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]
Fixed-wing
Civilian
Wingspan comparison of the Stratolaunch carrier with other large airplanes
Generally acknowledged as the largest airplane in the world, the single Antonov An-225 is the world's heaviest aircraft ever (maximum takeoff weight greater than 640 tons) and the largest heavier-than-air aircraft (in length) ever entering operational service.
Was the largest mass-produced aircraft in the world until the Airbus A380 was produced. Remains the world's largest military aircraft currently in service.
Lengthened version of 747 with increased wingspan. World's longest passenger aircraft at 76.4 m (0.9 m / 3 ft longer than Airbus A340).[4] Capacity of 650 passengers.
Physically the largest aircraft, and heaviest land-based aircraft of the 1930s era (63 meter/206.7 ft wingspan, 53 tonne MTOW), required eight 900 hp Mikulin V12 engines for flight.
Very large flying boat. The largest aircraft in the world 1944 to 1945 when the single one was destroyed. The even heavier Convair B-36 first flew in 1946. Heaviest aircraft built during World War II, and largest aircraft produced by any of the Axis powers in World War II
Largest aircraft in the world from 1942 to 1943 when the even heavier Junkers Ju-390 first flew. It was one of the largest bombers used during World War II
Largest aircraft in the world 1946 to 1947 when the even heavier Hughes H-4 Hercules first flew. First intercontinental strategic bomber, longest wingspan for a combat aircraft
A giant luxurious airliner in which each passenger was given the space of the interior of a small car. There was no commercial interest and only the prototype flew.
The ekranoplan had wingspan of 37.6 m, length - 92 m, maximum takeoff weight - 544 tons. Until An-225 it was the largest aircraft in the world. Unit KM was tested at the Caspian Sea for 15 years until 1980. In 1980, pilot error caused a crash without human casualties. The vehicle was too heavy to be recovered from its watery wrecksite.
Heaviest aircraft in the world 1947 to 1952 when the even heavier Boeing B-52 Stratofortress first flew. World's largest flying boat, and largest wingspan of any aircraft until 2019 when the Stratolaunch is expected to take its first flight. Only one was ever built and it performed only one short test flight. Commonly known as the "Spruce Goose".
Largest aircraft in the world 1943 to 1944 when the even heavier Blohm & Voss BV 238 first flew. Selected and further developed as the Junkers firm's entry for the Amerika Bomber design contract.
Stratolaunch is an aircraft currently under construction in Mojave, CA. With a wingspan of 385 ft (117 m), it will be the world’s largest aircraft by wingspan and the largest all-composite aircraft ever built. It is designed as an aerial launch platform, capable of lifting orbital launch vehicles weighing up to 550,000 lb (250 t) to an altitude of 45,000 ft (14,000 m). A nearly-complete aircraft was first shown on 1 June 2017.
Announced in 2006 as a derivative of the Airbus A380-800. World's highest-capacity passenger aircraft in history. In May 2010, Airbus announced that A380-900 development was postponed, until production of the A380-800 has stabilised.[13]
Planned as a replacement for the 747, to be powered by the same engines used on the 777. Project canceled in the 1990s due to the airline industry's lack of interest for very large aircraft.
1960s design. A mockup was built but no prototype.
Planned as an answer to the Anglo-French Concorde supersonic transport (SST). At 306 feet (93 m) long it would have been one of the longest airframes ever flown. Problems with the weight of the swing-wing mechanism and air friction heating in Mach 3 flight provoked a drastic redesign, by which time airline interest in SSTs was dropping because of environmental concerns. There was also political opposition to funding private industry. The U.S. Congress cut government funding in 1971 and airlines began canceling orders.
Proposal for a blended wing body passenger transport capable of carrying 1214 passenger over a distance of 12,000-13,000 kilometers. Flying wing proposal would have had a wingspan of 360 feet (110 meters).[14]
KR-860 (Kryl'ya Rossii or "Wings of Russia") early named as SKD-717 is super large transport aircraft with weights about 650 tonnes (Antonov An-225 weight is 600 tonnes), payload about 300 tonnes (An-225 payload is 250 tonnes) and 860 to 1000 passengers, a proposed Double decker wide-body superjumbo jet by Russian aerospace company Sukhoi.
Poll Triplane
Circa 1917
Proposed triplane with the center wing spanning 50 meters and the lower and upper wings spanning 31 meters. Not complete by the time of the Armistice.[15]
Proposed 50-ton 52-metre wingspan design by Barnes Wallis able to carry a ten-ton earthquake bomb (of his own design) and drop it from 14,000 m on strategic targets in Germany. Rejected by RAF due to lack of usefulness for other types of missions and unlikely to be completed before end of war.[16]
As word about Airbus's new A3XX got around, the Boeing company proposed a direct competitor, which was a proposed stretch to the 747-400. The family would have consisted of the 747-500x and the 747-600x. The project was cancelled due to a projected drop in demand for large jets in the coming decades.
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