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This is a list of large aircraft, including three types: fixed wing, rotary wing, and airships.
The US Federal Aviation Administration defines a large aircraft as any aircraft with a certificated maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) of more than 12,500 lb (5,700 kg) [1]
The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) defines a large aircraft as either "an aeroplane with a maximum take-off mass of more than 5,700 kilograms (12,600 pounds) or a multi-engined helicopter." [2]
Type | First flight | Role | Built | Length | Span | MTOW | Capacity | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ilya Muromets | 1913 | airliner/bomber | 85+ | 17.5 m | 29.8 m | 4.6 t | Pax: 16 | First multi-engine aircraft in serial production, Russky Vityaz development |
Zeppelin-Staaken R.VI | 1916 | Bomber | 56 | 22.1 m | 42.2 m | 11.8 t | Largest WWI aircraft in regular service | |
Tarrant Tabor | 1919 | Bomber | 1 | 22.3 m | 40 m | 20.3 t | 4.1 t | Crashed on first flight |
Dornier Do X | 12 Jul 1929 | Flying boat | 3 | 40 m | 47.8 m | 52 t | Pax: 100 | Then longest, widest and heaviest |
Kalinin K-7 | 11 Aug 1933 | Transport | 1 | 28 m | 53 m | 46.5 t | Pax: 120 | Widest aircraft until the Tupolev ANT-20 |
Tupolev ANT-20 | 19 May 1934 | Transport | 2 | 32.9 m | 63 m | 53 t | Pax: 72 | Widest and heaviest until the Douglas XB-19 |
Douglas XB-19 | 27 Jun 1941 | Bomber | 1 | 40.3 m | 64.6 m | 73.5 t | Longest until the Laté. 631, widest until the B-36, heaviest until the Martin Mars | |
Messerschmitt Me 323 | 20 Jan 1942 | Transport | 198 | 28.2 m | 55.2 m | 43 t | 12 t | Highest cargo capacity land-based World War II transport |
Martin JRM Mars | 23 Jun 1942 | Flying boat | 7 | 35.7 m | 61 m | 74.8 t | 15 t | Heaviest until the Junkers 390, Largest serial production flying boat |
Latécoère 631 | 4 Nov 1942 | Flying boat | 11 | 43.5 m | 57.4 m | 71.4 t | Pax: 46 | Longest until the Convair B-36 |
Junkers Ju 390 | 20 Oct 1943 | Bomber | 2 | 34.2 m | 50.3 m | 75.5 t | 10 t | Heaviest until the BV 238, Junkers entry for the Amerika Bomber project |
Blohm & Voss BV 238 | Apr 1944 | Flying boat | 1 | 43.3 m | 60.2 m | 100 t | Heaviest built during WWII, destroyed in 1945 | |
Convair B-36 | 8 Aug 1946 | Bomber | 384 | 49.4 m | 70.1 m | 186 t | Heaviest until the B-52, longest and widest until the Hughes H-4 | |
Hughes H-4 Hercules (Spruce Goose) | 2 Nov 1947 | Flying boat | 1 | 66.7 m | 97.8 m | 180 t | Longest until the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy and widest until the Stratolaunch | |
Convair XC-99 | 23 Nov 1947 | Transport | 1 | 55.6 m | 70.1 m | 145 t | 45 t | B-36 development, most capable transport aircraft until the An-22 |
Boeing B-52 | 15 Apr 1952 | Bomber | 744 | 48.5 m | 56.4 m | 220 t | Heaviest until the XB-70, still in service | |
XB-70 | 21 Sep 1964 | Bomber | 2 | 56.4 m | 32.0 m | 246 t | Heaviest until the An-22, Mach 3 prototype bomber | |
Antonov An-22 | 27 Feb 1965 | Transport | 68 | 57.9 m | 64.4 m | 250 t | 80 t | Heaviest until the C-5, Heaviest turboprop aircraft |
Caspian Sea Monster | 16 Oct 1966 | Ekranoplan | 1 | 92 m | 37.6 m | 544 t | Heaviest and longest flying vehicle until the An-225, 1980 crash | |
Lockheed C-5 Galaxy | 30 Jun 1968 | Transport | 131 | 75.3 m | 67.9 m | 417 t | 127.5 t | Largest payload capacity until the An-124 |
Boeing 747 | 9 Feb 1969 | Airliner | 1557 | 70.7 m | 59.6 m | 378 t | Pax: 550/660 | Highest passenger capacity airliner until the Airbus A380 |
Antonov An-124 | 26 Dec 1982 | Transport | 55 | 69.1 m | 73.3 m | 402 t | 150 t | Most capable transport until the An-225 |
Antonov An-225 Mriya | 21 Dec 1988 | Transport | 1 | 84 m | 88.4 m | 640 t | 250 t | Heaviest aircraft and most capable transport, destroyed in 2022 |
Airbus Beluga | 13 Sep 1994 | Outsize cargo | 5 | 56.2 m | 44.8 m | 155 t | 1,500 m³ | Airbus A300 derivative, largest volume until the Dreamlifter |
Airbus A380 | 27 Apr 2005 | Airliner | 254 | 72.7 m | 79.8 m | 575 t | Pax: 850 | Highest passenger capacity airliner |
Boeing Dreamlifter | 9 Sep 2006 | Outsize cargo | 4 | 71.7 m | 64.4 m | 364 t | 1,840 m³ | Boeing 747-400 derivative, largest volume until the BelugaXL |
