Airbus, Boeing to Help Build Second Antonov An-225?
Is there a possibility a second Antonov An-225 is in the works with the help of the global aviation industry?
Is there a possibility a second Antonov An-225 is in the works with the help of the global aviation industry?
DALLAS — Reports have surfaced about the possibility of the Ukrainian aircraft manufacturer, Antonov, working towards developing a second An-225.
An article from the German aerospace magazine Flug Revue states that the airframe is at the Antonov plant in Sviatoshyn, near Kyiv. The airframe is reported to be 60-70% complete, but at an undisclosed location, according to other reports.
In addition, in a recent CNN report, the Ukrainian state-owned company confirmed that it was working on the project to bring back the An-225. But can it do it alone?
"The process of rebuilding 'Mriya' is considered an international project," with the participation of aviation enterprises from "different countries" around the world, the company said via email to CNN.
"The possibility of attracting funding from various sources is being considered, and proposals from many organizations that are ready to join the project are being reviewed."
As reported on mdr.de (Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk), Chief Pilot Dmytro Antonov explains, "We are still in contact with manufacturers such as Boeing, Airbus, and Embraer to ask them to help us rebuild Mriya. Also, we're still examining the wreckage of the destroyed machine to see if we can reuse some of the components, but we won't know how expensive it will be until after the war."
"We have to talk to politicians and business people after the war. A project like this can only be implemented internationally. But even prominent aviation enthusiasts can support us, like Leonardo DiCaprio, Richard Branson, or even Elon Musk."
With Hostomel Airport (GML) destroyed in February and Kyiv unstable, Antonov Airlines (ADB) has been operating its fleet of five AN-124s from Leipzig Halle (LEJ) to global destinations. As for maintenance, it runs its very own unit at LEJ.
With an ever-strong spirit, pride, and passion towards its glorious bird, back in February, Antonov posted on its Facebook page that “the dream will never die."
Perhaps we'll see another AN-225 in this lifetime.
Featured image: Lorenzo Giacobbo/Airways
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