Radia Taps Former USAF General as Advisor
Radia, the developer of the world's largest cargo aircraft, the WindRunner, has appointed retired U.S. Air Force Lieutenant General Rick Moore as an advisor. Moore previously served as the Air Force's Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Programs, bringing extensive strategic and logistical expertise to the aerospace company.
- The WindRunner aircraft is being designed to solve a key logistical bottleneck for the onshore wind industry by transporting massive turbine blades—up to 344 feet (105 meters) long—directly to wind farm locations. Current ground transportation infrastructure cannot handle the next generation of larger, more profitable turbine blades. - With a length of 356 feet, the WindRunner is set to be longer than the Antonov An-225 Mriya, the former record-holder for the world's largest plane. Its cargo bay volume of 272,000 cubic feet will be about seven times greater than that of the Antonov An-124. - A key design feature is the ability to take off from and land on semi-prepared dirt airstrips as short as 6,000 feet (1,800 meters), a capability that would allow it to deliver cargo to austere locations without traditional airport infrastructure. - Radia has a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the U.S. Department of Defense to explore the WindRunner's use for oversized military cargo. A company executive, a retired Air Force two-star general, noted the aircraft could potentially carry six fully assembled CH-47 Chinook helicopters, whereas a C-17 can only carry one with its blades disassembled. - As the Air Force's Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Programs, Lt. Gen. Moore was the service's senior planner, leading the development and analysis of the Air Force's budget and resource allocation plan. - Lt. Gen. Moore is a command pilot with more than 4,000 flight hours in large military transport aircraft, including the C-5 Galaxy, C-17 Globemaster III, and KC-135 Stratotanker, giving him direct operational experience with heavy airlift logistics. - To accelerate development and de-risk the path to certification, Radia's strategy involves using existing and proven technologies, materials, and components from the commercial aerospace industry. The company anticipates the WindRunner will begin operations by 2030.
