parameters, an increase in the acceleration length and total weight.
It was decided to use a two-deck model, which gave the car a number of advantages. The project started in 2000, and the amount of planned costs reached 8.8 million euros. The name of the aircraft also has an interesting history. Instead of A340, it received the number A380. In a number of Asian countries, eight is considered a lucky number and this probably served as a positive impetus for customers to purchase an airliner.
Construction was completed in 2005 and the aircraft was demonstrated at the airfield in Toulouse. During the tests, engineers identified errors in the design of the wing and it had to be changed in a timely manner. Full tests on the ground and in the air were completed at the end of 2007 and the A380 received European certificates of conformity.
Where is it produced?
Fuselage cross-section
The aircraft is manufactured by the European company Airbus S.A.S., based in Toulouse (France). It also has several offices in Germany, Spain, France and the UK and two factories in Blagnac (a suburb of Toulouse) and Hannover (Germany). The company's activities began in 1969 after the merger of several small European aircraft manufacturing companies. Here, not only passenger aircraft are being developed, but also cargo aircraft, as well as vehicles adapted for military needs.
Cost of different models
The price of different modifications of the A380 can vary greatly. Its growth is also affected by the unstable economic situation in the world. Recently, there has been a steady trend towards higher prices for aircraft. And in general, the airliner itself of this model is considered the most expensive in the entire Airbus family.
The current price of the Airbus A380-800 is US$428 million. The company is still silent about the cost of the models, the production of which is planned to begin in the near future, and the final figure is known only to airlines that have placed pre-orders. Every year prices rise by about 2-3%. A total of 219 vehicles were sold and put into operation, and another 317 are under construction. This information is provided by the official Airbus representative office.
News, modernization, prospects
There are several cases where the order for the A380-800 was placed by important people and famous people. For example, the most common story was about the prince of Saudi Arabia, who bought his own A380 Super Jambo from the company, whose total cost was 488 million US dollars.
There was an opinion that this plane was capable of damaging airport runways, but this turned out to be untrue. The landing gear pressure turned out to be much less than that of its main competitors Boeing 747 and 777. In Russia, the first airport adapted to receive the wide-body A380 was Moscow Domodedovo. The order to rebuild the runway was issued by the air transport agency in Russia.
The A380 is a true world record holder. It has the quietest passenger cabin noise levels, is the most fuel-efficient and largest aircraft available today.
Due to the large size of the aircraft, 597 kg of paint have to be spent on painting it, and the total surface area reaches 10 thousand square meters. m. Also, thanks to the expanded wing area, the airliner's speed is 35 km/h lower than that of its main competitor. This allows you to reduce possible noise at the airport during landing or takeoff.
At the moment, the development of the A380-1000 and A380plus is actively underway. A huge number of airlines have already placed pre-orders for the latest aircraft and passengers can only wait for the modern aircraft to enter service and delight us with their reliable build quality and speed.
Watch a video about the Airbus A380, the largest passenger aircraft in the world.
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The giant double-deck Airbus A380 is the largest passenger aircraft in the history of world aviation, with a maximum capacity of 853 passengers in a single-class configuration. The first copy was delivered to the customer in 2007; to date, more than 110 vehicles have been built! Today I want to show the A380 assembly line at the Toulouse plant, the scale and size of what I saw is impressive... Well, for a big plane - big photos in the report!
Many spotters, and not only them, consider the plane aesthetically unattractive. I categorically disagree with this statement, moreover, I think it is especially beautiful and elegantly heavy. The A380 taking off slowly is beautiful!
Now let's go to the factory...
This is a diagram of the location of production facilities at a plant in the town of Balagnac near Toulouse, orange is the A380 assembly shops.
Each A380 aircraft consists of approximately 4 million individual components and 2.5 million parts, manufactured by 1,500 companies in 30 countries.
The main elements of the A380 fuselage cannot be transported by air, so they are transported by sea and river on specially adapted barges, and then twice a month by car - this is called "night convoy".
Especially for this aircraft, Airbus has developed a unique logistics system that involves sea, river, air and road transport. From the town of Lisle-Jourdain, approximately 30 km from Blagnac, at exactly 22:00, the night convoy begins moving at a speed of 15-20 km/h, so as not to interfere with traffic - six trailers on which all parts of the aircraft are placed depart in a two-hour way to the final point - the final assembly line in Blagnac.
Fuselage sections with a diameter of 7 meters are transported straight through the narrow streets of the town. But this is the only possible and most optimal point for delivery of aircraft elements to the plant.
