AN-225 MRIYA: NO OTHER NAME CARRIES MORE WEIGHT

OUTLOOK AIR TRANSPORT

Antonov’s ‘Dream’ Aircraft a Source of Ukrainian Pride

“Mriya was the pride and joy of the nation.” – Amnon Ehrlich, director sales, North America Aerospace, Government and Defense Programs, Antonov Airlines

The AN-225 Mriya was designed by Antonov 40 years ago for the Soviet space shuttle program, making its first flight in December 1988. Commercial operations began in 2001.

Only one AN-225 was ever built to completion.

Mriya, which means “dream” in Ukrainian, had a capacity to transport up to 250 tonnes of cargo – nearly double that of the Boeing 747-8 freighter.

Its wingspan measured 88.4 meters – almost the length of a Premier League football pitch.

It was the only aircraft in the world that featured six turbofan engines, each capable of churning out a staggering 51,590 pounds of thrust.

Mriya was used to transport superheavy components that no other aircraft could, such as large turbines, satellites, generators and helicopters.

On June 10, 2004, the AN-225 carried the longest cargo item in the history of air transport: two wind turbine blades, each more than 42 meters long, were transported from China to Denmark.

Mriya was also called on to deliver urgent medical supplies during the pandemic.

It has 242 world records to its name and is the inspiration for Antonov Airlines’ slogan: “No other name carries more weight.”

The AN-225 was among several aircraft destroyed during fighting between Russian and Ukrainian troops for control of Hostomel airbase in Kyiv. The airplane had been undergoing maintenance at the time of the February attack.

Demonstrating the national pride for Mriya, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in May 2022, “We will build a second AN-225 Mriya.”