Antonov An-124
Encyclopedia
The Antonov An-124 Ruslan (NATO reporting name
: Condor) is a strategic airlift jet aircraft
. It was designed by the Ukrainian SSR's Antonov
design bureau, then part of the Soviet Union
. It is the world's largest ever serially-manufactured cargo airplane and world's second largest operating cargo aircraft
. During development it was known as Izdeliye 400 in house, and An-40 in the West. First flown
in 1982, civil certification was issued on 30 December 1992. Over forty are in service (26 civilian models with airlines and 10 firm orders as of August 2006) and 20 were in commercial use in 1998 in Ukraine, Russia, the United Arab Emirates and Libya.
During the 1970s, the VTA (Military Transport Aviation) arm of the Soviet Air Force had a shortfall in strategic heavy airlift capacity. Its largest planes consisted of about 50 Antonov An-22
turboprops which were heavily tasked for tactical roles. A classified 1975 CIA analysis concluded that the USSR did "not match the US in ability to provide long-range heavy lift support" then.
The An-124 was manufactured in parallel by two plants: the Russian company Aviastar-SP
(ex. Ulyanovsk Aviation Industrial Complex) and by the Kyiv Aviation Plant AVIANT, in Ukraine. Design work started in 1971 and construction of facilities began in 1973. Manufacturing on the first airframe begin in 1979. Ultimately this project brought together over 100 factories contracted to produce systems and parts.
The first flight took place in December 1982 and the first exposure to the West followed in 1985 at the Paris Air Show. Series production ceased with the breakup of the Soviet Union. The last five unfinished airframes left from the Soviet times were completed in 2001 (1), 2002 (1), and 2004 (3).
Externally, the An-124 is similar to the American Lockheed C-5 Galaxy, but has a 25% larger payload, and instead of the Galaxy's T-tail, the An-124 uses a conventional empennage
, similar in design to that of the Boeing 747
. The An-124 has been used to carry locomotive
s, yacht
s, aircraft fuselage
s, and a variety of other oversized cargoes. The airlift is able to kneel to allow easier front loading. Up to 150 tonnes of cargo can be carried in a military An-124; it can also carry 88 passengers in an upper deck behind the wing centre section. The cargo compartment of An-124 is 36 m x 6.4 m x 4.4 m, ca. 20% larger than the main cargo compartment of C-5 Galaxy, which is 36.91 m x 5.79 m x 4.09 m. However, due to limited pressurization in the main cargo compartment (24.6 kPa, 3.57 psi), it seldom carries paratrooper
s.
It has an on-board overhead crane
capable of lifting up to 30 tons of cargo, and items up to 120 tons can be winched on board. Some planes have a limit of 20 tons for the crane.
Since the type was initially designed for only occasional military use, original An-124s were built with a projected service life of 7,500 flight hours with possibility for extension. However many airframes have flown more than 15,000 flight hours. In response to complaints by commercial users, the An-124-100 version has been built since 2000 with an improved service life of 24,000 hours. Older airframes are being upgraded to this standard. Additional retrofiting is being performed to extend its service life to 40,000 flight hours. The Kyiv Aviation Plant AVIANT offers upgrades to the Аn-124-100М-150 version.
Russia and Ukraine agreed to resume the production in the third quarter of 2008. In May 2008 it was reported that a new variant, to be known as the An-124-150, would have several improvements including a maximum lift capacity of 150 tonne
s. However, in May 2009, Antonov's partner, United Aircraft Corporation
announced it did not plan production of An-124s in the period 2009–2012. In late 2009, it was reported that Russian President Dmitry Medvedev
ordered production of the aircraft resumed. It is expected that Russia will purchase 20 new aircraft.
is available. Under NATO SALIS
programme NAMSA is chartering six An-124-100 transport aircraft. According to the contract An-124-100s of Antonov Airlines
and Volga-Dnepr
are used within the limits of NATO SALIS programme to transport cargo by requests of 18 countries: Belgium, Hungary, Greece, Denmark, Canada, Luxembourg
, Netherlands, Norway, United Kingdom, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Finland, France, Germany, Czech Republic and Sweden. Two An-124-100s are constantly based on full-time charter in the airport of Leipzig/Halle
, but in case of necessity two more aircraft are to be provided on six days notice and another two on nine days notice. The current contract is valid until 31 December 2010. The aircraft proved extremely useful for NATO especially with ongoing operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Russian cargo company Volga-Dnepr has contracts with Boeing
to ship outsize aircraft components to their Everett
plant. The An-124 is used for airlifting (in fully assembled form) the massive General Electric GE90
turbofan engines
used on the Boeing 777
airliner
. Rolls-Royce also contracts the Antonov An-124 to transport the Trent family engines
to and from their test facilities worldwide.
