What is the name of a group of aircraft? What types of planes are there?

26.09.2021

Aviation as a mode of transport appeared relatively recently, its history goes back only a hundred years. Airplanes have firmly entered the everyday life of mankind, and now it is impossible to imagine traveling to another continent without using the services of one or another airline.

Initially, airplanes were shaky structures made of flammable materials, and movement in them was associated with a certain risk to life. But over time they evolved into convenient and safe look transport. More than 100 design companies produce passenger airliners for needs civil aviation. This industry is one of the most profitable in mechanical engineering. So what types of aircraft are there, which are considered the best, and how many of them are produced per year?

Types of aircraft are divided into several classifications:

by purpose,
speed,
quantity,
type of engines,
size of wings and body,
management.

This article will look at what passenger aircraft do in different countries world (including in Russia): both new and older generation models.

Boeing Company

It is one of the leading manufacturers in the aviation industry, specializing in the production of passenger and cargo airliners for commercial aviation, as well as military and space equipment. The best US civil aircraft are produced by Boeing, due to which the company's products occupy a leading position in the country's exports.

Since its founding in 1916, the corporation confidently declared itself and until the end of the Second World War it produced mainly fighters and bombers. With the onset of peacetime, it quickly retrained for passenger aircraft and by the end of the 20th century became the progenitor of the most numerous model used by airlines - the Boeing 737. Now the aviation giant produces up to 500 aircraft per year and is constantly working on the development of the latest aviation and space technology.

The long-lived model has been produced since the mid-1960s of the last century and is one of the most frequently used by various air carriers. More than 6,000 aircraft have been produced since the successful launch of the initial modification. Initially, aircraft of this series were intended for short- and medium-range domestic flight routes, but with the installation of innovative engines on the 737 family aircraft, starting in 1984, the Boeing 737 “Classic” model with a significantly increased capability for long-distance flights began to be produced.

Since the late 1990s, a modified Boeing 737 “Next Generation” model has appeared with more advanced energy-hungry engines, larger wings and a new passenger cabin with up to 210 seats. This model is currently being produced.

The airline giant is working on developing a new series designed to replace previous models. The first deliveries of the Boeing 737 Max are scheduled for the second half of 2017.

The first 747 aircraft was tested in 1968 and was designed to meet the demand for intercontinental travel, which was gaining popularity at an incredible rate at that time. The two-deck model remained the largest passenger aircraft on the planet for more than 30 years.

The aircraft is currently being produced; to date, more than 1.5 thousand models have been produced. In the late 1970s, powerful engines began to be installed on these airliners, and the weight of the hull was increased, increasing the possible flight distance.

The modern modification of the model compares favorably with its predecessors and surpasses them in reducing noise during flight, resource saving, overall efficiency and safety. Passenger capacity is up to 581 people.

Developed during the global fuel crisis of the second half of the 20th century, the aircraft consumes many times less resources, while maintaining all the standards for safe and successful flight.

Due to breakthroughs in aerodynamics, innovative aircraft design, the use of the latest materials and only two engines, the aircraft is an alternative to more resource-consuming models.

However, the reduction in the number of engines entailed a reduction in the range of non-stop flights, the upper limit of which is 7000 kilometers. The aircraft's cabin layout has also undergone changes compared to previous Boeing models, with only two aisles and between 200 and 295 seats in early versions.

IN currently Production of the model was discontinued due to a decrease in orders for it. As of 2004, more than 1,000 aircraft were produced, and most leading airlines continue to operate them.

The aircraft was developed in parallel with the Boeing 757, it was intended to replace much more energy-intensive models, consuming 32% less fuel.

Due to the reduced passenger capacity, the model initially did not cause much excitement among airlines, but after a series of modifications and an increase in the cabin, its market competitiveness was proven and it was especially often used for air crossings Atlantic Ocean. Initially, the passenger cabin of the airliner consisted of 181 seats, but then the number was increased to 224.

The model is very popular among American airlines operating on domestic flights, and is often used when flying with east coast countries to the west. The interest of airlines in the model allowed the Boeing Company to continue its production at the present time.

