Hypersonic From United Kingdom, joined Oct 2005, 149 posts, RR: 0 Posted (3 years 9 months 1 week 2 days 21 hours ago) and read 13814 times:
Hi all,
Just curious from anyone in the know...
According to various sources, there are / have been efforts to complete the 2nd mothballed AN-225 so that it may enter productive service alongside its sister ship. These sources are also quoting that it may be completed, possibly ready for flight testing by this summer 2008?
However, the last pic dated 2004 showed the 2nd frame in a very basic state..
Does anyone know how this has progressed in the last 4 years? - Are we soon to see this 2nd immense beauty take to the skys? Or is this alas not to be, & the pic linked above, is still pretty much how this aircraft looks today?
Moo From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 1, posted (3 years 9 months 1 week 2 days 21 hours ago) and read 13808 times:
Quoting Hypersonic (Thread starter): According to various sources, there are / have been efforts to complete the 2nd mothballed AN-225 so that it may enter productive service alongside its sister ship. These sources are also quoting that it may be completed, possibly ready for flight testing by this summer 2008?
Those rumours have been ongoing for years now, with absolutely no confirmation of them at all.
YWG747 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 3, posted (3 years 9 months 1 week 2 days 19 hours ago) and read 13625 times:
I myself have also heard rumors that this craft is still being built for service.
A lass I have not heard anything new in the past couple of years.
So I really doubt that it will enter service for quite some time if at all.
Antonovman From United Kingdom, joined Mar 2001, 683 posts, RR: 0 Reply 4, posted (3 years 9 months 1 week 2 days 19 hours ago) and read 13608 times:
The second aircraft has been parked outside, under the trees for years. Theres no way it will be built as theres not enough work to keep the first and only one going
Teneriffe77 From United States of America, joined Jul 2006, 382 posts, RR: 0 Reply 5, posted (3 years 9 months 1 week 2 days 19 hours ago) and read 13562 times:
I was just looking at at google maps and found it just north of the hanger complex at Svyatoshino (at least that's what I'm assuming that huge fuselage is). Also I figure that being outside for so long would cause some corrosion issues.
EA772LR From United States of America, joined Mar 2007, 2836 posts, RR: 11 Reply 6, posted (3 years 9 months 1 week 2 days 15 hours ago) and read 13347 times:
Wasn't the first An-225 designed to be the Buran Shuttle carrier?? And since that program went no where, they use it as an out-sized cargo hauler??
We often judge others by their actions, but ourselves by our intentions.
FlyPBA From United States of America, joined Feb 2007, 379 posts, RR: 0 Reply 7, posted (3 years 9 months 1 week 2 days 6 hours ago) and read 13059 times:
Quoting EA772LR (Reply 6): Wasn't the first An-225 designed to be the Buran Shuttle carrier?? And since that program went no where, they use it as an out-sized cargo hauler??
the An225 was always designed to be an oversized cargo hauler ... whether the cargo could fit inside, or needed to be attached externally. The Buran was only one of the things it was designed to carry.
Mostly I think it just does what the An124s do ...
Viscount724 From Switzerland, joined Oct 2006, 17757 posts, RR: 17 Reply 8, posted (3 years 9 months 1 week 2 days 6 hours ago) and read 13041 times:
Quoting FlyPBA (Reply 7): the An225 was always designed to be an oversized cargo hauler ... whether the cargo could fit inside, or needed to be attached externally. The Buran was only one of the things it was designed to carry.
Every source I've seen has said it was specificially designed to carry the Buran orbiter. Are you saying that it would have been built even in the absence of the Buran project? I seriously doubt it.
Levg79 From United States of America, joined Sep 2003, 980 posts, RR: 5 Reply 9, posted (3 years 9 months 1 week 2 days 5 hours ago) and read 12960 times:
As rumors go, it will be completed and will enter service on the same day as those completed TU-144s will take to the sky. Unfortunately, we will probably never see that day.
Leo.
A mile of runway takes you to the world. A mile of highway takes you a mile.
Lightsaber From United States of America, joined Jan 2005, 7953 posts, RR: 98 Reply 10, posted (3 years 9 months 1 week 2 days 1 hour ago) and read 12527 times:
Quoting FlyPBA (Reply 7): Mostly I think it just does what the An124s do ...
Nitpick, it can carry some cargo the AN-124's cannot. One of the AN-225's main duties is to carry fully assembled oil drilling rigs into regions where... you just do not want a large crew assembling the rig for a long time.
I've heard there is enough demand for AN-225 lift to justify bringing the 2nd airframe into service. Do recall that the AN-225 is not a production aircraft and thus requires an amazing amount of maintenance to keep it flying. Its even more labor intensive than the AN-124s!
As to the second airframe entering service... unlikely. My rumor mill is strongly hinting that AN-124 production will restart with a new larger model that is a hybrid of the AN-225/AN-224 with four higher thrust engines, single tail, the AN-225 wing root, and a few other changes. Partially to support the rebirth of the Soviet military... Since copies of the plans were kept in Moscow, I'm not expecting the old factory to be re-started...
That said... I'll believe it when I see it.
Quoting Antonovman (Reply 4): Theres no way it will be built as theres not enough work to keep the first and only one going
Its not the amount of work, its the condition of the airframe. At this point, it is probably cheaper to build a new 2nd airframe; the current one needs too much rework. Could it be done? Would it make a profit?
Moo From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 12, posted (3 years 9 months 1 week 1 day 23 hours ago) and read 11714 times:
Quoting Viscount724 (Reply 8): Every source I've seen has said it was specificially designed to carry the Buran orbiter. Are you saying that it would have been built even in the absence of the Buran project? I seriously doubt it.
It was not designed specifically for the Buran, but it was designed specifically for the Buran program - the orbiter was only one of the components of the Buran stack that it was to carry.
It would not have been built had it not been for the Buran program.
TomFoolery From Austria, joined Jan 2004, 473 posts, RR: 3 Reply 13, posted (3 years 9 months 1 week 1 day 21 hours ago) and read 10948 times:
There are strong signals within the manufacturing industry that the An225 and the F100NextGen will top the priority list as soon as REKKOF begins formal operations, once the design take-over for the AN225 is complete. Industry leaders close to the A380 program are up in arms as the REKKOF/AN 225 passenger variant could pose serious competition in the ultra high capacity passenger market. In addition, the regional jet market is facing serious threats with the long rumored re-launch of the F100 NextGen. These two parallel programs are no doubt poised to once again make REKKOF/FOKKER an industry leader.
TomFoolery From Austria, joined Jan 2004, 473 posts, RR: 3 Reply 14, posted (3 years 9 months 1 week 1 day 21 hours ago) and read 10941 times:
There is nothing like a good rumor to make a person to completely loose all faith in the reliability of rumors.
The AN 225 is done. It is old with regard to design and technology, and a new design based on global demand is most likely the only step forward for any hopes of an aircraft of this magnitude being reintroduced to the skys.
FlyPBA From United States of America, joined Feb 2007, 379 posts, RR: 0 Reply 16, posted (3 years 9 months 1 week 1 day 8 hours ago) and read 10643 times:
Quoting Viscount724 (Reply 8): Every source I've seen has said it was specificially designed to carry the Buran orbiter. Are you saying that it would have been built even in the absence of the Buran project? I seriously doubt it.
no ... but it was designed to be able to also carry other things ... not JUST the Buuran
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Since copies of the plans were kept in Moscow, I'm not expecting the old factory to be re-started... 
Would it make a profit? 
From Austria, joined Jan 2004, 473 posts, 
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