United Launch Alliance
contracts the An-124 to transport the Atlas V
launch vehicle from its facilities in Decatur
, Alabama to Cape Canaveral
. Two flights are required to transfer each launch vehicle (one for the Atlas V main booster stage and another for the Centaur upper stage). It is also contracted by Space Systems Loral to transport satellites from Palo Alto, CA to the Arianespace spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.
Airbus Transport International, a subsidiary of Airbus
, has selected another Russian cargo company, Polet Airlines
as "designated carrier" to the company. Polet expects its three An-124-100s will transport astronautic equipment manufactured by EADS
, which is Airbus' parent company, and full-size components of a model of the Airbus A380
superjumbo. As the Rolls-Royce Trent 900
is the only A380 engine that can be transported whole in a Boeing 747
F, the competing Engine Alliance GP7200
needs a larger aircraft, like the An-124, if it is to be shipped in one piece.
An-124-100
An-124-100M-150
An-124-102
An-124-130
An-124-135
An-124-150
An-124-200
An-124-210
have been recorded, with a total of 97 fatalities:
Аn-124-100М-150
NATO reporting name
NATO reporting names are classified code names for military equipment of the Eastern Bloc...
: Condor) is a strategic airlift jet aircraft
Jet aircraft
A jet aircraft is an aircraft propelled by jet engines. Jet aircraft generally fly much faster than propeller-powered aircraft and at higher altitudes – as high as . At these altitudes, jet engines achieve maximum efficiency over long distances. The engines in propeller-powered aircraft...
. It was designed by the Ukrainian SSR's Antonov
Antonov
Antonov, or Antonov Aeronautical Scientist/Technical Complex , formerly the Antonov Design Bureau, is a Ukrainian aircraft manufacturing and services company with particular expertise in the field of very large aircraft construction. Antonov ASTC is a state-owned commercial company...
design bureau, then part of the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. It is the world's largest ever serially-manufactured cargo airplane and world's second largest operating cargo aircraft
Cargo aircraft
A cargo aircraft is a fixed-wing aircraft designed or converted for the carriage of goods, rather than passengers. They are usually devoid of passenger amenities, and generally feature one or more large doors for the loading and unloading of cargo...
. During development it was known as Izdeliye 400 in house, and An-40 in the West. First flown
Maiden flight
The maiden flight of an aircraft is the first occasion on which an aircraft leaves the ground of its own accord. This is similar to a ship's maiden voyage....
in 1982, civil certification was issued on 30 December 1992. Over forty are in service (26 civilian models with airlines and 10 firm orders as of August 2006) and 20 were in commercial use in 1998 in Ukraine, Russia, the United Arab Emirates and Libya.
Design and development
Antonov An-22
The Antonov An-22 Antei was the world's heaviest aircraft, until the advent of the American C-5 Galaxy and later the Soviet An-124. Powered by four pairs of contra-rotating turboprops, the design remains the world's largest turboprop-powered aircraft...
turboprops which were heavily tasked for tactical roles. A classified 1975 CIA analysis concluded that the USSR did "not match the US in ability to provide long-range heavy lift support" then.
The An-124 was manufactured in parallel by two plants: the Russian company Aviastar-SP
Aviastar-SP
CJSC Aviastar-SP is a Russian aircraft factory based in Ulyanovsk. It is a closed shares joint stock company. It has replaced the Soviet Ulyanovsk Aviation Industrial Complex and manufactures the cargo aircraft An-124 Ruslan and the whole Tu-204 family...
(ex. Ulyanovsk Aviation Industrial Complex) and by the Kyiv Aviation Plant AVIANT, in Ukraine. Design work started in 1971 and construction of facilities began in 1973. Manufacturing on the first airframe begin in 1979. Ultimately this project brought together over 100 factories contracted to produce systems and parts.
