Watch Pilot Assess Damage to World’s Largest Cargo Plane
In a video walk-around of the charred wreckage of the Antonov An-225 Mriya, a former pilot of the world’s largest operational aircraft has offered his damage analysis of the one-of-a-kind jet.
With a 290-foot wingspan, the Antonov An-225 was the largest operational aircraft in the world. [Shutterstock]
Key Takeaways:
A former pilot's video tour confirms the Antonov An-225 Mriya sustained extensive damage, including bullet holes and a burnt-out cabin, during battles at Ukraine's Gostomel Airport.
While much of the aircraft is destroyed, the pilot noted that some components like a few engines, flaps, and landing gear might be salvageable, awaiting expert assessment.
Despite the devastation, there's a push for the Mriya's future, with its former operator launching a fundraising campaign to "revive" or replace the world's largest cargo airplane.
In a video walk-around of the charred wreckage of the Antonov An-225 Mriya, a former pilot of the world’s largest operational aircraft offers his damage analysis of the one-of-a-kind jet.
“I thought things would be better here,” says the pilot, Dmytro Antonov (no relation), in a YouTube video purportedly shot last Friday. “There is so much damage and a lot of bullet holes.”
CREATE A FREE ACCOUNT
Sign up to keep reading
Create a free account to continue. Already a member? Sign in below.
Thom is a former senior editor for FLYING. Previously, his freelance reporting appeared in aviation industry magazines. Thom also spent three decades as a TV and digital journalist at CNN’s bureaus in Washington and Atlanta, eventually specializing in aviation. He has reported from air shows in Oshkosh, Farnborough and Paris. Follow Thom on Twitter @thompatterson.
