AN-225 shall rise again

[Geosync]

China and Ukraine agree to restart An-225 production | IHS Jane's 360 (http://www.janes.com/article/63341/china-and-ukraine-agree-to-restart-an-225-production)

[Parson]

Saw the existing one taxi and take off at Prestwick in 2007 - just happened to be in the right place at the right time...... A sight I will never forget.

[FerrisBueller]

See it up close once in the US. Amazing sight to see that take off a couple of hundred feet in front of you! Be interesting to see how many they produce, while there is a need for an aircraft of this size it wouldn't seem to be that pressing that we will see more than a few examples reproduced I'm guessing.

[Parson]

I assume restarting production is for heavy lift only and not for transporting a shuttle/space gear as before? In which case it may not have the 'roof attachments' of the existing one?

[Geosync]

I agree that I don't think there is a market for "mass production"....unless there is war and certain countries need to move gear around the world constantly. I've been on the AN-124 as a passenger in my younger years that that baby is more useful than the 225. In fact I'm surprised they don't restart production of the 124 instead of the 225.

[cappt]

Seems Ukraine had a debt to pay back.

[The AvgasDinosaur]

There is still over 70% of number 2 in the works at Gostomel.
i heard years back there was a plan to finish her off but with a rear ramp as well as per AN-124.
I think the Russians also have plans/intentions to re introduce the AN124 but with clean engines and increased (150t) payload.
Be lucky
David

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Untitled/Antonov-An-225-Mriya/699985
http://www.airliners.net/photo/Untitled/Antonov-An-225-Mriya/1759372

[Just a spotter]

According to the report about the agreement carried by Flying In Ireland magazine;

Work on a second An-225 was undertaken during the late 1980s, also for the Soviet space programme. It differed from the first by having a rear cargo door and a redesigned tail with a single vertical stabilizer, which was considered more effective for cargo transportation.» Antonov An-225 Mriya programme to resume production? (http://flyinginireland.com/2016/09/antonov-an-225-mriya-programme-to-resume-production/)

At 6 engines per airframe, it'll create some work for that new Chinese jet engine manufacturer.

http://www.pprune.org/rumours-news/583620-chinese-engines-anyone.html


JAS

[whoknows idont]

» Antonov An-225 Mriya programme to resume production? (http://flyinginireland.com/2016/09/antonov-an-225-mriya-programme-to-resume-production/)


China’s CCTV Channel, in a comment on its Facebook page, said that the Antonov Company sold all manufacturing rights and technological documents for the aircraft to the China Aerospace company, adding that the first An-225 could be produced in China as early as in 2019. Antonov’s press service later dismissed these reports as untrue.

It's fake news. There is no market for a second 225 as the one flying is not used to capacity. Why would anyone build a second one if he can just charter the existing one?