The first flight took place in December 1982 and the first exposure to the West followed in 1985 at the Paris Air Show. Series production ceased with the breakup of the Soviet Union. The last five unfinished airframes left from the Soviet times were completed in 2001 (1), 2002 (1), and 2004 (3).
Externally, the An-124 is similar to the American Lockheed C-5 Galaxy, but has a 25% larger payload, and instead of the Galaxy's T-tail, the An-124 uses a conventional empennage
Empennage
The empennage , also known as the tail or tail assembly, of most aircraft gives stability to the aircraft, in a similar way to the feathers on an arrow...
, similar in design to that of the Boeing 747
Boeing 747
The Boeing 747 is a wide-body commercial airliner and cargo transport, often referred to by its original nickname, Jumbo Jet, or Queen of the Skies. It is among the world's most recognizable aircraft, and was the first wide-body ever produced...
. The An-124 has been used to carry locomotive
Locomotive
A locomotive is a railway vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. The word originates from the Latin loco – "from a place", ablative of locus, "place" + Medieval Latin motivus, "causing motion", and is a shortened form of the term locomotive engine, first used in the early 19th...
s, yacht
Yacht
A yacht is a recreational boat or ship. The term originated from the Dutch Jacht meaning "hunt". It was originally defined as a light fast sailing vessel used by the Dutch navy to pursue pirates and other transgressors around and into the shallow waters of the Low Countries...
s, aircraft fuselage
Fuselage
The fuselage is an aircraft's main body section that holds crew and passengers or cargo. In single-engine aircraft it will usually contain an engine, although in some amphibious aircraft the single engine is mounted on a pylon attached to the fuselage which in turn is used as a floating hull...
s, and a variety of other oversized cargoes. The airlift is able to kneel to allow easier front loading. Up to 150 tonnes of cargo can be carried in a military An-124; it can also carry 88 passengers in an upper deck behind the wing centre section. The cargo compartment of An-124 is 36 m x 6.4 m x 4.4 m, ca. 20% larger than the main cargo compartment of C-5 Galaxy, which is 36.91 m x 5.79 m x 4.09 m. However, due to limited pressurization in the main cargo compartment (24.6 kPa, 3.57 psi), it seldom carries paratrooper
Paratrooper
Paratroopers are soldiers trained in parachuting and generally operate as part of an airborne force.Paratroopers are used for tactical advantage as they can be inserted into the battlefield from the air, thereby allowing them to be positioned in areas not accessible by land...
s.
Overhead crane
An overhead crane, commonly called a bridge crane, is a type of crane found in industrial environments. An overhead crane consists of parallel runways with a traveling bridge spanning the gap...
capable of lifting up to 30 tons of cargo, and items up to 120 tons can be winched on board. Some planes have a limit of 20 tons for the crane.
Since the type was initially designed for only occasional military use, original An-124s were built with a projected service life of 7,500 flight hours with possibility for extension. However many airframes have flown more than 15,000 flight hours. In response to complaints by commercial users, the An-124-100 version has been built since 2000 with an improved service life of 24,000 hours. Older airframes are being upgraded to this standard. Additional retrofiting is being performed to extend its service life to 40,000 flight hours. The Kyiv Aviation Plant AVIANT offers upgrades to the Аn-124-100М-150 version.
Russia and Ukraine agreed to resume the production in the third quarter of 2008. In May 2008 it was reported that a new variant, to be known as the An-124-150, would have several improvements including a maximum lift capacity of 150 tonne
Tonne
The tonne, known as the metric ton in the US , often put pleonastically as "metric tonne" to avoid confusion with ton, is a metric system unit of mass equal to 1000 kilograms. The tonne is not an International System of Units unit, but is accepted for use with the SI...
s. However, in May 2009, Antonov's partner, United Aircraft Corporation
United Aircraft Corporation
United Aircraft Corporation may refer to one of the following:* United Aircraft Corporation, formerly United Aircraft and Transport Corporation; now known as United Technologies Corporation....
announced it did not plan production of An-124s in the period 2009–2012. In late 2009, it was reported that Russian President Dmitry Medvedev
Dmitry Medvedev
Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev is the third President of the Russian Federation.Born to a family of academics, Medvedev graduated from the Law Department of Leningrad State University in 1987. He defended his dissertation in 1990 and worked as a docent at his alma mater, now renamed to Saint...
ordered production of the aircraft resumed. It is expected that Russia will purchase 20 new aircraft.
