Plans for world's largest aircraft dubbed 'Skytanic'

Plans have been revealed for the world's largest plane, measuring at a huge 356ft long and capable of carrying 80 US tons, and it's being dubbed the "Skytanic".

US-based energy company Radia has released plans for a new aircraft called the "Windrunner", which would be capable of transporting wind turbine blades more than 100m in length.

The company hopes this will make transportation of the blades easier, saying current ground infrastructure is already not suitable for current blades which are around 70m in length to get from point A to point B safely.

It forecasts these blades will exceed 100m in length in the future. That's why Radia has come up with the "Windrunner".

A CGI image of the Windrunner preparing for takeoffRadia

Its website says: "Windrunner combines the world's largest payload bay with the ability to land on semi-prepared airstrips at wind farm sites.

"Our global fleet will operate from regional hubs where blades are imported or manufactured."

CGI images show that blades would be loaded through a huge cargo door at the back of the aircraft using the company's system to basically slide it in and out.

How the blades will be loaded into the aircraftRadia

The aircraft will be able to fly up to 1,240 miles at a height of 41,000ft while carrying the maximum possible payload.

Blades up to 105m in length could be carried, according to the company, with the aircraft itself only a bit bigger, measuring 108m in length.

How a 105m long blade would fitRadia

To give an idea of the scale, the longest a football pitch can be in regulation is 105m.

The cargo could also be 24m in height.

The aircraft itself is also more than 100ft longer than the world's longest passenger plane, which is the Boeing 747-8, and is capable of holding 12 times as much as that plane too.

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