Worlds biggest cargoplane just got bigger!!
According to Andrey Savenko of Antonov the work on making the An-225 airworthy is almost complete and the aircraft that is already out of its hangar should commence flying early next month to complete certification flights suspended in the mid nineties.
According to Savenko the aircraft requires a further 15-16 flights for certification, and according to Bruce Bird of Air Foyle, the aircraft potentially already has its first charter. Bird would not reveal the potential customer, other than to say it was an industrial customer whose cargo had outgrown the An-124-100, so they were pleased to offer the option of the An-225. In the past Bird has suggested that one of the key customers for the aircraft would be producers of electricity turbines such as Siemens and ABB and addressing that market, the floor of the aircraft has been strengthened .
After its certification flights the An-225 will fly at the Paris Air Show and will then join the Antonov Airlines fleet.