Boeing 777

The aircraft has two engines and is designed for long-distance intercontinental flights from 10 thousand to 21 thousand kilometers. A distinctive feature can be considered jet engines, whose diameter has no analogues in the world.

The model is equipped with last word technology, its creation was carried out using computer technology. To date, the aircraft is the most successful and best-selling aircraft for Boeing, its production in last years is only growing.

The world's leading air carriers operate the model on their flights, carrying from 300 to 550 passengers per flight.

Airbus S.A.S

The largest manufacturer in Eurasia, producing various types of civil and cargo aircraft, created by the merger of several European aircraft concerns in the late 1960s. The company's main offices are in France, Spain, Germany and the UK.

Airbus immediately focused on developing low-cost, lightweight, fuel-efficient models. This decision paid dividends. The company is now a direct competitor to Boeing, although in recent years it has been receiving more orders and producing more aircraft (up to 550 per year) than its American rivals. Modern models of this brand enjoy the constant trust of passengers and various air carriers.

Additional Information. The decision to unite European aircraft manufacturing companies has more than once been called a saving grace for the local aviation industry and the economy of the European Union.

The brainchild of the Airbus aircraft concern first saw the light of day in the mid-1980s, and began flying in 1987. Design of this aircraft was produced using the latest aircraft manufacturing technologies available at that time, and for the first time an electronic remote control system was built into it.

The model compares favorably with its direct competitors in its more spacious cabin dimensions and luggage compartment, as well as the reduced cost of operation and preventive maintenance, which led to great demand for the airliner among low-cost airlines. It can travel non-stop over distances of up to 6.5 thousand kilometers and carry from 140 to 180 passengers.

Currently, the aircraft is in great demand and occupies a leading position in the ratings as the best-selling and most produced model in the world. Up to 40 airliners are built at Airbus factories per month.

The largest aircraft in the world in terms of size and number of passengers carried today appeared in the early 2000s through the efforts of the aircraft manufacturing corporation EADS to Airbus order, and its commercial operation began by 2007.

The model is designed for intercontinental communication (up to 15,000 kilometers) of the world's largest modern airports, but not every one of them is capable of hosting such a huge airliner with four engines, capable of carrying up to 1,000 passengers at a time.

Due to its size, the aircraft consumes quite a lot of fuel, so the designers had to cover the fuselage of the aircraft with the lightest but most durable materials in order to lighten its weight as much as possible.

Production of the model continues to this day, and its popularity remains unchanged among the world's leading airlines.

Airbus A319

The characteristics of this model are very similar to the A320, but with a smaller body, passenger capacity and fuel consumption. The aircraft itself is designed for short and medium-range flights and is not capable of covering more than 6.5 thousand kilometers without refueling, but in its segment this is more than a decent indicator.

Despite some limitations, the aircraft has found its niche in the industry and is used for flights between European countries and is actively used by economy class airlines to transport passengers on less popular routes (from 125 to 156 people).

The aircraft with a wide fuselage is designed for long-distance intercontinental flights and is capable of covering up to 13.5 thousand kilometers. The model was created to compete with the Boeing Company and their 767 modification aircraft.

Since the early 1990s, more than a thousand airliners have been produced, and their production continues to this day. The aircraft is capable of carrying between 240 and 440 passengers and is the largest twin-engine model produced by Airbus.

The airline is currently planning to release a new generation model that will reduce the fuel consumption of the A330 by 15% and significantly reduce the cost of operating aircraft for airlines.

One of the most popular models in the past, now discontinued. The aircraft, with a shorter fuselage than other models of the concern at that time, was put into operation starting in 1983, its flight range was 5.5 thousand kilometers.

Since then, the model has been improved several times: the modification of the wings has changed, the braking ability of the chassis has been improved, and a vertical tail made of carbon fiber has been added. A lot of attention was also paid to the interior design of the cabin - the distance between the seats, the depth of the shelves, the general availability of individual means in the event of an emergency were at the forefront high level and met all standards accepted at that time. Currently, major airlines no longer use this model, but mid-segment and low-cost carriers still actively use it.