Airbus BelugaXL | 19 Jul 2018 | Outsize cargo | 5 | 63.1 m | 60.3 m | 227 t | 2,209 m³ | Airbus A330 derivative, largest volume |
Stratolaunch | 13 Apr 2019 | Air launch | 1 | 73 m | 117 m | 590 t | 250 t | Current heaviest and widest, prototype air-launch-to-orbit carrier |
Type | Proposed | MTOW | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Poll Triplane | 1917 (circa) | 50 m wingspan [3] | |
Victory Bomber | 1940/1941 | 47.2 t | 52 m wingspan, to carry a ten-ton earthquake bomb, rejected by the RAF [4] |
Boeing 2707 SST | 1960s | 306 t | A 93 m long Concorde answer, canceled in 1971 |
Lockheed CL-1201 | 1960s | 6,420 t | Nuclear-powered, 1,120 feet (340 m) wing span, airborne aircraft carrier |
Boeing RC-1 | 1970s | 1,610 t | "flying pipeline", proposed before the 1973 oil crisis |
Conroy Virtus | 1974 | 386 t | 140 m wingspan, to carry Space Shuttle parts |
Beriev Be-2500 | 1980s | 2,500 t | Super heavy amphibious transport aircraft |
Beriev Be-5000 | 1980s | 5,000 t | Twin fuselage Be-2500 |
McDonnell Douglas MD-12 | 1990 | 430 t | Proposed double deck airliner, canceled in mid-1990s |
Boeing New Large Airplane | 1990s | 532 t | 747 replacement powered by 777 engines, canceled in the 1990s |
Aerocon Dash 1.6 wingship | 1990s | 5,000 t | US ground effect aircraft, developed with Russian consultation |
Tupolev Tu-404 | 1990s | 605 t | Blended wing body airliner for 1,214 passenger, 110 m wingspan [5] |
Sukhoi KR-860 | 1990s | 650 t | Transport for 300 t payload or 860-1,000 passengers Double deck airliner |
Boeing 747X | 1996 | 473 t | 747-400 stretch, Airbus A3XX competitor |
Boeing Pelican | 2002 | 2,700 t | Ground effect and medium altitude transport |
Airbus A380-900 | 2006 | 590 t | Airbus A380-800 stretch, postponed in May 2010 [6] |
TsAGI HCA-LB | 2010s | 1,000 t | Ground effect aircraft powered by LNG |
Skylon | current | 345 t | Reusable spaceplane |
WindRunner | current | Outsize cargo freight aircraft: 108 m long, 80 m wingspan. [7] [8] |
Type | First flight | MTOW | Number built | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Cierva W.11 Air Horse | 7 December 1948 | 8 t | 1 | three rotor helicopter |
Hughes XH-17 | 23 October 1952 | 23 t | 1 | Prototype heavy-lift helicopter, largest rotor at 39.6 m |
Mil Mi-6 | 5 June 1957 | 44 t | 926 | Heavy transport helicopter, 35 m rotor |
Mil V-12 or Mi-12 | 10 July 1968 | 105 t | 2 | Largest prototype helicopter, 2 × 35 m rotors |
Mil Mi-26 | 14 December 1977 | 56 t | 316 | Heaviest serial production helicopter |
Fairey Rotodyne | 6 November 1957 | 15 t | 1 | Largest gyrodyne. Prototype for 40 passengers |
Kamov Ka-22 | 15 August 1959 | 42.5 t | 4 | composite rotorcraft |
Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey | 19 March 1989 | 21.5 t | 400 | First operational VTOL tiltrotor |
Type | Date | Volume | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Preusen ("Prussia") | 1901 | 8,400 m3 [9] | German experimental prototype |
CL75 AirCrane | 2001 | 110,000 m3 | CargoLifter experimental prototype, approximately 120.6 tonnes with helium fill |
Type | First flight | Volume | Length | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Zeppelin LZ 1 | 1900 | 11,300 m3 [9] | 128 m | German experimental prototype |
R38 (US: ZR-2) | 1921 | 77,100 m3 [10] | 212 m | UK military, built for US Navy |
R100 | 1929 | 193,970 m3 | 216 m | UK experimental passenger transport |
HM Airship R101 | 14 Oct 1929 | 156,000 m3 | 236 m | Followed by the smaller 146,000 m3 R100 (220 m) on 16 Dec 1929 |
US Navy USS Akron | 8 Aug 1931 | 180,000 m3 | 239 m | Largest helium-filled airship along its USS Macon sister ship |
LZ 129 Hindenburg | 4 Apr 1936 | 200,000 m3 | 245 m | Largest volume along with its LZ130 Graf Zeppelin II sister ship, approximately 237.2 tonnes with hydrogen fill |
An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air. It counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or, in a few cases, direct downward thrust from its engines. Common examples of aircraft include airplanes, helicopters, airships, gliders, paramotors, and hot air balloons.
