With exciting video, Microsoft Flight Simulator announces the Antonov An-225 in the game

Microsoft Flight Simulator officially announced yesterday (27) the addition of the Ukraine-built Antonov An-225 Mriya. The six-engine ultra-heavy jet transport aircraft holds the record as the longest airliner in the world and many other size-related aviation records. Named the 'Mriya', only one unit was built and it was rendered catastrophically inoperable in the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

 

Using the An-124 Ruslan as a design base, in 1985 Antonov began deg a project called the 'Mk. 401'. It was later named the An-225 as it could carry up to 225 tons of cargo. In addition to being much larger than the An-124, the Mriya (“dream” in Ukrainian) was equipped with six turbofan engines, the same ones used by the Ruslan.

 

 

 

Further distinguishing it from the An-124, the An-225's empennage took on a different shape from that of its smaller progenitor. Instead of a large vertical stabilizer, the An-225 was designed with two, one at each end of its horizontal stabilizer, a design dictated by the aerodynamics of carrying massive payloads on top of its fuselage. The landing gear was also enlarged compared to the An-124; the Mriya had a total of 32 wheels, the rear part of the main landing gear assembly could turn the aircraft.

 

Two An-225s were scheduled for production, but the Antonov only completed one. It made its maiden flight on December 21, 1988, officially becoming the heaviest aircraft ever to fly. During a subsequent flight on March 22, 1989, the AN-225 set 110 world records in one go.

 

The An-225 was developed by present-day Ukraine to the Soviet space program, more specifically, in transporting the Buran space shuttle, the giant plane emerged as a hope for the Soviets in their ambition to become a great power in the face of the United States.

In the early 2000s, the An-225 underwent modernization, becoming the largest aircraft with a cargo capacity in the world, and has been part of Antonov Airlines ever since.

Tragically, on February 27, 2022, the Mriya was attacked during the Russian invasion of Ukraine and disabled. Interim plans aim to bring the Mriya to the skies again, ing parts of the destroyed An-225 with those of the fuselage that was never completed.

 

To get the An-225 in Microsoft Flight Simulator, the aircraft is costing US$ 19,99 (about R$105 reais at the current exchange rate). All proceeds will go to the Antonov Corporation to rebuild the An-225. It will be available for Xbox Series X | S and Xbox CloudGaming at the end of March.

 

 

Check out more photos of the aircraft in the game: 

 

 

The An-225 can carry up to 250 tons of cargo, according to the manufacturer. The heaviest single payload ever carried by the Antonov An-225 had a maximum weight of 187,6 tonnes.

The size of the plane is Meters 18, impressive 84 meters long, 88m from wingtip to wingtip, and 285 tons with it completely empty.

You can check out more curiosities about the largest plane in the world in operation Clicking here.