Domestic aircraft manufacturing

Models passenger aircraft in the history of Russian and Soviet aviation are numerous and varied. The construction of the first domestic aircraft began under Emperor Nicholas II, and quite successful ones were created aircrafts“Russian Knight” and “Ilya Muromets”, which proved to be excellent bombers on the fronts of the First World War. Epic heroes were specially chosen to name Russian aircraft in order to maintain morale in regular army units.

After the October Revolution, many private commercial companies producing aircraft were abolished, and in their place, state-controlled design bureaus appeared with a clearly defined plan: to work only for the military-industrial complex.

With the onset of peacetime, types of passenger aircraft began to be developed with special zeal, and air transport were gaining more and more popularity. Now the Russian aviation industry largely depends on Western partners, but it also has its own developments, and the number of models produced per year is gradually growing.

Additional Information. Even at the dawn of the Soviet aviation industry, a curious tradition was born: any aircraft model is named after the design bureau that created it.

An-24

The aircraft was developed by the Antonov Design Bureau; over 17 years of production, approximately 1,200 models were produced. During the Soviet period, the airliner was used on domestic flights and coped well with various weather conditions. Some air carriers in the Russian Federation still operate this model, capable of carrying up to 52 passengers at a time. The aircraft has two turboprop engines and is capable of non-stop flight of up to 2 thousand kilometers.

Tu-134

It was created as a safer, faster and less noisy version of the An-24 at the Tupolev Design Bureau. First released in the mid-1960s, about 900 vehicles were put into operation over 18 years. The aircraft cabin can accommodate up to 75 passengers, and the non-stop flight distance is 2 thousand kilometers.

To understand how popular this model was at one time, it is enough to open any book where Russian aviation is considered in a historical context. Suffice it to recall that the aircraft was produced until 2013 and for a long time invariably occupied first place in the list of the safest airliners in the world.

Since 1968, just under a thousand medium-haul airliners have been produced, capable of flying almost 4 thousand kilometers without refueling. A significant number are still in operation and constitute a significant part air fleet Russian air carriers.

IL-62

By the mid-1950s, civil aviation of the USSR did not have a single design bureau making aircraft capable of flying between continents. The Ilyushin Design Bureau developed the Il-64, in the first assemblies capable of carrying 164 passengers (later the number increased to 186) over a distance of more than 11 thousand kilometers.

IL-96

Wide-body aircraft in Russia have been produced since the late 80s. It is this model that currently transports the President of the Russian Federation. It is capable of carrying up to 300 passengers over a distance of up to 9 thousand kilometers. Since the spring of 2014, the airliner has been completely taken out of service and is currently used only by the national carrier of Cuba.

Currently, Russia can boast of the products of the Sukhoi company, which produces medium-haul airliners capable of non-stop flight over a distance of 4.5 thousand kilometers and transportation of almost 100 kilometers. Since 2008, 89 aircraft have been produced and are operated by such air carriers as Aeroflot, Utair and Interjet.

MS-21

The brainchild of the Irkutsk aircraft plant in the form of a mid-fuselage civil aircraft, capable of flying at a distance of up to 6.4 thousand kilometers, was released in June 2016, and the first test flight took place at the end of May 2017. The airliner can carry up to 180 people and is designed primarily for domestic flights.

Video

Thanks to the enormous competition among the largest airline companies, passengers and air carriers are in a winning situation. Every year, passenger aircraft become more technologically advanced, comfortable and safe for people who choose this type of transport for travel.

Knows very much a large number of aircraft of various types and types. It is unlikely that it will even be possible to list all the names of the aircraft. However, it is quite possible to cover the main models. Let's find out how aircraft are classified, their types, types, and names will also be considered.

Names

Let's take a look at the list of names of the main foreign aircraft manufacturers in alphabetical order. The list includes both currently existing companies and abolished ones:

Aérospatiale (France).
Airbus (EU).
Boeing (USA).
British Aerospace (UK).
British Aircraft (UK).
Heinkel (Germany).
Junkers (Germany).
McDonnell Douglas (USA).
Messerschmitt (Germany).

