World’s largest turboprop plane, Antonov AN-22, lands in Zurich, Switzerland

You may not realize that the Antonov AN-22 Antei is the world’s largest turboprop-driven aircraft. Below, you can watch the landing from the cockpit. Is it me or does the pilot seem to be struggling a bit with the yoke? I get the impression that flight control is not the proverbial “piece of cake.”

The aircraft lands in Zurich on September 9th of 2016. To me, the approach appears high and hot, but it could very easily be the camera angle. This is the only flying unit of its kind to this point.

Here is the same landing as shot below the cockpit through the nose perspex.

The interesting point is that the AN-22 sports four engines with contra-rotating propellers. It has been in service since 1965 with the exception of the past eight years–  until now and until that flight above.

Antonov produced a total of 68 of these airframes between 1965 until 1976.

The AN-22 has a maximum speed of 399 knots (460 mph) and weighs 252,325 pounds empty; that is 126.2 tons.

As I’ve said on many an occasion, I’m a sucker for a good cockpit perspective video.

BZ