At the first station, the fuselage sections are assembled and connected to each other
Then the wings and vertical stabilizer are installed:
The wing area of the A380 is 845 m2, which is 54% more than that of the Boeing 747-400!
And it's not just a tail... it's FIVE giraffes! :)
Preparation of engine pylons:
The aircraft is assembled and the passenger compartment and cockpit are installed at the following positions:
Each of the main landing gear can withstand a load of up to 260 tons, which is equivalent to the weight of 200 Golf cars
And finally, the last assembly station, where the installation of engines and passenger seats is carried out:
The A380 can be equipped with two types of engines: Rolls-Royce Trent 900 or Engine Alliance GP7000. Only two of the four engines are equipped with thrust reversers.
Reducing noise levels was an important design requirement for the A380, which was partly reflected in the design of the engines. Both engine types enable the aircraft to meet London Heathrow Airport noise limits QC/2 on departure and QC/0.5 on arrival.
The A380 is the most fuel-efficient aircraft in its category. This is the only long-haul airliner that consumes less than 3 liters of fuel to transport a passenger per 100 km (typical layout of 525 seats)
The total area of the A380 cabin is 554 m2. Two full decks: the main deck is the widest passenger cabin in the world (6.5 m); the upper deck is a full-fledged cabin of a wide-body aircraft (5.8 m). The aircraft's air conditioning system is equipped with the most modern filters, which ensure uniform air supply to all parts of the aircraft. The air in the aircraft cabin (volume 1570 m3) is completely replaced every three minutes! The A380 has the quietest passenger cabin in the history of world aviation, I was personally convinced of this on the way from Frankfurt to Singapore.
This A380 will presumably be transferred to a private customer. And behind it, the A300B is the first aircraft produced by Airbus. This aircraft revolutionized civil aviation in the 70s, becoming the first wide-body twin-engine aircraft.
The circular structure on the right is the static engine testing area, with barriers around the circle limiting the distribution of the sound wave.
To date, more than 110 A380 aircraft have been produced; an average of 2.5 aircraft are produced and delivered to customers every month. The order backlog is another 160 aircraft! Currently, the A380 is in service with 20 airlines.
Here are some interesting statistics on B777/B747 replacement on some flights:
And the A380 occupancy rate is also not lower than 80%:
Emirates has the largest A380 fleet:
Five A380s were built for demonstration and testing purposes. The first A380, serial number MSN001 and registration F-WWOW, was unveiled at a ceremony in Toulouse on January 18, 2005, and first flew on April 27, 2005. Here is the very first A380:
The assembly shops of the Airbus plant can be visited by everyone! 2-3 hour tours are organized both in Hamburg and Toulouse, costing 10-15 euros. Pre-reservation is required (!), especially if it is important to get into a group with an English-speaking guide; read the links for additional and current conditions.
These giants plow the skies with ease and grace, and, looking at them from the ground, no one would think that these steel birds represent such a huge structure that the height of the tail of one of these airliners - the A-380 - is five giraffes, set Each other. The Airbus A-380 is the largest passenger aircraft in the world, but this article will not only talk about it.
"Boeing 747"
Among passenger aircraft, the Airbus A380 and Boeing 747 have the maximum size. These are airliners capable of simultaneously carrying more than five hundred passengers. In particular, the A380 is capable of lifting 853 passengers into the air. Before the advent of this giant, the Boeing 747 with a length of 70.6 meters and the Boeing 747-8 with a length of 76.25 meters (the longest passenger aircraft) were the most spacious airliners in the world (the maximum number of simultaneously transported passengers reached 600 people). The Boeing 747-8 is more fuel efficient than the Boeing 747, which first flew on February 9, 1969. The designers originally planned a double-deck aircraft design, but the upper deck was shortened due to technical problems. The Boeing 747 was the first airliner in the world to have two aisles between seats. This aircraft is certified to fly on three engines, and if one of the four fails, the aircraft can fully take off, fly and land on the remaining three engines. At the same time, the cruising speed of the Boeing 747 passenger aircraft is 913 km/h.
Giant A-380
The giant double-deck “French” airliner A380, the first copy of which rolled off the production line in 2005, is the largest passenger aircraft in the history of world aviation. Indeed, its creators have something to be proud of - the cabin of the Airbus A380 can accommodate 853 passengers. To date, more than 110 machines have already been built and put into operation. The monthly production volume of these aircraft is 2.5 aircraft. Today, these giants are used by 20 airlines, with Emirates airline having the largest fleet.
