Antonov An 990 Exclusive Jun 2026

If you ever see a blueprint or photograph claiming to be the "Antonov An 990," treat it as . The real heroes of heavy lift are the An-124 (still flying humanitarian missions), the memory of the An-225 Mriya, and the humble An-22.

Though the simulator calculates that a plane of this size can fly based on aerodynamic physics, physical fabrication faces insurmountable real-world hurdles:

Features "water-scooping" capabilities to refill its tanks while skimming across lakes or oceans. Theoretical Specifications antonov an 990

Navigating the plane requires several unique considerations:

Because an aluminum aircraft of this size would instantly collapse under its own structural weight in real life, the mod’s creators cleverly integrated modern materials science into its fictional lore. The An-990 is designated as being constructed primarily out of . Graphene is theoretically 200 times stronger than steel while remaining incredibly lightweight, providing a pseudo-scientific explanation for why the aircraft's wings do not snap off during simulated flight. Flight Simulator Performance and Gameplay Challenge If you ever see a blueprint or photograph

The Antonov An-990 described in this article is a fictional aircraft created for the X-Plane 11 flight simulation software. It does not exist in reality and is not produced or endorsed by the Antonov State Enterprise. All specifications and performance details are based on the simulation mod and are not physically possible.

The aircraft would require dozens of high-bypass turbofans, making fuel consumption economically impossible. 000 lbf (2

Amused flight sim pilots frequently use the aircraft's immense cargo hold to load and transport entirely separate commercial airliners, such as a Boeing 747, just to test the limits of the simulation's weight physics.

Often referred to in speculative circles as the "Ghost of the USSR," the An-990 represents one of the great "what-ifs" of aerospace engineering—a project that promised to revolutionize transport before vanishing into the fog of history.

Because the An-990 is an community-built modification, specific details vary slightly across packages. However, the most popular iteration—the —features numbers that completely dwarf any aircraft built by human hands. Fictional Specification Real-World Comparison ( An-225 Mriya ) Maximum Takeoff Weight 6,000 tonnes (13.2 million lbs) ~600 tonnes (1.32 million lbs) Powerplant Custom GE-990-480 Turbofans Progress D-18T Turbofans Thrust Per Engine 480,000 lbf (2,135 kN) ~51,600 lbf (229.5 kN) Payload Capacity ~2,250 tonnes 250 tonnes Flight Dynamics and Pilot Guidelines in X-Plane