Planet’s Biggest Helicopter Can Lift An Airliner With No Trouble

No one can dispute that the massive dimensions of the Mi-26 helicopter from the Russians are incredible. Witnessing it fly overhead is one thing, but when it actually lands and spectators are permitted to inspect it up close, a whole new appreciation of the planet’s most sizable helicopter can truly be appreciated.
The Mi-26 was both fashioned and constructed by Mil Helicopters based in Moscow. It stands at a similar elevation as a 3-story building and the rotors are spanned out about roughly the same as an Airbus A320’s wings.
The Mi-26 is also known as the “Halo” and since first flying during 1977 it has been a stout-hearted beast in the extreme-heavy lifting industry.

The Halo is capable of transporting as much as 44,000 pounds of cargo or the equivalent of approximately 11 family cars at one time. This is thanks to it being powered by two turboshaft engines that have 11,000 horsepower. Compared to the workhorse CH-47 Chinook helicopter that is used by the U.S. Army, the Halo’s strength and payload potential is more than double. The Halo’s performance is on the same page as the renowned Lockheed C-130 Hercules transport plane, as the military versions of it can transport as many as 63 seated civilians, 90 combat ready troops or 60 stretchers.

As it can travel distances of up to 500 miles, there are often calls for the Mi-26 to be used in situations that need huge payloads to be transported to bizarre or inaccessible locations. During the aftermath of Sichuan, China’s 2008 earthquake, hefty earth-moving gear was delivered by a Mi-26 to some isolated mountain gorges in order to counter mudslides and flooding.