The cruising speed of the A380 passenger aircraft reaches 1020 km/h. Each aircraft consists of about four million individual parts and components, which are manufactured in thirty countries around the world by one and a half thousand manufacturing companies and delivered using a unique logistics system developed by Airbus, which includes routes by water, as well as by air and road transport. Each landing gear can withstand a load of about 260 tons (200 passenger cars). For comparison with its predecessor, the wing area of the A380 aircraft is equal to one and a half wing areas of the Boeing 747-400 and is 845 square meters.
The world's largest passenger aircraft can be powered by two types of low-noise engines: either the Rolls-Royce Trent 900 or the Engine Alliance GP7000. At the same time, the A380 is the most economical airliner in its segment - fuel consumption for transporting a passenger per 100 km with a cabin layout of 525 seats does not exceed three liters.
The dimensions of passenger aircraft are impressive; the A380 cabin area is 554 square meters. The liner has two decks - the main one, the width of which is a record high - 6.5 meters, and the upper one with a width of 5.8 meters.
An air volume of 1,500 cubic meters is replaced every three minutes by the air conditioning system; during the flight, there is a pleasant silence in the aircraft cabin, the hum of the turbines is practically inaudible.
Russia is proud of them
What does the domestic aviation industry offer us? The largest turboprop aircraft in the world is the Antonov An-22. Its length is about 60 meters, flight speed is 580 km/h. The first airliner was released in 1965.
"That"
The legendary Tu-134 is a passenger airliner for medium-distance flights, up to 2800 meters. It is designed for a maximum of 96 seats, its cruising speed is 850 km/h at an altitude of 11,000 m. The Tu-154 is a larger capacity aircraft, 158 people can be accommodated in the cabin of three classes, 180 in economy class. The maximum flight speed of this airliner is 950 km/ h, and the Tu-154M modification is capable of covering distances of up to 5200 km.
The Tu-204 can accommodate 214 passengers, and the cruising speed is slightly lower than its previous “brother” - 850 km/h.
"Su"
The Sukhoi Superjet 100 is not the largest passenger aircraft in the world, but it is famous for being the first Russian airliner designed using digital technologies. It is designed for flights up to 3,000 kilometers on lightly loaded airlines. The maximum number of passengers is 98 people.
"Il"
Speaking about domestic aircraft, one cannot fail to mention the Ilyushintsy. Russian passenger aircraft presented by this design bureau have several main types that are well known to us. Let's talk about each of them in more detail.
Let's start with the simplest one - the IL-62, an airliner that has been produced since 1971 and is designed for medium-distance flights - up to 10,000 kilometers. This aircraft accommodates 198 passengers and five crew members. Its maximum speed at cruising altitude is 850 km/h.
As for the Il-86 aircraft, it is also designed for medium-distance flights; the cabin, containing two classes, can accommodate 234 passengers; if the aircraft is three-class, then 314 people. At the same time, 11 flight attendants serve customers. The aircraft are equipped with twelve emergency slides and all the necessary modern rescue systems. The cruising speed of the Il-86 is 950 km/h, the distances over which it flies do not exceed 5,000 kilometers with a maximum flight duration of eight hours.
IL-96
Now about the largest representative of the Ilyushin family - the Il-96 airbus. It is designed for long distance flights. Three hundred people in economy class and 262 passengers in three classes - this figure is practically no different from the previous described model of this family. The airliner flies at a maximum cruising speed of 900 km/h and is capable of covering a distance of up to 12,100 km. Its improved “model” - Il-96M - can accommodate a larger number of passengers - up to 435 people in the charter version.
Near term, or domestic developments
Today, the largest Russian aircraft project is the Irkut MS-21. Within its framework, it is planned to produce short- and medium-haul passenger airliners. Now the Irkut company is carrying out development and construction, the first copies of the aircraft according to the plan will be certified in 2016, and flight tests will begin at the same time. The start of serial production of MS-21 is expected in 2017-2018. On the Russian passenger aircraft market, these airliners should replace the Tu-154 and Tu-204 and will be operated on domestic and international routes.
The project is not developing the largest passenger aircraft in the world, but the family of airliners being created will include various aircraft of three types in length and passenger capacity - with 150, 180 and 210 seats. The model range will contain aircraft with an increased flight range. The vessel's cruising altitude will be 11,600 kilometers, the speed that the liner will develop will be 870 km/h, and the maximum fuselage length will be 39.5 meters. The crew will consist of two people.