Aeronautics is the science or art involved with the study, design, and manufacturing of air flight-capable machines, and the techniques of operating aircraft and rockets within the atmosphere. The British Royal Aeronautical Society identifies the aspects of "aeronautical Art, Science and Engineering" and "The profession of Aeronautics ."
An airship or dirigible balloon is a type of aerostat or lighter-than-air aircraft that can navigate through the air under its own power. Aerostats gain their lift from a lifting gas that is less dense than the surrounding air.
The history of aviation extends for more than two thousand years, from the earliest forms of aviation such as kites and attempts at tower jumping to supersonic and hypersonic flight by powered, heavier-than-air jets.
A private pilot licence (PPL) or private pilot certificate is a type of pilot licence that allows the holder to act as pilot in command of an aircraft privately. The basic licence requirements are determined by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), but implementation varies from country to country. According to ICAO, an applicant must be at least 17 years old, demonstrate appropriate knowledge and skill, and hold at least a Class 3 medical certificate. Different PPLs are available for different categories of aircraft, such as aeroplane, helicopter, airship, etc, and are not interchangeable, although experience from a PPL in one category may be credited towards the issue of another.
A commercial pilot licence (CPL) is a type of pilot licence that permits the holder to act as a pilot of an aircraft and be paid for their work.
Pilot licensing in the United Kingdom is regulated by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
A hybrid airship is a powered aircraft that obtains some of its lift as a lighter-than-air (LTA) airship and some from aerodynamic lift as a heavier-than-air aerodyne.
An electric aircraft is an aircraft powered by electricity. Electric aircraft are seen as a way to reduce the environmental effects of aviation, providing zero emissions and quieter flights. Electricity may be supplied by a variety of methods, the most common being batteries. Most have electric motors driving propellers or turbines.
A hydrogen-powered aircraft is an aeroplane that uses hydrogen fuel as a power source. Hydrogen can either be burned in a jet engine or another kind of internal combustion engine, or can be used to power a fuel cell to generate electricity to power an electric propulsor. It cannot be stored in a traditional wet wing, and hydrogen tanks have to be housed in the fuselage or be supported by the wing.
EASA CS-VLA is the European Aviation Safety Agency Certification Specification for Very Light Aircraft.
Large aircraft allow the transportation of large and/or heavy payloads over long distances. Making an aircraft design larger can also improve the overall fuel efficiency and man-hours for transporting a given load, while a greater space is available for transporting lightweight cargoes or giving passengers room to move around. However, as aircraft increase in size they pose significant design issues not present in smaller types. These include structural efficiency, flight control response and sufficient power in a reliable and cost-effective installation.
A type rating is an authorization entered on or associated with a pilot license and forming part thereof, stating the pilot's privileges or limitations pertaining to certain aircraft type. Such qualification requires additional training beyond the scope of the initial license and aircraft class training.
Reaching for the Skies was an aviation documentary TV series made by BBC Pebble Mill in association with CBS Fox. The first episode was transmitted in the United Kingdom on 12 September 1988 and in the US in 1989.
General aviation (GA) has been defined as a civil aircraft operation other than a commercial air transport flight operating to a schedule. Although the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) excludes any form of remunerated aviation from its definition, some commercial operations are often included within the scope of General Aviation (GA). General aviation refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline flights, both private and commercial.
In aviation, a class rating is an allowance to fly a certain group of aircraft that require training common to all aircraft within the group. A type rating is specified if a particular aircraft requires additional specialized training beyond the scope of initial license and aircraft class training. Which aircraft require a type rating is decided by the local aviation authority. Almost all single-engine piston (SEP) or multi-engine piston (MEP) single pilot aircraft can be flown without a type rating, but are covered by a class rating instead.
The light aircraft pilot licence (LAPL) is a pilot license allowing the pilot to fly small aircraft. It is issued in EASA member states and the United Kingdom. Unlike most other licences, it is not covered by the ICAO framework and is usually not able to be used in other states or regulatory areas.
The Advanced Heavy Lifter is a large helicopter project developed by Aviation Industry Corporation of China.
An aircraft category is defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization as a "classification of aircraft according to specified basic characteristics", for the purpose of personnel licensing. Examples of aircraft categories include aeroplanes, helicopters, gliders, or free balloons.