Severe-Archer-1673 t1_j65mdel wrote on January 27, 2023 at 9:46 PM

Reply to comment by wj9eh in The Stratolaunch Roc, the largest aircraft ever flown, has just completed a 6-hour test flight. It aims to be a platform to launch reusable hypersonic craft from an altitude of 10 km by lughnasadh

Using this logic, the space shuttle would be the largest aircraft, would it not? I get it, though, wingspan and takeoff weight are arbitrary methods of gauging an aircraft’s largeness.

I was a crew chief on C-5s, so I’m obviously biased toward wingspan. They’re all big, and it’s a small miracle they can fly in the air at all.

wj9eh t1_j666xla wrote on January 28, 2023 at 12:08 AM

Well I can speak for commercial aviation, where takeoff weight does have a few non-arbitrary consequences such as what sort of approaches and turns you can make and how much wake you produce. Also, wingspan has already reached its maximum in terms of what can fit in an airport, so now it's just about how heavy planes can get within that limit. But yes, it's as arbitrary as anything.

The space shuttle would be biggest but I'd argue it took off with a rocket, which isn't lifting off using the air but rather in spite of it. Then on the way down, it could only glide and not support itself straight and level. Again, as arbitrary as you like. It's all a miracle they can fly!