As for the progress of work, the base of the project is the Yak-242. The development of the new wing belongs to the Sukhoi Civil Aircraft company, fuselage work is carried out directly by the Irkut corporation and the Yakovlev Design Bureau.
It is expected that the new airliners will be more economical due to the use of modern composite materials, as well as new generation engines. The aircraft will be equipped with Pratt & Whitney geared turbofan engines; in the future, it is possible to install domestic Perm PD-14 engines.
People are always attracted by some kind of record - record-breaking aircraft always receive great attention
3rd place: Airbus A380
The Airbus A380 is a wide-body, double-deck jet passenger aircraft created by Airbus S.A.S. (formerly Airbus Industrie) is the largest production airliner in the world.
The height of the aircraft is 24.08 meters, length is 72.75 (80.65) meters, wingspan is 79.75 meters. The A380 can fly non-stop over distances of up to 15,400 km. Capacity - 525 passengers in three classes; 853 passengers in single-class configuration. There is also a cargo modification of the A380F with the ability to transport cargo up to 150 tons over a distance of up to 10,370 km.
The development of the Airbus A380 took about 10 years, the cost of the entire program was about 12 billion euros. Airbus says it needs to sell 420 planes to recoup its costs, although some analysts estimate the figure could be much higher.
According to the developers, the most difficult part in creating the A380 was the problem of reducing its weight. It was solved through the widespread use of composite materials both in structural structural elements and in auxiliary units, interiors, etc.
To reduce the weight of the aircraft, advanced technologies and improved aluminum alloys were also used. Thus, the 11-ton center section consists of 40% of its mass from carbon fiber reinforced plastic. The fuselage top and side panels are made from Glare hybrid material. Laser welding of stringers and skin was used on the lower fuselage panels, which significantly reduced the number of fasteners.
Airbus claims that the Airbus A380 burns 17% less fuel per passenger than “the current largest aircraft” (presumably referring to the Boeing 747). The less fuel is burned, the lower the carbon dioxide emissions. For an airplane, CO2 emissions per passenger are only 75 grams per kilometer traveled. This is almost half the carbon dioxide emissions limit set by the European Union for cars produced in 2008.
The first A320 aircraft sold was delivered to the customer on October 15, 2007 after a long acceptance testing phase and entered service on October 25, 2007, making a commercial flight between Singapore and Sydney. Two months later, Singapore Airlines President Chew Chong Seng said the Airbus A380 was performing better than expected and was consuming 20% less fuel per passenger than the company's existing Boeing 747-400s.
The aircraft's upper and lower decks are connected by two staircases at the bow and tail, wide enough to accommodate two passengers shoulder to shoulder. In the 555-passenger configuration, the A380 has 33% more passenger seats than the Boeing 747–400 in its standard three-class configuration, but the cabin has 50% more space and volume, resulting in more space per passenger.
The maximum certified capacity of the aircraft is 853 passengers when configured with a single economy class. The announced configurations have a number of passenger seats from 450 (for Qantas Airways) to 644 (for Emirates Airline, with two comfort classes).
2nd place: Hughes H-4 Hercules
Hughes H-4 Hercules (eng. Hughes H-4 Hercules) is a transport wooden flying boat developed by the American company Hughes Aircraft under the leadership of Howard Hughes. This 136-ton aircraft, originally designated the NK-1 and informally nicknamed the Spruce Goose, was the largest flying boat ever built, and its wingspan remains a record to this day. - 98 meters. It was designed to transport 750 soldiers when fully equipped.
At the beginning of World War II, the US government allocated $13 million to Hughes to build a prototype of a flying ship, but the aircraft was not ready by the end of hostilities, which was explained by a shortage of aluminum, as well as Hughes’ stubbornness in creating a flawless machine.
Specifications
Crew: 3 people
Length: 66.45 m
Wingspan: 97.54 m
Height: 24.08 m
Fuselage height: 9.1 m
Wing area: 1061.88 m?
Maximum take-off weight: 180 tons
Payload weight: up to 59,000 kg
Fuel capacity: 52,996 l
Engines: 8? air cooling Pratt&Whitney R-4360-4A 3000 l. With. (2240 kW) each
Propellers: 8? four-blade Hamilton Standard, diameter 5.23 m
Flight characteristics
Top speed: 351 mph (565.11 km/h)
Cruising speed: 250 mph (407.98 km/h)
Flight range: 5634 km
Service ceiling: 7165 m.
