The airbus can't be very feasible for people for the reasons already stated. I would think the only place that it could be possibly worth the hassle of the big size is a long distance (overseas) cargo plane.

 

The C5 is NOT the largest plane in the world. They're pretty big, but not that big.

They don't seem so big once you get inside it-- it's weird. As a Transportation Officer, I've worked with all the heavies that the USAF has.

You CAN fit four Class 8 18 wheelers inside a C5, parked two abreast.

Though smaller, the C-17 is a MUCH more impressive aircraft. It can handle almost as much weight as the C5, even though it's only about 60% as big. It's a real heavy lifter.

The "Superguppy" used to transport outsized componentry for aerospace industries used to be the largest by volume, IIRC. It can fit an A340 Fuselage inside it.




The largest aircraft is the Russian Antonov An-225. The AN-124 is the Russian version of the C5, and the AN 124 is about 20% bigger than the C5.

The AN 225 is quite a bit bigger than even their own AN 124 see:



The 225 can almost swallow a C5 whole.

Justin

 

 

Ed, how old is that picture? That looks identical to the big plane I saw out here at DFW one day except I don't think the paint job is the same. The one I saw was just like that with the six engines, long row of wheels and big twin tails. Now THAT is a BIG plane.

 

Not too sure how old.

There lots more pics of it on this website.
http://www.air-and-space.com/Antonov...25%20Mriya.htm

 

I didn't remember that red stripe down the side, but if that's the only one in the world then I guess that's the one that was out here. All I know is it was HUGE. Bigger than all the 747's I see out here. If I had known at the time that it was the world's largest plane then I would have taken a picture of it.