Names of aircraft in alphabetical order, produced in the USSR and other countries post-Soviet space, are given below:

An (Antonov).
And (Polikarpov).
La (Lavochkin).
LaGG (Lavochkin, Gorbunov, Gudkov).
Lee (Lisunov).
MiG (Mikoyan and Gurevich).
Po (Polikarpov).
Su (Sukhoi).
Tu (Tupolev).
Yak (Yakovlev).

How are airplanes classified?

First of all, let's find out what types of planes there are. The names of aircraft can tell a lot, but the classification will tell us even more. How are aircraft classified? This is done according to the following parameters:

by appointment;
speed;
number of engines;
engine type;
chassis type;
weight;
number of wings;
fuselage size;
type of management;
takeoff form.

We will now dwell on some of the above points in more detail.

Classification by purpose

It is considered the most common. According to this indicator, all aircraft were divided into two major types: military and civilian. In addition, each of these groups has its own division into smaller categories.

In accordance with the specific functional affiliation, military aircraft are classified into the following specialized categories: bombers, interceptor aircraft, aircraft fighters, attack aircraft, military transport ships, fighter-bombers, and reconnaissance aircraft.

In civil aviation, flight devices are divided into the following categories: passenger, agricultural, transport, postal, experimental, etc.

Bombers

The bomber's mission is to hit targets on the ground. They do this with bombs and missiles.

Now let's find out the names of military aircraft. Among the bombers, the following domestically produced models can be distinguished: Su-24, Tu-160, Su-34. During the Second World War, the domestic Pe-2 bomber was especially famous. But the very first can be called the famous “Ilya Muromets” - the creation of the great designer Igor Sikorsky. This device first flew into the air back in 1913. During the First World War, it was converted into a bomber. Ilya Muromets aircraft were also used during the Civil War.

Among foreign aircraft we can highlight modern American strategic bombers Northrop B-2 Spirit, XB-70 Valkyrie, Rockwell B-1 Lancer, B-2, B-52 Stratofortress, US aircraft of the 30s Boeing B-17 and Martin B- 10, World War II-era German bombers Junkers Ju 86 and Heinkel He 111.

Fighters

The main task of these devices is to destroy aircraft and other objects that are in the air.

The names of fighter aircraft will also tell a lot to a military connoisseur. The most famous Soviet models of the Second World War period are LaGG-3, I-15 bis, MiG-3, I-16, I-153, Yak-1. In the same era, the German Bf.109, Bf.110 and Fw 190 aircraft, as well as the Me.262, Me.163 Komet and He 162 Volksjager jets, gained world fame.

Among Soviet fighters of a later era, the MiG-31, Su-27 and MiG-29 should be highlighted. Nowadays the sky is filled with modern Russian planes. Their names are well known to aviation specialists. These are 4++ generation fighters Su-35 and Mig-35.

Modern American models include the world's first generation five fighter, the Boeing F-22, as well as the earlier F-4 and F-15 Eagle models.

Fighter-bombers

They combine the functions of the first two categories of aircraft we described. That is, they destroy both air and ground targets.

The first fighter-bombers are considered to be the German Me.262, a modified model of the British Supermarine Spitfire fighter, the De Havilland Mosquito, and the Soviet Yak-9.

The first of the above models was released in 1968, and today it is the most popular of all passenger aircraft. The Boeing 747, produced a year later, is a pioneer among wide-body airliners. Boeing 747-8 is the longest passenger aircraft. It was released in 2010. Today, the Boeing 777, produced since 1994, has gained the greatest popularity on the passenger aviation market. The newest model of the corporation on this moment- Boeing 787 built in 2009.

"Airbus"

As mentioned earlier, Boeing's main competitor in the global market is the European company Airbus, whose central office is located in France. It was founded much later than its American rival - in 1970. The most famous names of the aircraft of this company are A300, A320, A380 and A350 XWB.

Launched in 1972, the A300 is the very first wide-body, twin-engine aircraft. The A320, manufactured in 1988, was the first in the world to use fly-by-wire control. The A380 aircraft, which first took to the skies in 2005, is the largest in the world. It is capable of carrying up to 480 passengers. The company's latest development is the A350 XWB. Its main task was to compete with the previously released Boeing 787. And this airliner successfully copes with this task, outperforming its rival in terms of efficiency.