Despite its nickname, the plane is built almost entirely from birch, or more precisely from birch plywood glued to a pattern.
The Hercules aircraft, piloted by Howard Hughes himself, made its first and only flight on November 2, 1947, when it rose to a height of 21 meters and covered approximately two kilometers in a straight line over Los Angeles Harbor.
After a long period of storage (Hughes maintained the aircraft in operational condition until his death in 1976, spending up to $1 million a year on this), the aircraft was sent to a museum in Long Beach, California.
The plane is visited by about 300,000 tourists annually. The biography of the aircraft's creator, Howard Hughes, and the aircraft's testing are shown in Martin Scorsese's film "The Aviator."
It is currently on display at the Evergreen International Aviation Museum in McMinnville, Oregon, where it was moved in 1993.
1st place: AN-225 What a plane! Of course, he's Russian!
This machine was designed and built in a very short time: the first drawings began to be created in 1985, and in 1988 the transport aircraft was already built. The reason for such a short deadline can be quite easily explained: the fact is that the Mriya was created on the basis of well-developed components and assemblies of the An-124 Ruslan. For example, the fuselage of the Mriya has the same transverse dimensions as the An-124, but is longer; the span and area of the wings have increased. The wing has the same structure as the Ruslan, but additional sections have been added to it. The An-225 now has two additional engines. The aircraft's landing gear is similar to that of the Ruslan, but it has seven instead of five struts. The cargo compartment has been changed quite seriously. Initially, two aircraft were laid down, but only one An-225 was completed. The second copy of the unique aircraft is approximately 70% complete and can be completed at any time, subject to proper funding. To complete its construction, an amount of 100-120 million dollars is needed.
On February 1, 1989, the aircraft was shown to the general public, and in May of the same year, the An-225 made a non-stop flight from Baikonur to Kyiv, carrying a Buran weighing sixty tons on its back. That same month, the An-225 delivered the Buran spacecraft to the Paris Air Show and created a real sensation there. In total, the aircraft holds 240 world records, including the transportation of the heaviest cargo (253 tons), the heaviest monolithic cargo (188 tons) and the longest cargo.
The An-225 Mriya aircraft was originally created for the needs of the Soviet space industry. In those years, the Soviet Union was building Buran, its first reusable spacecraft, an analogue of the American shuttle. To implement this project, a transport system was needed that could be used to transport large loads. It was for these purposes that “Mriya” was conceived. In addition to the components and assemblies of the spacecraft itself, it was necessary to deliver parts of the Energia rocket, which were also colossal in size. All this was delivered from the production site to the final assembly points. The units and components of Energia and Buran were manufactured in the central regions of the USSR, and final assembly took place in Kazakhstan, at the Baikonur Cosmodrome. In addition, the An-225 was initially designed so that in the future it could transport the finished Buran spacecraft. The An-225 could also transport large cargo for the needs of the national economy, for example, equipment for the mining, oil and gas industries.
In addition to participating in the Soviet space program, the aircraft was to be used to transport oversized cargo over long distances. The An-225 Mriya will carry out this work today.
The general functions and tasks of the machine can be described as follows:
transportation of general purpose cargo (large, heavy) with a total weight of up to 250 tons;
intracontinental non-stop transportation of cargo weighing 180–200 tons;
intercontinental transportation of goods weighing up to 150 tons;
transportation of heavy bulky cargo on an external sling with a total weight of up to 200 tons;
use of aircraft for air launch of spacecraft.
The unique aircraft was given other, even more ambitious tasks, and they were also related to space. The An-225 Mriya aircraft was supposed to become a kind of flying cosmodrome, a platform from which spaceships and rockets would be launched into orbit. "Mriya", according to the designers, was supposed to be the first stage for the launch of reusable spacecraft of the "Buran" type. Therefore, initially the designers were faced with the task of making an aircraft with a payload capacity of at least 250 tons.
The Soviet shuttle was supposed to launch from the “back” of the plane. This method of launching vehicles into low-Earth orbit has many serious advantages. Firstly, there is no need to build very expensive ground-based launch complexes, and secondly, launching a rocket or ship from an airplane seriously saves fuel and allows you to increase the payload of the spacecraft. In some cases, this may make it possible to completely abandon the first stage of the rocket.
Various air launch options are currently being developed. They are working especially actively in this direction in the United States, and there are also Russian developments.
Alas, with the collapse of the Soviet Union, the “air launch” project with the participation of the An-225 was practically buried. This aircraft was an active participant in the Energia-Buran program. The An-225 carried out fourteen flights with Buran on the top of the fuselage, and hundreds of tons of various cargo were transported as part of this program.
