Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen has just revealed that he’s secretly been constructing the world’s biggest plane. Is he now the aviation industry’s biggest influencer?
Fittingly named the Stratolaunch, Paul Allen’s gargantuan aeroplane is the largest in the entire world.
It beats previous title-holder, the Hughes H-4 Hercules.
Audiences commonly refer to the Hughes aircraft as the Spruce Goose. Until recently, it dwarfed all over aeroplanes in existence.
It was originally crafted by the Hughes Aircraft Company for use during World War 2.
Due to wartime restrictions on resources, engineers crafted it entirely out of wood.
While pilots only flew one time in a brief journey in November 1947, its sheer mass has stood as a testament to American engineering.
World’s biggest plane from world’s biggest software company
Paul Allen is piloting his way into aviation history with the vehicle that finally defeats its gargantuan predecessor.
Stratolaunch’s stats include a staggering wingspan of 117 meters.
This measurement is longer than a football field.
Furthermore, the craft achieves a height of a whopping 15 meters.
.@Stratolaunch came out of the hangar for fuel testing. More pictures soon! pic.twitter.com/RCNgSpgG6W
— Paul Allen (@PaulGAllen) May 31, 2017
But that’s not all.
Experts equipped the Stratolaunch to be able to carry 113,400kg of fuel.
Allen designed the Stratolaunch to carry satellites into earth’s low orbit. His ultimate endeavour is to create a more economic means of launching small satellites into space.
While engineers recently led the plane from its hangar for refuelling tests, Allen plans an initial launch demonstration in 2019.
Allen described his endeavour in a LinkedIn statement in June 2016.
“Stratolaunch is designed with a flight radius of up to 1000 nautical miles and can launch from different runways, it will offer scientists, businesses and space entrepreneurs much greater flexibility, such as the potential to evade local weather problems that often impose untimely delays on traditional vertical rocket launches.”
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