NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / World

World's largest plane lands in Perth

By Robyn Ironside
news.com.au·
15 May, 2016 07:46 AM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

The world's biggest aircraft landed at Perth Airport yesterday in front of thousands of excited spectators on its first trip to Australia. Source: Youtube / Laurajanehahn

The world's biggest aircraft landed at Perth Airport yesterday in front of thousands of excited spectators on its first trip to Australia.

The Antonov An-225 Mriya, meaning "dream" in Ukrainian, landed at around 11.30am local time after a long journey from central Europe.

The one-of-a-kind plane lived up to its name of Mriya - Ukrainian for "dream".

Contracted by Worsley Alumina to transport a 117-tonne power generator from Prague, the Antonov attracted more than 15,000 aviation buffs from throughout Perth and beyond.

Not even a two-hour flight delay - due to a schedule change by Air Traffic Control in Kuala Lumpur - could deter the crowds.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Traffic around the airport was gridlocked and people booked on flights out of the city complained that carparks were full as a result of the much-anticipated landing.

It is the first time the Antonov has ever come to Australia, despite flying since December 1988.

With a maximum takeoff weight of 640-tonnes, the Antonov was the only aircraft capable of transporting the power generator required by Worsley's Bunbury plant.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

A Worsley Alumina spokesman said they had looked into shipping the generator but it would have taken too long.

Photo / Getty Images
Photo / Getty Images

He declined to say what hiring the Antonov cost the company.

Perth Airport Executive General Manager External Affairs, Fiona Lander said the level of interest in the Antonov was unprecedented.

"The sheer size of the An-225 was breathtaking with the click of camera shutters audible over the roar of the six engines as it taxied past," said Ms Lander.

"Never before has the An-225 made its way to Australia and the people of Perth made the most of its visit today."

Measuring 84-metres in length, and with a wingspan of 84.4-metres, the Antonov has never been replicated - although it is believed a second An-225 is currently being built in Russia.

The Mriya was crewed by 21 people including seven cockpit crew, one flight manager, six engineers and additional support.

It will remain in Perth for about 48-hours before heading to Germany.

The unloading of the generator is expected to take around 12-hours, using a sophisticated system of ramps and cranes.

Mr Chenery hired a helicopter to capture a different angle of the An-225, describing it as a "once in a lifetime experience".

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"It's what I would consider to be one of the monuments of aviation alongside the Concorde, the Airbus A380 and the Boeing 747," said Mr Chenery.

"It's very unique purely because of the sheer size and the fact it has six engines."

The 600-tonne aircraft took off from Kiev Airport in Ukraine on Tuesday, first flying to Prague to pick up its cargo - a 120-tonne power generator.

Refuelling stops in Turkmenistan, Hyderabad and Kuala Lumpur followed before the final and longest leg of its journey, the 4067km trip from KL to Perth.

Weather was the main concern for spectators hoping to get a shot of the enormous plane touching down in the West Australian capital.

Built in the 1980s by the Soviet Union's Antonov Design Bureau, the An-225 is a one-of-a-kind aircraft measuring 84-metres long and with a wingspan of 88-metres.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

It has six turbofan engines to power its bulk through the sky, and 32 wheels on which to land.

In contrast the world's biggest passenger jet - an A380, has four engines, 22 wheels and an 80-metre wingspan.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from World

World

'Loud and explicit': How a swearing parrot became the star of an animal shelter

03 Jul 01:04 AM
World

Vietnam signs trade deal with US as global talks continue

03 Jul 12:44 AM
World

'Gossipy' leaks: Lucy Letby lawyer slams police over charges

02 Jul 11:43 PM

There’s more to Hawai‘i than beaches and buffets – here’s how to see it differently

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from World

'Loud and explicit': How a swearing parrot became the star of an animal shelter

'Loud and explicit': How a swearing parrot became the star of an animal shelter

03 Jul 01:04 AM

Hendrix, a colourful macaw, became famous for his salty language.

Vietnam signs trade deal with US as global talks continue

Vietnam signs trade deal with US as global talks continue

03 Jul 12:44 AM
'Gossipy' leaks: Lucy Letby lawyer slams police over charges

'Gossipy' leaks: Lucy Letby lawyer slams police over charges

02 Jul 11:43 PM
Colombia seizes drone narco-submarine with Starlink tech

Colombia seizes drone narco-submarine with Starlink tech

02 Jul 11:35 PM
From early mornings to easy living
sponsored

From early mornings to easy living

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP