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12th Apr 2015

World’s largest plane, Antonov An-225, gets set to take off from Shannon Airport

Is it a bird? No, it’s a big-ass plane…

Oisin Collins

The world’s largest plane takes off from Shannon at 10pm on Sunday night.

Do you live in or near Clare and are looking to kill a few hours later on? Then you might want to make your way Shannon Airport to see the world’s largest plane taking off.

The Antonov An-225, along with it’s six engines and 32-wheels, landed in Shannon Airport late last night, as it’s the only airport in the country with a runway long enough (3.2km) to accommodate the plane.

It’s sure to be a sight that you won’t want to miss so make sure to get a good spot before 10pm to see the beast take off.

Here’s a look at some of the Antonov An-225’s main stats…

Wingspan: 290′ (88 m)
Length: 276′ (84 m)
Weight: 628,300 lbs (285,000 kg)
Range: 9,569 miles (15,400 km)
Top speed: 528 mph (850 km/h)
Unit cost: $200,000,000–$250,000,000 (2013)

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