The crashed Antonov AN-225 has become an everlasting memory for aviation aficionados all around the world.
Built in the 1980s to transport the Soviet space shuttle, the plane had a second life after the Cold War as the world’s biggest freight carrier, setting several records before being destroyed at its home base, Hostomel airport outside Kyiv, at the end of February.
The Antonov firm tweeted, “The dream will never die,” referring to the plane’s nickname, “Mriya,” which means “dream” in Ukrainian. Solidarity was expressed from all corners of the globe.
Is the AN-225, on the other hand, ever going to fly again?
To answer that question, you must first determine the extent of the aircraft’s damage.

Andrii Sovenko, a Kyiv-based engineer and aviation specialist who has worked for the Antonov Company since 1987 and flown on the AN-225 as part of its technical crew, has created a thorough report of the damage after reviewing a significant number of videos and photos of the debris (Antonov personnel are not yet allowed back at Hostomel due to safety concerns).
He verifies that the plane’s centre portion and nose, as well as the cockpit and crew rest compartments, were destroyed, but that the plane’s onboard systems and equipment sustained the most serious damage.

“The most difficult part will be restoring them,” he says. “This is owing to the fact that the majority of the AN-225’s electrical systems, pumps, and filters date from the 1980s.” They’re just no longer manufactured, so they’re unlikely to be restored precisely as they were,” he adds.
There’s some good news: parts of the wings, including aerodynamic features like flaps and ailerons, look to have just minimal damage and may be salvaged.
The majority of the six engines appear to be in good working order, and the plane’s whole tail portion is just damaged by shrapnel, so it’s in good shape.