Saw the world's largest aircraft today!

akpilot907

akpilot907

Pre-takeoff checklist
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citabriav8tr
An-225 Flew into Manas Intl, Kyrgyzstan today.. I was out doing my airfield inspection when I heard this thing roar in... Such a beast!
 

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Cool. Is that a Russian-built plane? What is it used for, cargo?
 
It's a Soviet-ea Ukrainian outsized cargo transporter. That's the only one flying in the world, and there's another that was last I knew half-completed sitting in a factory or a hangar somewhere in Ukraine.
 
I was in it's cockpit few times.

Originally, I am from Kiev, Ukraine. Antonov plant was about 2 miles away from me. So during construction you could see parts of the plane every now and then, from the sports complex nearby. Every year, Soviet government put on a small "fly-in" in Gostomel, small airport not far from Kiev. And bunch of military and civilian hardware was available for people to see/touch/sit in. Heavyweights were AN-124 and AN-225.

It was worth beating crowds to climb up into cockpits of those planes. You had to climb up a small ladder to top of the cargo bay, into what almost was a manhole.

I still remember seeing AN-225 and not really believing that all THAT can actually fly.
 
Is it true that it was once used to transport a locomotive? I recall seeing that somewhere, but not 100% sure.
 
I love that the largest modern aircraft are still compared in size to the spruce goose.
 
I'll never forget during training we were taxiing up to the hold short line:

"Beercan 197 hold short runway 20, landing traffic"

"Tower, Beercan 197 holding shorrrrrHOLY ****!"

My instructor, the guys in the cab and the guys piloting the C-5 on short final all had a good laugh.
 
Lucky! Even in videos that thing looks unreal manuvering around, can't imagine what it would look like in person.
 
What you need to do now is make sure they brought enough spare parts to get it out of there too ! Those things break A LOT.
 
Manas! Man I love that place...said no one. :D
 
I got some great shots of that thing when it was taking off out of Kandahar a bunch of years ago.

AN-225%20at%20Kandahar%201.jpg



These are too large to post...

http://www.andygamache.com/cgi-bin/i/images/ForumImages/AN-225 at Kandahar 3.jpg

http://www.andygamache.com/cgi-bin/i/images/ForumImages/AN-225 at Kandahar 2.jpg
 
akpilot907 said:
Best two beers, ever! Said by everyone transiting through Manas! Hahaa, Manas isn't too bad, they've started the tear down process..
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Two beers if you're stationed there. They wouldn't even let us in the club! :(
 
I saw it at an airshow in OK one time and they said each time it lands, it burns something like 30 pounds of rubber off the tires.
 
I got to go aboard it at the airport just west of Oostende Belgium where it used to sit around quite a bit. It's a freaking cavern! They used to haul a lot of the America's Cup boats.
 
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I actually was working for Antonov's company when 225 did her maiden flight.

I also was lucky to get 10 hours of free sim time in 124/225 time couple years ago at Kiev :)
 
My dad was one of the test crew of 225

4yzazuhe.jpg
 
My favorite is the tower cab video by the controllers somewhere in Australia watching it depart and it just barely lifts off by the end of their runway. Their reaction is great.
 
denverpilot said:
My favorite is the tower cab video by the controllers somewhere in Australia watching it depart and it just barely lifts off by the end of their runway. Their reaction is great.
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That was an IL-76
 
denverpilot said:
My favorite is the tower cab video by the controllers somewhere in Australia watching it depart and it just barely lifts off by the end of their runway. Their reaction is great.
Click to expand...

That's not a 225, and it's the standard procedure the Russians use to use all the runway, it doesn't represent 'barely making it'.
 
Saw this Russian airplane parked at Butuan, Philippines

485624_4710618493464_839014441_n_zps621304db.jpg


Saw this one parked in Davao, Philippines. The story on this one is the crew flew it in and asked for a local hotel for the night. They left it and haven't been seen since, that was over 3 months ago.

IMG_1636_zps48f89e43.jpg




This one flew into Cebu, Philippines a few days ago.

IMG_1671_zps3c721ac4.jpg

IMG_1670_zps9d3f507f.jpg
 
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That is cool. That is one huge plane! Thanks for sharing.
 
You have to hand it to those old Communists. They were never afraid to go big!
 
AN-72 & IL-76. Both popular in Afghanistan.
 
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