An-225 flies again

[Smoketoomuch]

Don't like just posting news stories here, but thought this was worthy of mention;
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/wor...00/1317779.stm
"The world's biggest plane - the Antonov 225 - has taken to the skies again, a decade after being grounded following the collapse of the Soviet Union."
I remember seeing it at Farnborough [1990?].. mightily impressive, as you'd expect with an aircraft with MTOW of 600 tons!!

[antonovman]

its going to the paris airshow then will fly commercially for the new Antonov Airlines UK the new joint venture between Heavylift and Air Foyle

[rob_frost]

Will we ever see it in the UK?
I remember around 1990 or before, some Antov used to fly once weekly to Russia from Stansted. Made a hell of a noise. You could always tell it apart. ANyway, any idea which one it was?

Thanks

rob

[antonovman]

hey rob
it was probably the an124 or even IL76
heavylift used to sit them in STN waiting the next flight

[PaperTiger]

Rob
Maybe not that one, but more in the works.
http://www.airporthub.com/news/details.asp?id=3148

[Electric Sky]

Smoketoomuch

Yes it was Farnborough 1990. The most amazing aircraft I have ever seen get airborne! Nice to see a new future for it.

[Buster Hyman]

Was it the 225 or the 124 that blew a donk on its take off role at Farnborough??

For those that don't know what it looks like, try www.airliners.net and search for it. Some BRILLIANT photos there!

[AlanM]

Not 'arf....! Check out:

40 or so AN225 pictures

Top pics or what!?!?!? What a beast.

and then there are some TOP bizjet pics at

airliner.net

[This message has been edited by AlanM (edited 09 May 2001).]

[Buster Hyman]

I'm lucky enough to have been onboard the 124 a few years ago. I was absolutely gobsmacked when I saw the electronics bay....VALVES!

[moschops]

Extraordinarily graceful for its size, wouldn't you agree?

[stagger]

Given that the AN-225 has a history of donk trouble I wonder if it could be fitted with some Trents or GE90s? Massive Russian airframe plus Western engine reliability - sounds like a good combination to me. And for a pax version I wonder if it would be possible to just simply slide a section of A380 fuselage into the cargo deck?

[Lybid]

Engine problems with the Lotarev D18T have pretty well been resolved. Same engine on the An124-100 and the An225 and the substantial experience obtained with An124 service has meant that the engine is now being released with a 20,000 hr life compared with the early versions with 3,000.

It was an An124 which blew an engine in F'boro and an An22 which ferried in the replacement.

Despite the improvement you will still see An124s still fitted with early engines holding for some minutes before take-off and running at 70% power in order to achieve temperature stabilisation throughout the engine.

Lybid

[This message has been edited by Lybid (edited 10 May 2001).]

[ramsrc]

Definitely a fantastic looking aircraft.

Nothing wrong with valves in the avionics bay, the Russians make some of the best in the world. Less to go wrong too!

[Moonlight]

In fact the An-225 is a copy of the An-124-100. It's just 1.5 times bigger. And going to cost 6 times more expensive. Antonov Airlines UK will have to work hard to find a customer able to afford the An-225.

[gul dukat]

so THATS why the an124 sits on the runway for FOUR minutes !!! now I know !! cheers guys ....still looks magnificent !!!!!

[John Farley]

Alexander Galvnenko (the captain of the 225 at Farnborough 1990) invited me for a jump seat ride on both his good weather and bad weather displays on the Sunday. He made it look very easy and the crew were very relaxed throughout. Full fly-by-wire must help but it was still an illuminating experience, as well a privilege to watch a crew do justice to an exceptional aeroplane.