After 1991, funding for the Energia-Buran program ceased, and the An-225 was left without work. Only in 2000 did the modernization of the machine begin for use for commercial purposes. The An-225 Mriya aircraft has unique technical characteristics, enormous payload capacity and can transport large cargo on its fuselage - all this makes the aircraft very popular for commercial transportation.
Since that time, the An-225 has performed many flights and transported hundreds of tons of various cargo. Some transport operations can be safely called unique and have no analogues in the history of aviation. The aircraft took part in humanitarian operations several times. After the devastating tsunami, he delivered power generators to Samoa, transported construction equipment to earthquake-ravaged Haiti, and helped eliminate the consequences of the earthquake in Japan.
In 2009, the An-225 aircraft was modernized and its service life was extended.
The An-225 Mriya aircraft is designed according to the classical design, with high-raised, slightly swept wings. The cabin is located in the front of the aircraft, the cargo hatch is also located in the nose of the vehicle. The aircraft is made according to a two-fin design. This decision is related to the need to transport cargo on the fuselage of the aircraft. The An-225 airframe has very high aerodynamic properties; the lift-to-drag ratio of this aircraft is 19, which is an excellent indicator not only for transport aircraft, but also for passenger aircraft. This, in turn, significantly improved the aircraft's performance and reduced fuel consumption.
Almost the entire internal space of the fuselage is occupied by the cargo compartment. Compared to the An-124, it has become 10% larger (by seven meters). At the same time, the wingspan increased by only 20%, two more engines were added, and the aircraft’s carrying capacity increased by one and a half times. During the construction of the An-225, drawings, components and assemblies of the An-124 were actively used, thanks to which the aircraft was able to be created in such a short time. Here are the main differences between the An-225 and the An-124 “Ruslan”:
New center section;
fuselage length increased;
the single-fin tail was replaced with a double-fin;
lack of a tail cargo hatch;
the number of main landing gear struts has been increased from five to seven;
external cargo fastening and pressurization system;
two additional D-18T engines were installed.
Unlike the Ruslan, the Mriya has only one cargo hatch, which is located in the bow of the aircraft. Like its predecessor, Mriya can change the ground clearance and angle of the fuselage, which is extremely convenient during loading and unloading operations. The chassis has three supports: a front two-post and two main ones, each of which consists of seven posts. Moreover, all racks are independent of each other and are produced separately.
To take off without cargo, the plane needs a runway 2400 meters long, with cargo - 3500 meters.
The An-225 has six D-18T engines suspended under the wings, as well as two auxiliary power units located inside the fuselage.
The cargo compartment is sealed and equipped with all the necessary equipment for loading operations. Inside the fuselage, the An-225 can transport up to sixteen standard aviation containers (each weighing ten tons), fifty passenger cars, or any cargo weighing up to two hundred tons (turbines, especially large cargo vehicles, generators). On top of the fuselage there are special fastenings for transporting large cargo.D
Technical characteristics of An-225 "Mriya"
Wingspan, m 88.4
Length, m 84.0
Height, m 18.2
Weight, kg
Empty 250000
Maximum takeoff 600000
Fuel weight 300000
Engine 6*TRDD D-18T
Specific fuel consumption, kg/kgf·h 0.57-0.63
Cruising speed, km/h 850
Practical range, km 15600
Range, km 4500
Practical ceiling, m 11000
Crew of six people
Payload, kg 250000-450000.
An-225 is a Soviet transport jet aircraft with an ultra-high payload developed by the Design Bureau named after. O.K. Antonov, is the largest aircraft in the world.
The passenger cabin of the Airbus A380 aircraft has two decks and can have two options. The first option is when the cabin is divided into three classes (first and business class on the upper deck and economy class on the lower deck, thus the capacity is from 516 to 525 people). The second version of the passenger cabin layout of the A380 aircraft provides only economy class, located on the upper and lower decks with a capacity of more than 644 people.
Interior layout and best seats
The three-class version of the passenger cabin provides for the location of the first class in the front part of the upper cabin. There is no point in proving that the places here are the most comfortable, and the staff service is no worse than in a five-star hotel. Each seat in the first cabin of the A380 aircraft looks like a closed separate compartment with a convenient door. The passenger seat can be folded out and turned into a comfortable bed. Services such as Internet and the ability to charge mobile devices are offered. In addition, each of these “mini-compartments” has a large, convenient monitor and a mini-bar. For first class passengers, there are showers (as, for example, on Emirates Airline aircraft), and an exquisite restaurant menu is also provided.