The Soviet passenger transport was also presented at a decent level. aviation industry. Most of the models are Aeroflot aircraft. Names of the main brands: Tu, Il, An and Yak.

The first domestic jet airliner was the Tu-104, released in 1955. The Tu-154, which first took off in 1972, is considered the most popular Soviet passenger aircraft. The 1968 Tu-144 acquired legendary status as the world's first airliner that managed to break the sound barrier. It could reach speeds of up to 2.5 thousand km/h, and this record has not been broken to this day. At the moment, the last operating model of the airliner developed by the Tupolev design bureau is the Tu-204 aircraft produced in 1990, as well as its modification Tu-214.

Naturally, besides Tu, there are other Aeroflot aircraft. The names of the most popular: An-24, An-28, Yak-40 and Yak-42.

Airliners from other countries of the world

In addition to those mentioned above, there are worthy of attention models and other manufacturers of passenger aircraft.

The British De Havilland Comet, launched in 1949, is the world's first jet airliner. The French-British airliner Concorde, developed in 1969, became widely known. It went down in history due to the fact that it is the second successful attempt (after the Tu-144) to create a supersonic passenger aircraft. Moreover, until now, these two airliners are unique in this regard, since so far no one else has been able to produce a passenger aircraft suitable for mass operation that can travel faster than sound.

Transport workers

The main purpose of transport aircraft is to transport cargo over long distances.

Among the devices of this type, it is necessary to identify Western models of passenger aircraft, modified for transport needs: Douglas MD-11F, and Boeing 747-8F.

But the Soviet and now Ukrainian design bureau named after Antonov became most famous in the production of transport aircraft. It produces aircraft that constantly break world records for carrying capacity: An-22 1965 (carrying capacity - 60 tons), An-124 1984 (carrying capacity - 120 tons), An-225 1988 (carries 253, 8 t). The latest model still holds the unbroken record for carrying capacity. In addition, it was planned to be used to transport the Soviet Buran shuttles, but with the collapse of the USSR, the project remained unrealized.

IN Russian Federation With transport aviation, everything is not so rosy. The names of Russian aircraft are as follows: Il-76, Il-112 and Il-214. But the problem is that the IL-76 currently being produced was developed back in Soviet times, in 1971, and the rest are planned to be launched only in 2017.

Agricultural aircraft

There are aircraft whose tasks include treating fields with pesticides, herbicides and other chemicals. This type of aircraft is called agricultural.

Among the Soviet models of these devices, the U-2 and An-2 are known, which, due to the specifics of their use, were popularly called “corn trucks”.

Division by speed

In addition to the classification of aircraft by purpose, which we studied in detail above, there are other types of ranking. These include classification by flight speed. Based on this criterion, aircraft are divided into the following categories: subsonic, transonic aircraft, supersonic aircraft and hypersonic.

It is not difficult to understand that subsonic aircraft move slower than sound. Transonic aircraft fly at speeds close to the speed of sound, supersonic aircraft exceed this speed, and hypersonic aircraft exceed this speed by more than five times.

At the moment, the experimental hypersonic vehicle from the USA X-43A 2001 is considered the fastest in the world. It can reach a speed of 11,200 km/h. In second place is his compatriot X-15, released back in 1959. The speed is 7273 km/h. If we talk not about experimental devices, but about those aircraft that perform specific tasks, then the American SR-71, capable of reaching speeds of up to 3530 km/h, takes the lead. Among domestic aircraft, the supersonic MiG-25 should be highlighted. Its maximum speed can reach 3000 km/h.

In passenger aviation, things are much worse with speed. To date, only two supersonic airliners have been produced: the domestic Tu-144 (1968) and the French-English Concorde (1969). The first of them can reach speeds of up to 2.5 thousand km/h, which is a civil aviation record, but among aircraft of all purposes this is only the tenth place. It should also be noted that at the moment there is no supersonic airliner, which is in operation since the use of the Tu-144 was abandoned back in 1978, and the use of the Concorde was stopped in 2003.

