The Antonov An-22 is the largest propeller-driven aeroplane. In 2018, Bernd Sturm fulfiled a lifetime’s dream of flying on the world's only civilian example, operated by Antonov Airlines.
For large shipments required at remote destinations, the An-22 is still the only freighter equipped to undertake such tasks.
There is no other aeroplane like the An-22 flying today. It is unrivalled in almost every aspect and represents one of the key engineering achievements in aviation history. The huge four-engined turboprop stands out from all the rest and still holds a series of world records, which probably will never be broken again, although its design dates from the early 1960s.
The aircraft’s exceptional features were a key factor in the decision of the Ukrainian Antonov Company to undertake the herculean task of returning one of these behemoths to flying condition after it had been in storage for more than seven years. Even today, five decades later, there is simply no other aeroplane that can equal the An-22’s capabilities.