However, it should be noted that even in first class there are places that have their drawbacks. These are seats in the first and fourth rows (according to the diagram), located close to the toilets. Most likely, passengers will visit the toilet at any time of the day, so the noise of the doors can seriously interfere with the rest of passengers. The close proximity of the service areas also means that staff will often walk past the first and fourth rows of first class, creating additional inconvenience. And of course, in addition to everything, directly opposite the first row of seats there is a staircase leading down to the main deck, which also will not contribute to proper rest, especially at night. Behind the first class seats on the upper deck of the Airbus A380 is business class.
Business class also has very comfortable seats for passengers (although not as good as first class). Each place here is equipped with a comfortable chair, which, if necessary, can be unfolded and turned into a comfortable bed. In addition, there is a good bar here, and the distance between the seats allows you to absolutely not worry about legroom. However, in the business class of the A380 aircraft there are seats with less comfort. These, as in first class, are seats near the bar and near the toilets - usually in the first and last rows. On the diagram of the upper passenger cabin of the Airbus A380 aircraft, these seats are indicated by rows 6, 21, 22 and 26. As for first class, the inconvenience of these seats is explained by the intense flow of passengers to bars and toilets at any time of the day, as well as the movement of service personnel. When booking tickets, you should take this factor into account and take seats in the rows listed above only in cases where there are no more tickets for other seats.
On the lower (or main) deck of the passenger cabin of the Airbus A380 aircraft there is an economy class, usually designed for 399 seats and, as a rule, occupying rows numbered from 43 to 88 (according to the diagram) with two large aisles. The backs of economy class seats cannot recline 180 degrees, but they are very soft and comfortable. The distance between rows is approximately 80 centimeters - according to generally accepted standards. Each economy class seat has its own screen mounted in the seat in front and an audio/video system. Just like for seats in other classes, economy class seats are equipped with USB charging systems and the Internet, which, by the way, is paid on the Airbus A380 aircraft.
The most successful and comfortable seats here are the seats with the letters D, E, F and G, located in rows 45, 54 and 82. The convenience of these seats is explained by the fact that there are no seats in front of them, which means there is ample legroom, in addition , toilets, bar and service areas are located quite far from them. Of course, the absence of seats in the front does not mean that these seats are not equipped with electronic displays for entertainment.
Also very good for relaxation and viewing in economy class are the seats with the letters A and K, located in rows 68 and 81. Their advantage is due to the fact that these seats do not have other seats in front of them, and also because they are located near the windows , which makes them “aside” from the general movement of passengers, so they are considered the most profitable and comfortable in the entire economy class.
The seats in rows numbered 43, 52, 67 and 80 are also good. These seats also have more space in front of them, but at the same time they have the serious disadvantage of being close to service areas and toilets with all the associated inconveniences.
The most unfortunate for economy class, and therefore for the entire Airbus A380 aircraft, are the seats located in the 88th (rearmost) row and the seats designated by the letters C and H. Their inconvenience lies, as in many cases, in the fact that that there are toilets right behind them. The fact that the backs of the last seats are blocked does not add to the convenience of these seats, which limits the comfort of passengers.
The history of the Airbus A380
The beginning of the 90s of the last century in the aviation industry was a time of complete dominance of the Boeing 747 in the field of wide-body aircraft. Boeing managed to maintain an advantage for almost 30 years, which forced many companies, such as McDonnell Douglas or Lockheed, to look for a solution that could replace the Boeing 747 and gain a monopoly in the wide-body airliner niche.
In the summer of 1994, Airbus began developing its own wide-body aircraft, codenamed A3XX. Initially, options were considered for the possible combination of two fuselages of the Airbus A340 aircraft. This solution would have made it possible to significantly increase the passenger capacity of the aircraft, since the A340 was the company’s largest aircraft at that time. However, such a decision would also lead to a serious decrease in the aircraft’s flight characteristics, an increase in its weight and the required take-off run.
The development of the A3XX was carried out in partnership with Boeing, which was developing its own model, the Boeing 747X, also aimed at increasing passenger capacity and reducing operating costs. This partnership ended in 1996. And the following year, 1997, Boeing closed its project due to the economic crisis that erupted in East Asia. Meanwhile, Airbus decided to use a double-deck design for the A3XX, which would provide the aircraft with a number of advantages.