Hypersonic passenger aircraft never existed at all. True, there are now several projects from both domestic and foreign design bureaus for the production of a hypersonic airliner. Among them, the most famous is the European ZEHST. This aircraft will be capable of reaching speeds of up to 5.0 thousand km/h, but the timing of its creation is unclear. There are two similar projects in Russia - Tu-244 and Tu-444, but at the moment both of them are frozen.

Other types of classification

Based on the number of engines, aircraft have a ranking from one to twelve engines.

Based on engine type, aircraft are divided into the following categories: electric, piston, turboprop, jet, rocket, and combined engine.

Based on the type of landing gear, aircraft are classified as follows: wheeled, ski-mounted, hovercraft, tracked, float-mounted, amphibious. Naturally, aircraft with wheeled landing gear are most common.

By weight, aircraft are divided into super-light, light, medium-weight, heavy and super-heavy aircraft.

According to the number of wings, in the direction of decreasing their number, aircraft are divided into polyplanes, triplanes, biplanes, sesquiplanes and monoplanes.

There is also a classification based on fuselage size: narrow-body and wide-body.

According to the classification of control type, aircraft are divided into manned and unmanned.

According to the take-off form, all aircraft can be divided into the following categories: vertical take-off, horizontal take-off and short take-off.

Manifold

We learned what the classification of aircraft is, their types, types, and names were also considered. As you can see, there are a very large number of models that perform different functions and have very different specifications. The world of aviation is truly multifaceted, and one review cannot describe absolutely all its aspects.

Nevertheless, we can give a general idea on this issue by describing the most famous aircraft that have gone down in history. The types and names, despite their numerousness, can still be systematized in a certain way in order to clarify the essence of this topic.

In civil aviation, flight devices are divided into the following categories:

passenger,

agricultural purposes,

transport,

postal,

experimental

Passenger aircraft

Let's start our review of civil aviation models with them. This type of air Vehicle, as the name implies, is designed to transport passengers. The first production aircraft to transport civilians is considered to be the same domestic Ilya Muromets, which in the future was converted into a bomber. He made his first flight from St. Petersburg to Kyiv with sixteen passengers back in 1914. The American Douglas DC-3 is considered the most popular airliner during the existence of aviation.

Douglas DC-3

who made the first aviation flight back in 1935. Various modifications of it are still in use today. For example, the Soviet version of this aircraft was the Li-2. The first aircraft were described above. The names of the main competitors in the modern passenger aviation market are Boeing and Airbus.

"Boeing"

The American company Boeing emerged back in 1916. Since then, it has been producing aircraft, mainly for civil aviation, although there are also military transport models. The most famous names of passenger aircraft of this company are Boeing 737, Boeing 747, Boeing 747-8, Boeing 777 and Boeing 787. classification of aircraft their types types names.

Boeing 737

The first of the above models was released in 1968, and today it is the most popular of all passenger aircraft. Boeing 747,

Boeing 747

produced a year later, is a pioneer among wide-body airliners. Boeing 747-8 is the longest passenger aircraft. It was released in 2010. Today, the Boeing 777, produced since 1994, has gained the greatest popularity on the passenger aviation market.

Boeing 777

The newest model of the corporation at the moment is the Boeing 787 created in 2009.

Boeing 787

"Airbus"

Airbus A300

The A320, manufactured in 1988, was the first in the world to use fly-by-wire control.

Airbus A320

The A380 aircraft, which first took to the skies in 2005, is the largest in the world.

Airbus A380

It is capable of carrying up to 480 passengers. The company's latest development is the A350 XWB.

A350 XWB

Its main task was to compete with the previously released Boeing 787. And this airliner successfully copes with this task, outperforming its rival in terms of efficiency.

Soviet passenger aircraft

The Soviet passenger aviation industry was also represented at a decent level. Most of the models are Aeroflot aircraft. Names of the main brands: Tu, Il, An and Yak. The first domestic jet airliner was the Tu-104, released in 1955.

Tu-104

The Tu-154, which first took off in 1972, is considered the most popular Soviet passenger aircraft.

Tu-154

The 1968 Tu-144 acquired legendary status as the world's first airliner that managed to break the sound barrier.

