World’s largest plane makes its maiden first flight

LOS ANGELES: The world’s largest aircraft took off in California, the first flight for the carbon-composite plane built by Stratolaunch Systems Corp, media reports said.

The aircraft, started by late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, few over the Mojave Desert.

The airplane called Roc has a wingspan the length of an American football field, and is powered by six engines on a twin fuselage.

It took to the air and stayed aloft for more than two hours before landing safely back at the Mojave Air and Space Port. Hundreds of people cheered. The plane has been designed to drop rockets and other space vehicles weighing up to 500,000 pounds at an altitude of 35,000 feet.

The plane reach a maximum speed of 189 miles per hour and altitudes of 17,000 feet, reports said. (Agencies)