The Dhaka Times Desk The world's largest commercial aircraft took to the skies last Saturday after years of research and development in the desert north of Los Angeles, USA.
The world's largest commercial aircraft took to the skies last Saturday after years of research and development in the desert north of Los Angeles, USA.
It is known, the size of the fan of this plane with 6 engines is equal to a football field in the United States! Gene Floyd, chief executive of manufacturer Stratolaunch Systems, said at the press conference, "It's nothing but an emotional moment to see a bird this big fly."
Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen launched Stratolaunch in 2011. He died of cancer last October.
"I've been imagining this for years," Floyd recalled Allen saying at the time. But I never thought of this moment without Paul by my side.'
The aircraft reportedly has a wingspan of 385 feet, which is the widest of any type of aircraft. The length from nose to tail of this aircraft is 238 feet. It also weighs a lot—about 500,000 pounds. The aircraft has two cockpits. But only one is used for flight.
Evan Thomas conducted a test flight of the aircraft last Saturday. It flew in the sky for two and a half hours at a speed of 173 miles per hour. The aircraft flew at a maximum height of 15,000 feet during the flight.
In response to the flight, Thomas said, 'Most parts of the aircraft functioned as expected. So it is very good in all aspects. I honestly didn't expect so much on the first flight, for such a complex and unusual aircraft.'
English 
Bengali