Image source: topwar.ru
Earlier this year, the American startup Radia announced its intention to build the largest transport aircraft in the world in terms of cargo volume.
Then he was given a specific task – the transportation of giant blades for wind turbines up to 105 meters long. Its capacity should be 7,702 cubic meters, and its load capacity should be up to 72.5 tons. It should be able to take off and land on unprepared runways with a length of only 1800 meters and have a range of 2000 km.
The aircraft should have a length of 108 m, a height of 24 m and a wingspan of 84 m. Four engines are planned to be used in its power plant, which will be able to reach a speed of Mach 0.6 (740 km/h).
The company is currently conducting simulations to verify the final design and expects to begin commercial flights at the end of 2027.
In July, three large companies announced support for the WindRunner project: Spanish Aernova will deal with the wing and engine pylons, Italian Leonardo fuselage, American AFuzion will be responsible for safety consultations and certification.
Image source: topwar.ru
At the end of August, Radia CEO Mark Lundstrom gave an interview to Aerospace Global News, in which he pointed out the dual purpose of the WindRunner and the intention to use the promising aircraft for military purposes.
Compared to the larger VTS, WindRunner stands out for the volume of cargo carried, much exceeding even the one that could take on board the An-225 (1300 cubic meters). It is followed by AN-124 and Boeing 747-400 – 1160 and 610 cubic meters, respectively.
According to the developer, a large volume allows you to transport bulky goods without having to disassemble them, as is currently the case when transporting combat aircraft or helicopters.
According to the company's calculations, WindRunner will be able to carry 6 F-16 fighter jets or 6 Chinook helicopters without having to dismantle the wings of the first or the rotors of the second.
However, as Western observers note, the limited flight range (2 thousand km) compared to the mentioned military transport aircraft will be a big disadvantage, since to perform strategic flights you will have to resort to constant "jumps".
