A Closer Look At The World’s Largest, Most Powerful Helicopter

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And It Ain’t American.

The United States is definitely known for loving “big”.Big car, big house, and Big Mac. Not to say that there’s anything wrong with that and we actually pride ourselves in it but it’s surprising to find that the world’s biggest helicopter is actually not made here. It was designed and built by Russians. 

Meet the Mil Mi-26, a helicopter unlike any other. Called Halo but NATO, this helicopter was put into service in 1983 and has been used by military and civilian pilots alike. 

Here are some quick stats:

• It’s 131 feet long with rotors turning
• Almost 27 feet tall
• It has a capacity of 90 troops
• Can load up to 44,000 pounds of cargo
• It has a max speed of 180 mph. 

To date, this is the largest helicopter to ever enter mass production and in the last 40 years, over 300 of them were produced. They’re used to transport troops and goods but can also lift a ton of weight, one video online showing it hoist a Boeing 707.

All in all, this things is a workhorse. Check it out in the video below.