Someone shared this incredible slideshow (with commentary )of the Antonov An-22 Mriya, the largest plane ever built.  Stunning to say the least.

A few nuggets of data from the slideshow:

• It takes a crew of 6 people to fly this plane.
• Wingspan: 88 meters (290 feet) Length: 84 meters (275 feet)
• 32 wheels supporting a maximum take-off weight of 640 tonnes (1,411,000 pounds).
• hold up to 300 000 kg of jet fuel; about 98,000 gallons (apparently, the cargo hold is longer than the Wright Brother’s first flight!)

Pretty crazy numbers.  Anyways, enjoy the slide show below.

And here is a video of the plane taking off at the Zurich airport.  To see this beast of a plane gliding in the air is a sight to behold.

Related articles

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• World’s Largest Plane Set to Depart from MSP Wednesday
• The World’s Largest Cargo Plane Can Swallow a 737 Whole
• The Largest Plane In the World: An 225

via Bloomberg

Here are a few interesting facts about this massive cargo freighter:

• The Danish company Maersk is building a total of 20 of these biggest ships, Triple-E, on a dry-dock in South Korea. Apparently the first one, named McKinney Moller, has hit the high seas already. Watch the big beauty float its way through the Suez canal on its way to Europe.
• Cost of each ship is $185 million and expected to ply the route between Northern Europe and China.
• Stood on its stern, its bow would stretch 19 meters above the roof of the Empire State Building.
• In one trip, a Triple-E could transport more 182 million iPads, or 111 million pairs of shoes, from Shanghai to Rotterdam.

 This position is a Transportation Specialist assigned to the Freight Analysis and Research Team within Office of Freight Management and Operations (HOFM) of the Office of Operations of the Federal Highway Administration(FHWA).  The Office is responsible for analyzing trends and developing policies concerning multimodal freight transportation,

APM Terminals, Portsmouth, VA. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Within a team environment, the Transportation Specialist is responsible for providing expertise in data, modeling and analytical techniques for  analyzing  and forecasting freight activity and its economic and environmental consequences, to support FHWA headquarters, FHWA field components, state DOT personnel, and professional staff of Metropolitan Planning Organizations and other stakeholders in establishing a comprehensive program for improving freight operations within the country’s transportation network.supporting freight transportation planning and project development at all levels of government through information and professional development programs, enforcing vehicle size and weight laws, and promoting improvements in freight operations and technology.  Its mission is to provide programs, policies, research, and technology transfer that promote efficient and effective freight flow on the highway system and its intermodal connectors within the United States and across its international borders.

(via YPT)

Cambridge Systematics, Inc. is a national leader in developing high quality, innovative solutions to the transportation industry. They are seeking a Freight Transportation/Logistics Analyst to w

Freight Train (Photo credit: Duncan Brown (Cradlehall))

ork on a variety of transportation consulting assignments, focusing in the area of freight movement. This position would be based in our Fort Lauderdale, Atlanta, or Tallahassee offices.

Job Description:  The successful junior candidate should be able to: collect quantitative and qualitative data from public and industry sources; perform quantitative and qualitative analysis of goods movement and general economic/industry data; develop recommendations for clients regarding goods movements strategies; possess strong writing, research, and communications skills; and assist in project management, project administration, client support, public outreach/presentations, and project documentation.

Requirements: Bachelor’s degree in transportation planning, policy, logistics, engineering, or related field; Master’s degree is preferred.  Ability to able to work effectively both independently and as part of a team; strong written and oral communication skills; and proven analytical and problem solving skills are a must.

CS is employee-owned with exceptional compensation and benefits. Qualified candidates please send resume to resume@camsys.com and reference Job Code CVO000304. CS is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

(Source: NPR’s Planet Money)

 Even pirates need a business plan. J. Peter Pham, an analyst of African affairs at the James Madison University, looks at the economics of guns, captains, and $2 million dropped into the sea in waterproof containers. Plus, Per Gullestrup, CEO of Danish shipping company Clipper Group, has dealt with pirates first-hand — he says they’re tough negotiators.  When he ironed out the ransom details with the pirates, he had 3 demands:

1. The pirates showed “proof of life” (that the crew was still alive)
2. That they could drop the money from the air (faster than getting it there in a tug)
3. That the pirates fill up the ship with fuel.

 For a related story on NPR’s Planet money, click here.