The Antonov An-990 is a fictional "monster" aircraft popular in the X-Plane flight simulation community. It is often described as a colossal water bomber designed for fighting massive wildfires worldwide.
Since this is a fantasy aircraft from the simulation world, here is a social media-style post designed to highlight its "titan" status: ✈️ Meet the Titan: The Antonov An-990 "Monster" ✈️
Ever wondered what the ultimate firefighter looks like? Move over, Mriya—the An-990 is here to redefine "heavy lifter."
Originally designed as a colossal water bomber for the world's most extreme wildfires, this fictional behemoth is a legend in the X-Plane community. By the Numbers:
Wingspan: A staggering 870 feet (265 meters)—that’s 3x the wingspan of the real-life An-225! Max Weight: 6,000 Tonnes (13.2 Million lbs). Scale: Roughly 120 times the weight of a Boeing 737-100.
While it might only exist in the digital skies for now, its sheer scale reminds us why we love aviation engineering (and flight sims!).
#Antonov #An990 #AviationGeek #XPlane #FlightSim #MonsterPlane #AviationDaily #Firefighting
Antonov An-225 Mriya / Cossack Project - Page 2 - X-Plane.Org Forum
The An-990 myth often simply doubles the An-225’s stats, claiming a 1,200-ton MTOW. But physics prevents this: runways would crumble, tires would burst, and no engine exists that could lift such a mass.
The Antonov An-990 is a beautiful lie—a testament to our collective desire to see humanity push the boundaries of flight. It represents the "what if" of Soviet engineering: What if the USSR had not collapsed? What if the Buran space program had continued? What if weight and drag were merely suggestions?
The reality is that Antonov built exactly one An-225, the greatest aircraft to ever fly. It did so not with ten engines, but with six. It did so not with a 130-meter wingspan, but with 88.4 meters of pure Ukrainian titanium genius.
For now, the An-990 remains a phantom on Wikipedia edit histories and a dream in flight simulator mods. The next time you see a clickbait article claiming "Russia revives the An-990 Super-Cossack," remember: The biggest bird that ever roared is gone. And no ghost in the numbering system can replace it.
Rest in peace, Mriya (An-225). And rest in peace, the fictional An-990—born of keyword algorithms, not of Antonov.
Further Reading:
Correction Note: Some sources confuse the "An-990" with the An-70-900 proposal (a stretched military transport with 8 propfans). That project was real but never left the CAD stage. However, the "An-70-900" is frequently misread as "An-990" in poor photocopies of Russian industry magazines from 1998. This is likely the true origin of the myth.
The Antonov An-990 "Juggernaut" is a colossally-sized fictional aircraft created specifically for the X-Plane 11 flight simulator. Designed by flight-sim developer "hangglider," it is imagined as a "Graphene-constructed" ultra-giant capable of performing tasks that are physically impossible for real-world aircraft. Performance Specifications
The An-990 is designed to dwarf even the largest real-world aircraft, such as the Antonov An-225. Feature Specification Max Takeoff Weight 6,000 Tonnes (13.2 million lbs) Wingspan 870 feet (265.2 meters) Powerplant 6× Custom GE-990-480 Turbofans Engine Thrust 480,000 lbf (2135 kN) per engine Cargo/Liquid Capacity 600,000 Gallons (5 million lbs) Operational Guide for Flight Simulators
Operating the "Juggernaut" requires specialized techniques due to its extreme mass and cockpit height. Take-Off Procedures: Set Flaps to 3 or 4. Rotate at 145+ KIAS (knots indicated airspeed).
The aircraft is capable of taking off from water even at its full 6,000-tonne weight. Landing Procedures:
Runway Requirements: Requires at least 10,000 feet of runway with 500 feet of side clearance due to its massive wingspan.
Approach: Maintain a long approach at 165 KIAS with Flaps 3. Touchdown: Aim for 163 KIAS.
Visual Correction: Pilots must account for the extreme cockpit height above the runway to avoid "landing short".
Stopping: Use a combination of regular brakes, speedbrakes, and thrust reversers to stop within standard large-scale runways. Available Variants
The An-990 series for X-Plane includes four specialized versions:
Air-Launcher (Graphene): Designed to carry and launch other aircraft, such as a Boeing 747, mid-flight.
Buran-Launcher: Specialized for carrying and launching the Soviet Buran space shuttle.
Fire-Retardant Bomber: Equipped with a 600,000-gallon tank for massive aerial firefighting. antonov an 990
Water Bomber: Features water-scooping capabilities to refill its tanks from open water.
You can download the An-990 mod and find detailed community discussions on the X-Plane.Org Forums.
