Meet 9 amazing planes still in action

Airplanes are so common today as it is very easy to spot one in large cities. Whether at low altitude, getting ready for landing or leaving a trail of clouds when flying far overhead, they are part of our life.

Now, unlike the models used commercially in passenger transport, there are the monsters of the heavens. Whether by size, engine number, wingspan or load capacity, these aircraft are not often seen, but impress with their magnificence.

We have already made a list here at Mega with the largest aircraft that existed throughout the development of the aviation industry; but today you will see the most interesting ones that are still in use, each with its own particularity.

1. Aero Spacelines Super Guppy

This monster has a good cargo hold, but has been retired by all the companies that used it except NASA. For them, the plane has the ideal measures for transporting spaceships and rocket parts. Today, the Beluga Airbus has taken the place of this model, which had its first flight in 1965, when it was built from the fuselage of a Boeing C-97 Stratofreighter.

2. Lockheed C-5 Galaxy

It is the largest cargo-carrying aircraft operating in the US Army, carrying up to 135 tons. It supports the transport of 2 battle tanks, 16 jeeps or 3 Black Hawk helicopters! With no luggage, he can fly 11, 200 kilometers before having to refuel, earning the title of the world's most autonomous military aircraft.

3. Boeing 747 Dreamlifter

During the development phase of the 787 Dreamliner, Boeing realized that it would need a large aircraft to carry parts that were manufactured around the globe. For this task, they used a 747, the company's largest aircraft, and modified the fuselage to function as a cargo model. They produced four Dreamlifter units, each capable of carrying up to 125 tons per trip.

4. Antonov An-124 Ruslan

This sky monster is the largest military aircraft in the world and operates in the Russian army. It is capable of carrying up to 165 tons; but while its range is larger than that of the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy, its US equivalent, its flight range is shorter.

5. Airbus Beluga

The original name of this plane is Airbus A300-600 Super Transporter, but due to the shape of its fuselage, it is known as Beluga. If you have never seen a picture of these animals, relatives of whales, search and you will understand. When it went into service in 1995, it replaced Super Guppy in the transport of large commercial cargo, with a capacity of up to 52 tons.

6. Boeing C-17 Globemaster III

The Lockheed C-5 Galaxy may be the largest used by the US Army, but this is the most widely used cargo plane. Its first flight was made in 1991, and currently there are 279 units in service. With a capacity of 85 tons, the C-17 Globemaster III carries cargo and soldiers, makes medical evacuations and launches supplies for combat troops.

7. Airbus A380

It is the world's largest airliner, capable of carrying up to 850 people at a time, flying long routes around the globe. 101 units have already been delivered, most of them to Emirates, the most frequent customer of this model.

8. McDonnell Douglas KC-10 Extender

The world's largest refueling aircraft went into operation in 1981. Although there are already projects underway to replace it, it is still active and can carry almost 200, 000 liters. The liquid is stored in three main tanks on the wings, and another under the fuselage. If the fuel volume is reduced, it can carry other types of cargo, depending on the mission in progress.

9. Stratolaunch

This plane is still in the testing phase, but when it begins operations it will have the largest wingspan in the world, 117 meters across the wing. To imagine the grandeur of this, remember that the games of the Brazilian soccer championship are played on 105 meter long fields. The size and shape of the aircraft is necessary as it will need to carry rockets into the stratosphere where they will drive their own engines to fly into space. At the same time as Stratolaunch is being developed, Virgin Orbit is working on a similar project.