Tu-144

It could reach speeds of up to 2.5 thousand km/h, and this record has not been broken to this day. At the moment, the last operating model of the airliner developed by the Tupolev design bureau is the Tu-204 aircraft produced in 1990, as well as its modification Tu-214.

Tu-214

Naturally, besides Tu, there are other Aeroflot aircraft. The names of the most popular: Il-18, Il-114, Il-103, An-24, An-28, Yak-40 and Yak-42.

IL-114

Yak-40

Airliners from other countries of the world

In addition to those mentioned above, there are models worthy of attention from other manufacturers of passenger aircraft. The British De Havilland Comet, launched in 1949, is the world's first jet airliner.

De Havilland Comet

The French-British airliner Concorde, developed in 1969, became widely known.

Concorde

It went down in history due to the fact that it is the second successful attempt (after the Tu-144) to create a supersonic passenger aircraft. Moreover, until now, these two airliners are unique in this regard, since so far no one else has been able to produce a passenger aircraft suitable for mass operation that can travel faster than sound.

Transport workers

The main purpose of transport aircraft is to transport cargo over long distances. Among the devices of this type, it is necessary to identify Western models of passenger aircraft modified for transport needs: Douglas MD-11F, Airbus A330-200F, Airbus A300-600ST and Boeing 747-8F.

Douglas MD-11F

An-225

The latest model still holds the unbroken record for carrying capacity. In addition, it was planned to be used to transport the Soviet Buran shuttles, but with the collapse of the USSR, the project remained unrealized. In the Russian Federation, everything is not so rosy with transport aviation. The names of Russian aircraft are as follows: Il-76, Il-112 and Il-214. But the problem is that the IL-76 currently being produced was developed back in Soviet times, in 1971, and the rest are planned to be launched only in 2017.

IL-76

Agricultural aircraft

There are aircraft whose tasks include treating fields with pesticides, herbicides and other chemicals. This type of aircraft is called agricultural. Among the Soviet models of these devices, the U-2 and An-2 are known, which, due to the specifics of their use, were popularly called “corn trucks”.

U-2

The aviation industry is developing every year. Today, civilian and military pilots use aircraft models of all configurations and varieties. Aircraft amaze with their variety and variations in purpose. Let's briefly study the types of aircraft and their names in order to classify this type of equipment for ourselves.

The world knows several separate criteria by which aviation experts classify various aircraft. One of the important aspects of systematization of technology is the function of the aircraft.. Today they are used by military and civilian vessels. Moreover, each category is divided into special groups.

In addition, it is also known division according to the speed characteristics of the airliner. Here aviators list groups of subsonic, transonic, supersonic and hypersonic models. This section of the classification is based on determining the acceleration of the liner relative to the speed of sound. Aircraft, which is today used for scientific and military purposes, although previously similar models worked for passenger transportation.

If we talk about the control method, we can distinguish two main types - manned aircraft and drones. The second group was used by the military and scientists. Such machines are widely used for space exploration.

Considering the types and purposes of aircraft, aviators will name and classification according to the design features of the device. Here we list the differences in the aerodynamic model, the number and type of wing, the shape of the tail, and the structure of the fuselage. The last subgroup also includes varieties that relate to the types and mounting of the chassis.

Finally, they consider and differences in type, number and installation method of engines. They include muscle, steam, air-jet, rocket, nuclear, and electric motors. In addition, ships are equipped with internal combustion engines (piston modifications of power plants) or combine several variations. Of course, in one review it is difficult to consider in detail the complete classification of aircraft, so we will focus on brief description main categories.

Functionality of the equipment

As stated above, airliners are divided into two main groups: civil and military aircraft. In addition, experimental devices are a separate type here. Each category here involves division into variations according to the type of purpose and functionality of the aircraft. Let's start by studying aircraft, which are used for “peaceful” purposes.

Civil aircraft

Let's define in more detail what types of aircraft there are, the names and subtypes of flying modifications. Here aviators are talking about four model options. Let's list the categories like this:

passenger liners;
cargo sides;
training airbuses;
special purpose aircraft.