The Antonov An-990 is a fictional, "super-sized" aircraft mod for flight simulators designed with exaggerated, non-existent specifications. Conceived as a massive, graphene-constructed "Air Tanker," the virtual aircraft features a 870-foot wingspan and a 6,000-tonne weight capacity. For more details, visit X-Plane.org Forums. How HUGE Can Planes Get? - Antonov An 990
The Antonov An-990 is a purely fictional aircraft created solely as a mod for flight simulation games like X-Plane. No real-world plane has ever been built with these specifications.
The concept behind the An-990 community creation is outlined below: 🎮 The Flight Simulator Concept Role: Massive water bomber. Purpose: Fighting extreme global wildfires. Origin: Custom community mod for X-Plane. Material: Fictionalized "graphene" construction. ⚖️ Mind-Boggling Specifications Max Weight: 6,000 tonnes (13.2 million lbs). Wingspan: 870 feet (265.2 meters). Capacity: 600,000 gallons of fire retardant.
Scale: 3 times larger than the real-world Antonov An-225 Mriya. ✈️ Real-World Context
The actual Ukrainian manufacturer Antonov is famous for building some of the largest real planes in history. However, the An-990 is physically impossible to construct or fly with current modern technology and is strictly intended for simulator amusement.
Beyond the "An-990": The Mythical Future of the World’s Largest Cargo Planes
Have you seen the stunning videos circulating of the "Antonov An-990" taking off in Microsoft Flight Simulator? The graphics are breathtaking, showing a colossal aircraft dominating the runway. But for aviation enthusiasts, this raises a burning question: Does the Antonov An-990 actually exist?
Let’s clear up the myths, look at the reality of Antonov's legendary fleet in 2026, and discuss the future of heavy airlift. The Truth About the "An-990" As of April 2026, there is no real-world Antonov An-990.
The images and videos you likely saw are hyper-realistic mods for flight simulators. While it’s exciting to imagine a successor to the legendary An-225, the An-990 is a fictional concept designed by passionate creators to simulate the ultimate cargo experience. Remembering the True King: An-225 Mriya While the An-990 is virtual, the Antonov An-225 Mriya
("Dream") was very real. It was the largest and most powerful cargo plane ever built, with a wingspan of 88 meters and six engines.
Sadly, the one-of-a-kind Mriya was destroyed during the initial days of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Will a New "Dream" Rise? The Antonov An-990 is a fictional "monster" aircraft
The dream of heavy lift is not dead. In late 2022, Antonov confirmed plans to rebuild the An-225, with estimated costs topping $500 million. While its return is a long-term goal, Antonov currently focuses on its fleet of An-124 Ruslan
transport planes, which have played a crucial role in delivering massive cargo worldwide. The Future of Cargo Giants
The fascination with the "An-990" proves the world still needs giant cargo planes. As we move closer to 2030, new designs like the WindRunner are designed to carry massive, clean-energy components.
The spirit of the Mriya lives on in simulators, and perhaps one day, in a new generation of real-world aircraft that will push the boundaries of what can fly.
Enjoyed this article? Let us know in the comments: Would you prefer to see the An-225 rebuilt, or focus entirely on new, futuristic designs?
The Antonov An-990 is not a real-world aircraft; it is a fictional, colossal "super-plane" created as a mod for the flight simulator
Designed by a community creator often known as "hangglider," it is depicted as a "Graphene" air tanker and "Buran-Launcher" with physics-defying specifications intended to push the limits of the simulation. X-Plane.Org Forum Fictional Specifications & Features
In the simulation, the An-990 is presented as the largest aircraft ever "built," dwarfing the real-world Antonov An-225 Mriya
6,000 tonnes (13.2 million lbs), which is roughly 120 times the weight of a Boeing 737-100.
870 feet (265.2 meters)—roughly three times the wingspan of the real An-225.
Primarily a "Juggernaut" water bomber designed to fight massive wildfires, capable of carrying 600,000 gallons of fire retardant. Capabilities:
It features a "BURAN-Launcher" version to launch the Buran space shuttle as a missile and includes water-scooping features for firefighting. X-Plane.Org Forum Flight Simulation Context The An-990 is a popular custom design in the X-Plane forum
for users who enjoy flying experimental or "impossible" aircraft. X-Plane.Org Forum Performance: such as a Boeing 747
Despite its size, it is designed to operate out of regular 10,000-foot runways like KBFI (Boeing Field), though it requires massive side clearances of 500 feet. VR Support: Recent versions of the mod include FMOD sound and VR compatibility download links for this mod, or would you like to know more about the real-world Antonov aircraft it was inspired by?