A record-breaking journey has ended safely. The largest airplane in the world, a 175-ton Russian cargo carrier (the Antonov 225), transported two prototype wind turbine blades from China to Denmark. The 42-m GloBlades, headed for LM Wind Power’s technology center in Lunderskov, are the longest cargo ever transported by air.
The Antonov 225 has six ZMKB Progress Lotarev D-18T turbofans, each producing 51,590 lb of thrust.
China’s demand for new energy sources has put pressure on wind industry players to quickly respond. LM Wind Power, a turbine component supplying company, now ships blades into Denmark for testing. Engineers put the blades through conditions resembling the full forces of nature, while simulating 20 years of operation.
The cargo area of the Antonov 225 is 141-ft long, 21-ft wide, and 14-ft, 5-1/4 in. tall, enough to accomodate the two turbine blades.
“The new blade design will help wind farm developers create clean electricity in lower-wind areas for turbines at 1.5 to 1.7 MW,” says Frank V. Nielsen, chief technology officer. LM Wind Power’s worked with Geodis Wilson, freight management contractors, to transport the blades 4,650 miles (7480 km) from Tianjin, China to Lunderskov, Denmark in 12 hours.
LM Wind Power
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This was a landmark in the air cargo industry. The An-225 is quoted as having a maximum takeoff weight of over 1.3 million pounds (600,000 kg).