Note that modifications for passenger transportation are separately divided into groups that determine the flight range. Here they refer to mainline ships and airliners for local transport.

Aircraft classification

short-range ones that cover distances of up to 2,000 km;
medium, capable of flying 4,000 km;
long-distance, operating flights up to 11,000 km.

In addition, the maximum capacity determines the following criteria for local airliners:

heavy aircraft with 100 or more seats;
medium modifications that carry up to 50 people;
light airliners carrying a maximum of 20 passengers.

Among the examples local airlines Let's list the modifications SAAB , E.R.J. , Dash-8 , ATR . It is interesting that on certain types of airliners of the local category they are equipped power plants different class. Here you can find models with jet engines and aircraft with turboprop engines.

Considering long-haul aircraft, let's name ships familiar to passengers Boeing And Airbus . Boeing aircraft are designed by an American corporation, and Airbus aircraft are designed by a European holding company. Both companies compete with each other, constantly developing and modernizing aircraft. Thus, today the Airbus A380 is considered the heaviest aircraft, although until the release of such a modification, American developments and 747 800 .

The 747 models were the first wide-body aircraft that are still in operation today. In addition, such aircraft are used by the best carriers in Russia and the world.

However, the Europeans are not lagging behind their main competitor. Modifications have gained popularity and recognition among pilots , Airbus A300 And A350 XWB. Model A300- the world's first wide-body aircraft equipped with two engines. As you can see, the possible variations in the classification of airliners cannot be described in one review. But knowing what types of airplanes there are and who created them, the reader will decide on personal preferences and find out the basics of aviation.

Military aviation

Now let's briefly study the typology of courts used by law enforcement agencies. Among these aircraft there are manned airliners and drones, modifications with different types motor, including rocket engine subtypes. However, we will consider the division of these types according to profile criteria.

Military transport aircraft Il-76

Here, as in the civil classification, there is transport liners transporting personnel. This IL-76,An-12, 26 And 124 . In the USA, these functions are carried by models Boeing C-17, 97 And Douglas YC-15. In addition, the military also uses auxiliary equipment– medical aircraft, communications aircraft, spotters. However, military aircraft developments also use several categories of vehicles that are found only here. Their list is as follows:

As you can see, the category of military aircraft is quite extensive and deserves serious study. We have only briefly described the main criteria for systematizing such a group. However, aviation experts prefer to classify aircraft using a comprehensive study that includes Full description side designs. Let's dwell on this issue.

About design features

Belonging to a specific category of an airliner is determined by five characteristics. Here the designers talk about the number and method of attaching the wings, the type of fuselage, the location of the tail and the type of landing gear. In addition, the quantity, location of fixation and types of motor are important. Let's find out the known variations in the design of the sides.

Differences in design features are an important criterion when classifying airliners

If we consider the classification of the wing, then the airliners are divided into polyplanes, biplanes and monoplanes. Moreover, in the last category there are three more subtypes: low-plane, mid-plane and high-plane sides. This criterion determines the relative position and fixation of the fuselage and wings. As for the typology of the fuselage, aviators distinguish single-fuselage and double-boom modifications. Here you can also find the following varieties: gondola, boat, load-bearing fuselage and combinations of these types.

Aerodynamic performance is an important classification criterion because it affects. Here the designers call the types of normal design, “duck”, “tailless” and “flying wing”. In addition, the “tandem”, “longitudinal triplane” and convertible design are known.

Airliner landing gear is systematized according to the design and method of fixing the supports. These elements are divided into roller, float, tracked, combined types and air-supported landing gear. The engines are installed on the wing or in the fuselage. Moreover, the airliners are equipped with one engine or a large number of engines. In addition, the type of power plant also plays a decisive role in systematizing the class of aircraft.

Unmanned aerial vehicles have found application in the scientific and military spheres

Modern aviation has several types of aircraft, which are classified according to various criteria.
According to their intended purpose, aircraft are divided into civil, military and experimental aircraft.
Aircraft classification
Airbus A380 - a giant in the world passenger airliners
Boeing aircraft are the main competitor in the field of passenger transportation of the European holding company, which produces Airbuses.