Meet the World's Largest Cargo Aircraft Ever Built ✈️
The Antonov An-225 “Mriya” was a true giant of the skies, powered by six turbofan engines producing around 309,000 pounds of combined thrust. It could carry up to 250 tonnes of cargo and take off weighing a staggering 640 tonnes. It was even built to transport the Soviet Buran space shuttle on its back. From oversized industrial machinery to cargo that few other aircraft could handle, the Mriya was in a league of its own.
Sadly, the only An-225 was destroyed during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Watch: Boeing 767 Takes Off From an EXTREMELY Short Runway!
An Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 767-300ER (ET-AQW) was flying from Addis Ababa to Kilimanjaro International Airport in Tanzania. ATC redirected the crew because of an obstruction on the runway.
The pilots then mistakenly landed at Arusha Airport, a much smaller field.
Arusha’s runway is only about 1,620 m (5,314 ft), less than half the length of Kilimanjaro’s, and normally built for light aircraft, not a widebody jet. Ground crews had to offload excess fuel and unnecessary weight to lighten the aircraft. The flight crew then pulled off a specialized short-field takeoff and flew out safely. The incident happened on December 18th 2013.
Here’s the departure. Watch how much runway they use. 👇
NASA's SOFIA, a modified Boeing 747SP, flies with its telescope door open! This flying observatory carries a 2.5m infrared telescope to study the universe above Earth's atmosphere.
A British Airways Concorde was on final approach to London Heathrow when an Airbus A340 was still occupying the runway.
The Concorde crew had to discontinue the landing and go around, adding power and climbing away before making another approach. The manoeuvre was handled smoothly by the crew and became one of the most memorable pieces of Concorde footage.
It's a remarkable reminder that even the world's most iconic supersonic airliner had to follow the same tundamental rule as every other aircratt: If the runway isn't clear, you go around.
An Emirates A380 lands in a strong crosswind and you can see the technique at work and it is IMPRESSIVE!!
Approach: The jet comes in crabbed with the nose pointed well off the runway heading to cancel the wind drift. The wings rock slightly as the crew corrects for gusts.
Flare: Just before touchdown, the pilots use rudder to straighten the nose with the runway, while opposite aileron keeps the upwind wing from lifting.
Touchdown: The upwind main gear touches first, tire smoke appears and the aircraft settles onto the centerline. The A380's 20-wheel main gear is built to take that sideload.
Why it's impressive: With a wingspan of nearly 80 m and a tail as tall as a seven story building, the aircraft catches a lot of wind. The drama here comes from its size, not from the crew being out of control. This is a standard, well-trained technique executed cleanly.
#AvGeek #Aviation #Crosswindlanding #A380
Lufthansa’s marketing and brand team deserve a raise. They absolutely nailed the launch of the special 100th anniversary livery fleet. Just look at that Boeing 747 paint job—simply gorgeous. Even the controller says, “Nice paint job!”
🎥- sf. flights
An F/A-18 Super Hornet does a near supersonic pass by a Nimitz class aircraft carrier as part of a demonstration.
Note the large vapor cone around the aircraft as it approaches the sound barrier.