The largest plane in the world will be built in Italy. What missions was the aerian colossus thought
Windrunner will be built in Italy, the largest plane in the world, specially designed for the transport of very heavy and bulky goods, especially huge wind turbines, necessary for the new power plants.
The project of the “Mamut” plane was selected at the Davos Forum / Photo source: Profimedia
Developed by the American Startup Radia, supported by myth research and recognized at the Davos World Economic Forum, this air colossus promises to revolutionize the logistics for renewable energy.
The colossus is built by Radia, an American startup founded in 2016 based on the research of Mark Lundstrom, a teacher at MIT and expert in renewable energy. As is often the case in the US, scientist research came out of academic laboratories and turned into a business. The World Economic Forum in Davos selected it as a Wef unicorn, with a high growth potential, and Radia company chose Italy as the most suitable country for Windrunner assembly and launchnotes Il Corriere della Sera, quoted by HotNews.ro.
The aircraft will be built to carry giant wind turbines easier
But before deepening the cargo aspect, we must take a step back and return to Lundstrom's studies, which show that the blades of terrestrial wind turbines with a length of 104 meters – about 30 meters longer than the current ones – can capture more wind and can produce electricity at significantly lower costs than other sources, from energy to nuclear energy.
This is the solution for the so-called Gigawind wind parks, which presents a problem: How to transport these gigantic blades, which must be a single, undesirable piece on the spot? Lundstrom's analysis excludes several options, including road transport (curves, tunnels), ships and helicopters (which are too small) or direct (which are too light for a 72 -ton palette). The only remaining option was the use of a freight plane which, however, does not exist in this dimension. So Lundstrom founded radiation and started planning and raising funds.
The purpose is to open a new market. “In proportion, it is the same way Elon Musk has traveled with Tesla in his beginning.”explains Giuseppe Gordo, who from May of last year holds the positions of president and CEO of Radia for Europe and Italy. An experienced top manager, with a career at the forefront of local companies such as Alenia North America, Alenia Armacchi (former Finmeccanica) and foreign (Saudi Arabian Military Industries), whose role is to lead the group's operations, starting with those from Italy.
The plane would transport components of wind power plants / photo source: radia.com
How many such aircraft will be produced each year
“By the end of this year, we will be operational to start production in 2029 and guarantee the first deliveries in 2030. Every year we will produce five aircraft for a total of 120 Windrunnerwhich will then be managed by the American parent company to deliver the mega-turbines. “
The figures are impressive: Windrunner is a front -charged aircraft, 108 meters long, with a large wings of 80 meters and a flight ray of 2,000 kilometers.
Agreements have already been signed with Leonardo, who will build the fuselage, with Magnaghi Aerospace (in the campaign) for the landing train, as well as with Spanish companies (Aernova for wings), Dutch and English. The assembly center will be Italy, especially in the Puglia region, with the Grottaglie in Pole Position, crisis due to the difficulties of Boeing, but the project and Calabria regions are also involved (the latter for training projects).
Due to the project, thousands of jobs will be created
This existing industrial supply chain could benefit from investments of several billion and could create at least 2,500 jobswithout taking into account the related industries, where the estimation is five times higher.
“Europe turns out to be a strategic area for the future Radia, and Italy is a key partner not only for its industrial capacity, but also for its common commitment to accelerate the energy transition.”says Lundstrom.
The government also believes in the project, and the Ministry of Affairs and Made in Italy, led by Adolfo Urso, signed a memorandum to create a rapid route through the so-called unique economic zone (ZES), a special economic area that guarantees some fiscal advantages, but, above all, accelerated permits release. Gordo continues: “The company's vision and ambition, supported by revolutionary technology such as Windrunner, is a brave challenge. Radia believes in Italy, even if we have to accelerate bureaucratic processes, which are incomprehensible to Americans.”
Where will be seen in the sky these impressive planes
Where will Windrunner fly? Certainly not in countries such as Russia or China, but there is a great potential for development throughout North and East, where investments in green energy production grow.
