Up and coming aircraft manufacturer Radia has shared their ambitious plans to build the world’s largest aircraft, the Radia WindRunner. The aircraft will be over 365 feet long with a four-engine high wing design, similar to the Lockheed C5 Galaxy military transport aircraft. Radia expects the WindRunner to have a cargo volume twelve times greater than the Boeing 747 freighter. No timeline has been given yet for when the aircraft is expected to complete research and production phases. Being a new manufacturer the reality of this aircraft coming to market is a big if, but let’s dive further anyhow.
Who Is Radia?
Radia was founded in 2016 however, the company announced their ambitious plans for the WindRunner in March 2024. The company received nearly $100 million in initial funding. Company leadership includes notable aviation professionals Rachael Kelly, former engineer at Boeing for the VC-25 program (Air Force One), Cristine Bloch former VP of Operations North America at Embraer, Marion Blakey, former FAA administrator. The aircraft will be used to transport super large wind turbine blades and parts directly to wind farm sites. The aircraft will be capable of landing on just 6,000 feet of unpaved runway. “Radia will create a step-function improvement for onshore wind in profitability, lower cost, and higher consistency. This will result in more wind projects, more green fuel projects, lower energy price, more profits, and more money being invested in the energy transition,” Radia CEO Mark Lundstrom said.
The Market For Super Large Cargo Aircraft
Aircraft comparable to the proposed Radia WindRunner’s size are few and far between. In the United States the only comparable aircraft is the Lockheed C5A Galaxy, a super sized aircraft used by the United States Air Force to transport large sized cargo like pallets, equipment, tanks and even helicopters. Private U.S. firm Stratolaunch has their behemoth six engine rocket transporter capable carrying and launching small to mid siz rockets inflight. European aerospace manufacturer Airbus has the Beluga family of aircraft which carries Airbus components for final assembly. Russia does have a super transporter as well called the Antonov AN124 which has carried their space shuttle and large payload cargo. Simply put there is a niche market for these massive cargo aircraft. Should the manufacturer and aircraft come to fruition one may wonder if there is room in the market for another new player.
Speculative Additional Applications For The WindRunner
Even though The Radia WindRunner is being announced as an exclusive transporter for large wind turbines, with an aircraft size of this magnitude the WindRunner could be used for other applications. While pure speculation, it could serve as a large cargo transport for option the U.S military as the C5 Galaxy is becoming an aging platform. Like the Antonov AN124, the WindRunner could serve as an Ad Hoc large cargo transport option for customers with specialized freight. As the program matures, we will soon see weather the Radia WindRunner will have what it takes to be a viable option for alternative energy and large cargo air transport, or if it is just a mere pipe dream that never leaves the ground.
