Download "Antonov 225 Mriya Crosswind Landing at Manchester Airport"

World's biggest plane, the Antonov 225, touches down at Manchester Airport 24 Jun 2013. The plane landed about 1.45pm carrying a cargo consignment. The Mriya -- whose name means 'dream' in Ukrainian -- was the heaviest aircraft ever to fly when it took to the skies for the first time in December 1988. It has a maximum take-off weight of 640 tonnes, making it the world's heaviest plane as well as the biggest. The plane also has 32 wheels and a wingspan of 290ft. It is the only one of its kind and is based in Kiev in the Ukraine. Manchester Airport (IATA: MAN, ICAO: EGCC), is an international airport in Ringway, Manchester, England. In 2012 it was third busiest airport in the United Kingdom in terms of passenger numbers, and the 21st busiest airport in Europe. Manchester Airport is the largest outside the London region with over double the passengers of its nearest non-London rival, Edinburgh Airport. A Category 10 airport. Manchester Airport provides flights to over 200 destinations -- more than any other airport in the United Kingdom. The airport comprises three terminals, a goods terminal and is the only British airport other than London Heathrow to operate two runways over 3,000 m (9,843 ft) in length. The airport covers an area of 1,440 acres (580 ha). The terminals are 7.5 nautical miles (13.9 km; 8.6 mi) south west of Manchester city centre. It officially opened on 25 June 1938 and was initially known as Ringway Airport. During World War II, it was called RAF Ringway and from 1975 until 1986 Manchester International Airport. The airport is owned and managed by the Manchester Airports Group (MAG), a holding company owned by the ten metropolitan borough councils of Greater Manchester, with Manchester City Council owning the largest stake. The airport has numerous transport links and is served by the M56 motorway and by Manchester Airport railway station which provides extensive rail connections. The airport regularly handled Concorde and currently houses the British Airways G-BOAC flagship Concorde at the Manchester Runway Visitor Park. Ringway, which the airport was named after, still exists as a few buildings and church at the southern edge of the airport. The airport currently handles 20 million passengers annually and spare capacity exists for up to 50 million passengers annually. Vacant land exists for expansion, future developments include the £649,000,000 Manchester Airport City scheme aims to create logistics, manufacturing, office and hotel space adjacent to the airport. Future transport improvements include a new Metrolink tram line, fourth railway platform, High Speed 2 station and a dedicated relief road.