In December 2000, they decided to launch the A3XX project, which initially required costs of about 8.8 billion euros. The plane received a new name - A380. There are many hypotheses explaining why Airbus decided to “jump” from number 340 to 380. For example, one of them says that the number 8 is lucky in a number of Asian countries, which were potential customers for the future aircraft.
In the spring of 2001, the design of the Airbus A380 was finally approved, and already at the beginning of 2002, production of the first parts for the aircraft began. They were produced in 4 countries of the European Union, and the delivery of components to the assembly site in Toulouse was carried out by land and water transport, as well as by air.
At the beginning of 2005, the first Airbus A380 was built and demonstrated in Toulouse, and in April its first flight was carried out. During testing of the aircraft in early 2006, flaws in the design of its wing were identified. After this, the A380 wing structure was urgently changed.
Ground and flight tests of the aircraft were completed in December 2007, and the Airbus A380 received certificates from EASA and FAA.
Design and characteristics of the Airbus A380
The Airbus A380 is a wide-body jet passenger aircraft. The passenger cabin of the aircraft consists of two decks. Due to its size and large capacity, the aircraft is the largest passenger airliner in the world. The aircraft's power plant consists of 4 engines. Depending on the modification, this is the Trent 900 from Rolls-Royce (for Airbus A-300-800), or the GP7000 from Engine Alliance (for other modifications of the Airbus).
Characteristics of the Airbus A380 aircraft:
- Length, m – 72.7
- Wingspan, m – 79.8
- Height, m – 24.1
- Wing area, m2 – 845
- Weight:
- Max. take-off, kg – 560,000
- Max. landing, kg – 386,000
- Empty weight, kg – 276,800
- Max. weight without fuel, kg – 361,000
- Fuel tank capacity, l – 310,000
- Flight range with max. load, km – 15,000
- Ceiling (max. flight altitude), m – 13,100
- Run length, m – 2,050
- Run length, m – 2,900
- Engines:
- R-R Trent 970 – 4 x 31780 kgf
- Alliance GP7270 – 4 x 31780 kgf
- Passenger compartment:
- Number of seats (single-class option) – 700
- Number of seats (three-class version) – 555
- Cabin width, m – 5.9-6.6
Airbus A380 modifications
There are the following modifications of the Airbus A380:
- Airbus A380-800 is the base model of the airliner. A380-841 and A380-842 have a Trent 900 engine. Modifications A380-861 and A380-862 have a GP72XX engine.
- Airbus A380-800F is a cargo modification of the A380 aircraft.
- Airbus A380-900 is an extended modification of the airliner, currently under development. It will have increased passenger capacity (more than 900 people) and more powerful engines. Potential buyers will include airlines such as Emirates Airline, Lufthansa and others.
- Airbus A380-1000 is a modification that will be larger in size than the A380-900 and accommodate more than 1,000 passengers. The project was proposed in 2010.
Airbus A380 operation
Operation of the Airbus A380 aircraft began in 2007. By the end of 2014, the number of Airbuses was already 139 aircraft, and the number of companies operating the aircraft was 10. Emirates Airline operates the most A380 (67 aircraft). Other airlines use from 5 to 19 aircraft of this type, which, of course, cannot compare with Emirates Airline.
The aircraft can be found mainly on intercontinental flights. A larger number of airbuses are operated by Asian airlines (Emirates Airline, Singapore Airlines, Korean Air and others). Due to operating costs, which are 10-15% less than those for the Boeing 747, the Airbus A380 is a very popular aircraft today. Due to the good price and the optimal characteristics of the A380, Emirates Airline plans to purchase several dozen more aircraft. At the same time, Emirates Airline also pays attention to cargo modifications of the Airbus. In addition, the air carrier orders more comfortable aircraft (for example, with shower cabins for first class).
Conclusion
The Airbus A380 is the largest passenger aircraft in the world, with a capacity of 519 to 800 people. Reliability, reduced operating costs compared to other wide-body airliners and comfort provide this aircraft with good demand in the market, especially in Asia. The main operator of the aircraft is currently Emirates Airline, which has appreciated the Airbus. In addition, Emirates Airline, albeit indirectly, is helping to further modify the aircraft by showing interest in its new capabilities.
However, the Airbus Group in December 2014 announced a possible stop in production of the Airbus A380 aircraft. This is explained by the fact that the demand for this aircraft, according to the company’s management, is not great enough.
However, it is worth recognizing that due to its performance and reliability, the Airbus A380 is a really good aircraft.
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