Largest Commercial Aircrafts Globally
The Antonov An-225, once the largest cargo plane ever built, was tragically destroyed in 2022. As a result, the Antonov An-124 Ruslan now holds the title of the largest operational cargo aircraft currently in service.
The An-124, designed for heavy strategic airlift, can carry very large and heavy cargo loads over long distances. It joins the ranks of other notable cargo aircraft, such as the Boeing 747-8 Freighter, which remains an important large freighter in service.
In the realm of passenger aircraft, the Airbus A380 continues to reign supreme. With its impressive capacity of up to 853 seats in all-economy variants, it remains the world’s largest operational passenger airliner. The Boeing 777-9, a new large passenger aircraft focusing on efficiency, is smaller in capacity compared to the A380.
The Airbus A330-743L, also known as Beluga XL, is a modified version of the Airbus 330-200 primarily developed for cargo purposes. Its first flight was in July 2018.
The Tupolev-160, the largest combat-fighter aircraft, serves for the Russian Air Force. It first took flight in 1981, and its unique design makes it the largest combat-fighter aircraft in operation.
The first flight of the Antonov-22 was in 1982, and it currently serves under the Russian Air Force as the biggest turbo-prop engine aircraft.
The Airbus A340-600 is a heavy class airplane with a capacity of 379 passengers in a typical 3-class layout.
The production of the Airbus A380-800 is expected to end by 2021 due to lack of attention from other companies. Despite this, Emirates remains the biggest operator of A380-800.
The Stratolaunch, unique with its two fuselages and six engines, has the longest wingspan at 117 meters. It first flew in April 2019.
The first flight of the Lockheed C-5 was in 1968, and it serves for military cargo, humanitarian aid operations, and evacuation duties.
As for the Antonov-124, although it is a large aircraft, its specific details were not provided in the given text.
The Antonov 225 Mriya, the largest airplane ever built, was constructed with only one built and still operational today. Its first flight was in December 1988.
The Antonov 124, while significant in the industry, did not have its specific details discussed in the given text, unlike the Antonov 225 Mriya, the largest plane ever built in 1988, which is still operational today. The aerospace industry continues to evolve, with the Airbus A330-743L, also known as Beluga XL, joining the ranks of notable cargo aircraft, particularly in the technology sector, following its first flight in July 2018.
