• The Antonov An-225 Mriya touches down in Perth on May 15, 2016. Tony McDonough / Perth Airport / EPA
    The Antonov An-225 Mriya touches down in Perth on May 15, 2016. Tony McDonough / Perth Airport / EPA
  • Thousands of people witnessed the arrival of the aircraft on the tarmac at Perth airport. Tony McDonough / Perth Airport / EPA
    Thousands of people witnessed the arrival of the aircraft on the tarmac at Perth airport. Tony McDonough / Perth Airport / EPA
  • Spectators look out from an indoor viewing room at Perth Airport. Greg Wood / AFP
    Spectators look out from an indoor viewing room at Perth Airport. Greg Wood / AFP
  • The nose is raised up on the world’s largest aircraft. It picked up its load from the Czech Republic. It then took off from Gostomel airport in Ukraine last Tuesday and the generator will be delivered to the West Australian aluminium-ore mining company Worstely Alumina . Greg Wood / AFP
    The nose is raised up on the world’s largest aircraft. It picked up its load from the Czech Republic. It then took off from Gostomel airport in Ukraine last Tuesday and the generator will be delivered to the West Australian aluminium-ore mining company Worstely Alumina . Greg Wood / AFP
  • The aircraft taxis back to the terminal after touching down at Perth Airport. The plane was built in the 1980s by the Soviet Union’s Antonov Design Bureau. Greg Wood / AFP
    The aircraft taxis back to the terminal after touching down at Perth Airport. The plane was built in the 1980s by the Soviet Union’s Antonov Design Bureau. Greg Wood / AFP
  • Plane spotters watch the plane driving along the Vaclav Havel Airport for its first commercial flight from Prague to Perth. David W Cerny / Reuters
    Plane spotters watch the plane driving along the Vaclav Havel Airport for its first commercial flight from Prague to Perth. David W Cerny / Reuters
  • Designed and developed in the 1980s and originally earmarked to carry the “Buran”, a Soviet space shuttle, the AN-225 is the only one of its kind in the world. Greg Wood / AFP
    Designed and developed in the 1980s and originally earmarked to carry the “Buran”, a Soviet space shuttle, the AN-225 is the only one of its kind in the world. Greg Wood / AFP
  • The aircraft, which has a crew of six and 42 tyres, is 84 metres long, has a wingspan of 88.4m and a height of 18.1m. Greg Wood / AFP
    The aircraft, which has a crew of six and 42 tyres, is 84 metres long, has a wingspan of 88.4m and a height of 18.1m. Greg Wood / AFP
  • Empty it weighs 285 tonnes and has a maximum takeoff weight of 640 tonnes. David W Cerny / Reuters
    Empty it weighs 285 tonnes and has a maximum takeoff weight of 640 tonnes. David W Cerny / Reuters
  • An airplane lands at the Vaclav Havel airport as plane spotters wait for the departure of Antonov An-225 Mriya. David W Cerny / Reuters
    An airplane lands at the Vaclav Havel airport as plane spotters wait for the departure of Antonov An-225 Mriya. David W Cerny / Reuters
  • Indian Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and airport personnel stand near the world’s largest aircraft, the AN-225 Mriya, at Rajiv Gandhi International airport in Hyderabad on May 13, 2016. The six-engined Mriya aircraft, which means ‘dream’ in Russian, is the longest and heaviest airplane ever built and was en route to Australia from Europe. Noah Seelam / AFP
    Indian Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and airport personnel stand near the world’s largest aircraft, the AN-225 Mriya, at Rajiv Gandhi International airport in Hyderabad on May 13, 2016. The six-engined Mriya aircraft, which means ‘dream’ in Russian, is the longest and heaviest airplane ever built and was en route to Australia from Europe. Noah Seelam / AFP
  • The 600-tonne aircraft, powered by six turbofan engines, had several refuelling stops during its long journey from central Europe to Australia. Noah Seelam / AFP
    The 600-tonne aircraft, powered by six turbofan engines, had several refuelling stops during its long journey from central Europe to Australia. Noah Seelam / AFP
  • Indian Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and airport personnel stand near the world’s largest aircraft. Noah Seelam / AFP
    Indian Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and airport personnel stand near the world’s largest aircraft. Noah Seelam / AFP

Business

World’s biggest plane makes first stop in Australia – in pictures

Liz Claus

May 15, 2016

  • English
  • Arabic

The Ukraine-built Antonov An-225 Mriya was welcomed at Perth Airport having been chartered by a resources company to transport a 117-tonne turbine for its operations.

AirportsTechnology