It can be fitted with a variety of armaments and is famous for its revolutionary helmet-mounted targeting system that have combined to make it the most feared bird of prey in the skies. Pilots sit in a narrow tandem fuselage (hard to hit and easy to transport) and the four-blade main and tail rotors are remarkably damage tolerant. Powered by a pair of turboshaft engines producing up to 2,000 horsepower apiece, the $20 million Apache is a powerful and fast machine (nearly 160 knots). Produced from 1975 until today, more than 1,200 Apaches have been built by Hughes, McDonnell Douglas and Boeing. With its squared-off lines and aggressive stance, the AH-64 Apache is one of the most aggressive looking aircraft ever. Enjoy!įlight: 100 Greatest Aircraft, which provides more stunning full-color photography and delves even deeper into these beloved aircraft, is available to order here. We won’t give away the ending, but suffice it to say, the new number one is an airplane that perfectly captures the essence of what Flying has been for many, many decades. When you get to number one, you’ll notice the old top dog has been dethroned. In creating the book, we decided to include some airplanes that should not have been left off the original Top 100 Airplanes list the hard part was kicking out 20 great airplanes to make way for the new guys. Flying Magazine proudly introduces Top 100 Airplanes: Platinum Edition, which celebrates our Flying book, entitled Flight: 100 Greatest Aircraft.