The Antonov An-990 is a completely fictional design, born from the creative minds of the , primarily crafted by the user hangglider. It serves as a "spiritual successor" to the even larger, purely conceptual An-725 "Monster". The project culminated in the An-990 “Graphene” v-1.0.3 , a name and material choice that hints at the theoretical lightweight strength required to make such a colossal airframe feasible. While real-world physics would prohibit such a craft, the simulator provides the perfect playground.
The mod includes versions for water-bombing (600,000-gallon capacity), air-launching other aircraft like the Boeing 747, or carrying the Buran space shuttle. Real-World "Best" Alternatives
Antonov An-990 is a fictional, colossal aircraft concept created as a custom mod for the X-Plane 11 flight simulator
Flying the best ultra-heavy aircraft in a simulation environment requires specialized piloting techniques due to the immense scale and sluggish aerodynamic responses programmed into the model: antonov an990 best
While the real-world Antonov Design Bureau pushed human engineering with masterpieces like the An-124 Ruslan and the An-225, flight simulation creators decided to ask a simpler question: How big can an airplane actually get?
: Capable of carrying 600,000 gallons of retardant to extinguish wildfires.
The Antonov An-990 is a conceptual, ultra-heavy lifter designed to surpass the capabilities of any existing cargo aircraft. It represents a theoretical leap in aerospace technology, designed to handle payloads that are simply unimaginable for conventional planes. The Antonov An-990 is a completely fictional design,
: During landings at 165 KIAS, the sheer surface area of the 870-foot wings creates an immense cushion of air under the aircraft. To prevent floating past the runway threshold, flight simmers must aggressively deploy speedbrakes alongside full reverse thrust. 4. Hardware Impact: Is Your PC Ready for the "Best" Plane?
Its fictional backstory was popularized by the YouTuber Swiss001, whose detailed review of the aircraft helped cement its legendary status and explain its conceptual lineage.
The concept features both a kneeling nose cargo door and a rear loading ramp. This allows for drive-through loading, cutting turnaround times in half by letting vehicles drive straight through the aircraft. While real-world physics would prohibit such a craft,
One of the An-225’s weaknesses was ground pressure. The An-990 would have solved this with a revolutionary , spread across four independent landing gear struts (two under the forward fuselage, two under the rear). This design would allow the An-990 to operate on unpaved or semi-prepared airstrips—something the 747 Dreamlifter cannot do. For remote mining or oil exploration in Siberia or the Canadian North, the An-990 would be the best option.
To experience the An-990 at its best, simulator pilots utilize custom community modifications that feature fully realized and dedicated Virtual Reality (VR) support .
While the An-990 is fictional, it is inspired by the massive real-world strategic airlift aircraft built by Antonov: