This particular aircraft ain’t economical by today’s standards. Here’s some comparison to a popular modern cargo plane, based on public data: https://1drv.ms/x/

This particular aircraft ain’t economical by today’s standards. Here’s some comparison to a popular modern cargo plane, based on public data: https://1drv.ms/x/s!AKpTxXHPN4XIj9tN https://1drv.ms/x/s!AKpTxXHPN4XIj9tN As you see, fuel economy is somewhat worse compared to that Boeing. I don’t think the main problem is size or weight. I think the main one is age. AN-255 is 30 years old, Boeing 747-8 is 6. That’s almost 25 year or progress in aerodynamics and engines development.