In Profile: Biggest Aviation Records

Flying higher, further, faster, and longer is something that men and women have strived for since the dawn of motorised flight over 110 years ago. In the last century, many records have been beaten as engineering and innovation have improved at a rapid rate.

Here at FlyDays.co.uk, we will guide you through some of the most striking aviation records to grace our skies.

• World's largest passenger plane – Airbus A380

Introduced in 2005, the Airbus A380 is a double-decked plane that can carry 853 passengers at full capacity, which makes it the world's largest passenger plane, beating the previous record set by the Boeing 747-700, which can carry 660 passengers.

And now that the model has become a mainstay in our airspace, the Airbus A380 is making it easier for more passengers to travel the world, thus making it a true leap in engineering that shouldn't be overlooked.

• Largest plane wingspan – Stratolaunch

Built with the intention of lifting rockets into the stratosphere before being launched into space, the Stratolaunch has an impressive wingspan of 385ft, which officially makes it the widest plane ever made.

Still in its testing phase after only taking its second flight last year, the Stratolaunch has some notable performance details too.

Powered by six turbofan engines, it can produce a combined total of 336,000 lbs of thrust, which is a massive power gain in comparison to a commercial plane such as a Boeing 747, that carries just 75 lbs of thrust.

• Largest volume ever transported by air – Antonov AN225

During the COVID-19 pandemic, an Antonov AN225 Mriya cargo aircraft took flight from China to France with 150 metric tonnes of medical masks, personal protective equipment, and gloves, thus setting a new world record of being the heaviest flight of all-time.

In a highly stressful time for the world, this extraordinary aircraft was able to help countless people due to its sheer size. Many planes have broken records of speed and distance, but the Antonov AN225 payload played a role in saving lives over the last few years, and that's a record that should be celebrated.

• Longest non-stop commercial flight – Air Tahiti Nui, Tahiti to Paris

Another record made because of the COVID-19 pandemic was an Air Tahiti Nui flight, that took off from Papeete in French Polynesia and flew 9,765 miles in just over 16 hours to Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris, France in 2020.

The record was set under strange circumstances, with the flight due to stop over in Los Angeles during the pandemic, but US laws prohibited the plane from landing. The pilots decided to fly straight through, keeping passengers safer in the process. This snap decision ended up making this flight the longest non-stop commercial flight ever recorded.

If you're looking to take to the skies in the chase of your own personal milestone, be sure to check out our variety of Flying Experiences that are sure to set your adrenaline levels pumping.