Antonov 225, is it a loss or something usefull?

[Henk]

Well when the Antonov 225 made its debut at the Paris Airshow in 1989 the whole world were stunned with the Russian Space Shuttle Buran on its back it look like something from the future.

Today the Antonov is being used as a freight carrier across Europe. Does the aircraft have a future or will there never be more than one build or sold.

The cockpit.

A second Antonov 225 were planned, but sadly it were never completed.

All the pics comes from AIRLINERS.net.

Henk

 

[Henk]

If pictures does not work please tell me so that I can correct it.

Henk

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

i like her, but i cannot see a need for a second, i know they hire her out for some loads (well they'll carry it for you if you get me), but you need a seriously heavy load to need to call her in, and there aren't many loads like that around, so she is useful, but there's no need for a second, when she gives up the goast however a replacement will be nessisary... but from which country will she come?

on a side note, for such a large plane, that's one baisic cockpit!

 

[Henk]

That is howthe Russian cockpits look like, very basic. The second one has not been worked on for years and I do not think they are ever going to finish it. Both the Space Shuttle Buran and the Antonov 225 has a sad story. The Buran were destroyed in a storm in its own hanger.

I wish I can see her up close.

Henk

 

[loomaluftwaffe]

the throttle control and the lever in front of it kinda makes it look like a hand raiing its middle finger

 

[Henk]

Yes, it is very strange that a aircraft that is so large has such basic cockpit. I wonder why it is so basic is the Russians stupid or what?

Henk

 

[loomaluftwaffe]

well... probably made for stupid people to fly, like the T-34 or the Yak-3

 

[Henk]

Yep, those Russians. . All Russian combat aircraft are also not painted nicely, have you seen that?

Henk

 

[R988]

Antonov is actually a Ukranian company (formerly in the USSR).

Considering there are the 7xAn124 which are big enough more most people and cheaper, this obviously reduces the need for the An225 except for specific cases, though the second one will be ready soon apparently. Remember also that the An225 only got certified for charter flights a few years ago in 2001 or 2002.
http://www.airfoyle.co.uk/news/heavy-lift-news.asp?NewsID=25
and were doing quite well according to their own PR
http://www.airfoyle.co.uk/news/heavy-lift-news.asp?NewsID=39

IF you want to hire it you can check here
http://www.antonovairlines.co.uk/

Who will make a replacement? how about good old boeing who are brainstorming ideas like this whopper
http://www.globalsecurity.org/org/news/2002/021018-army.htm

They made 10 Burans (most for testing) and there was one for sale a while back, for about $6million USD
http://www.space.com/news/spacehistory/buran_auction_ends_020523.html

Another is a tourist attraction in Moscow
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/buran-00a.html

 

[marconi]

Yes, it is very strange that a aircraft that is so large has such basic cockpit. I wonder why it is so basic is the Russians stupid or what?

And what kind of cockpit would you suggest?

 

[Henk]

Well I am not someone who does such things but it is very basic mate, I would expect it to have more equipment in to be able handle such a large aircraft and to make it very safer, but I think it is so for a reason that it is so basic. Like the MIG 29 cockpit, it is every thing you need and nothing more or less. I do not know all the ins and outs of the cockpit of aircraft, but the MIG 29 is known for its basic cockpit.

Well maybe to have a lot of fancy things were just a waste for the designers of the An-225.

What do you think marconi?

Henk

 

[pbfoot]

its not missing any of the tools of flying the instruments that you probably looking for would be at the flight engineers station all the fuel and engine guages etc

 

[marconi]

I think that's because An-225 is basically "an upgrade" of An-124 which entered servise in early 1980's.So it was designed somewhere in 1970's.And as you probably know USSR always had bad electronic equipment.

Lots of photo's of An-225.
http://www.air-and-space.com/Antonov An-225 Mriya.htm
I personnaly don't believe that the second plane will ever be made.

 

[Henk]

Yes, it is true that the designs are old, like the A-380 were designed in the early 90's.

Great stuff mate thanks for the link.

Henk

 

[R988]

Most old 747s would have a similar cockpit, even F-15s had a fairly sparse cockpit early on, MFDs area a relatively recent thing and don't really display much more information, though I guess they look cooler and more modern these days. You can update them if needed, MiG29s and even MiG21s have cockpit upgrades available with western equipment. Modern combat aircraft need MFDs more though with all the complex weapons systems they need to operate. An An225 doesn't really need all that stuff, aircraft got by in previous generations without it.

Interesting article on the future of cockpit displays here.
http://www.aopa.org/pilot/features/future0009.html