Lead Designer of World's Largest Fixed-Wing Aircraft Dies

Still the world's largest and heaviest fixed-wing aircraft despite the adventof the Airbus A380, the Antonov An-225 'Mriya' was built in the late 1980s to carry the Soviet Buran orbiter and Energia booster. Now it is operated commercially as a giant freighter to carry large cargo loads and outsized items. A sceond An-225, also to be used as a freighter, is due for completion in 2008. Credit: AP Photo/Burhan Ozbilici

KIEV, Ukraine (AP) -- Petro Balabuyev, a lead designer of the world's largest aircraft, the An-225, died Thursday, according to the Antonov aviation design bureau. He was 75.

Balabuyev headed the Kiev-based bureau for almost 20 years, and was the top designer for many aircraft, including the An-225 and the An-124-100.

The six-engine An-225, which first flew in 1988, is capable of carrying 275 tons of cargo for a distance of 2,790 miles.

Known as the 'Mriya'--which means 'dream' or 'inspiration' in Ukrainian-- the An-225 was originally designed as a transport aircraft to support the Soviet space program.

Its planned role was to transport the Energia booster and the Buran, the Soviet Space Shuttle-lookalike orbiter that was canceled before becoming fully operational. Two large fuselage bulges were fitted on top of the An-225's rear fuselage to allow it to carry on its back the Buran and parts of the Energia that were too large even for the An-225's cavernous interior.

Antonov has completed only one An-225 to date, but due to fast-growing demand for its ability to carry very large items of cargo, construction of a second from a previously mothballed fuselage is underway. The second An-225 is due for completion in 2008.

The An-124-100 has a capacity of 165 tons. Both planes are also noted for their ability to land smoothly at poorly equipped airports.

Additional reporting by Chris Kjelgaard, Aviation.com Senior Editor

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