Operational history
Germany led the recent effort to lease An-124s for NATO strategic airlift requirements. Two aircraft are leased from SALIS GmbH as a stopgap until the Airbus A400MAirbus A400M
The Airbus A400M, also known as the Atlas, is a multi-national four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft. It was designed by Airbus Military as a tactical airlifter with strategic capabilities. The aircraft's maiden flight, originally planned for 2008, took place on 11 December 2009 in...
is available. Under NATO SALIS
NATO Strategic Airlift Capability
The Strategic Airlift Capability is a consortium of 12 nations, 10 of which are member states of NATO and two of which are Partners For Peace, to pool together resources to purchase and operate Boeing C-17 Globemaster III aircraft for joint strategic airlift purposes.The SAC concept was...
programme NAMSA is chartering six An-124-100 transport aircraft. According to the contract An-124-100s of Antonov Airlines
Antonov Airlines
Antonov Airlines is a Ukrainian cargo airline. It operates international charter services in the world oversized cargo market. Its main base is Gostomel Airport near Kiev...
and Volga-Dnepr
Volga-Dnepr
Volga-Dnepr Airlines, LLC is an airline based in Ulyanovsk, Russia. It operates scheduled and charter passenger and cargo services, but specialises in outsize cargo operations using the world's largest fleet of Antonov An-124 aircraft. It is a world leader in the global market for the movement of...
are used within the limits of NATO SALIS programme to transport cargo by requests of 18 countries: Belgium, Hungary, Greece, Denmark, Canada, Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
, Netherlands, Norway, United Kingdom, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Finland, France, Germany, Czech Republic and Sweden. Two An-124-100s are constantly based on full-time charter in the airport of Leipzig/Halle
Leipzig/Halle Airport
Leipzig/Halle Airport, sometimes called Schkeuditz Airport , is located in Schkeuditz, Saxony and serves both Leipzig, Saxony and Halle, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany.It has more than two million passengers per year....
, but in case of necessity two more aircraft are to be provided on six days notice and another two on nine days notice. The current contract is valid until 31 December 2010. The aircraft proved extremely useful for NATO especially with ongoing operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Russian cargo company Volga-Dnepr has contracts with Boeing
Boeing
The Boeing Company is an American multinational aerospace and defense corporation, founded in 1916 by William E. Boeing in Seattle, Washington. Boeing has expanded over the years, merging with McDonnell Douglas in 1997. Boeing Corporate headquarters has been in Chicago, Illinois since 2001...
to ship outsize aircraft components to their Everett
Paine Field
Paine Field, also known as Snohomish County Airport is a public airport located in unincorporated Snohomish County, between Mukilteo and Everett, Washington...
plant. The An-124 is used for airlifting (in fully assembled form) the massive General Electric GE90
General Electric GE90
General Electric GE90 is a family of high-bypass turbofan aircraft engines built by GE Aviation for the Boeing 777, with thrust ratings ranging from 74,000 to 115,000 lbf . It was first introduced in November 1995 on British Airways' 777s, and is available only on the 777...
turbofan engines
Turbofan
The turbofan is a type of airbreathing jet engine that is widely used for aircraft propulsion. A turbofan combines two types of engines, the turbo portion which is a conventional gas turbine engine, and the fan, a propeller-like ducted fan...
used on the Boeing 777
Boeing 777
The Boeing 777 is a long-range, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It is the world's largest twinjet and is commonly referred to as the "Triple Seven". The aircraft has seating for over 300 passengers and has a range from , depending on model...
airliner
Airliner
An airliner is a large fixed-wing aircraft for transporting passengers and cargo. Such aircraft are operated by airlines. Although the definition of an airliner can vary from country to country, an airliner is typically defined as an aircraft intended for carrying multiple passengers in commercial...
. Rolls-Royce also contracts the Antonov An-124 to transport the Trent family engines
Rolls-Royce Trent
Rolls-Royce Trent is the name given to a family of high bypass turbofan aircraft engines manufactured by Rolls-Royce plc. All are developments of the RB211 with thrust ratings of . Versions of the Trent are in service on the Airbus A330, A340, A380, Boeing 777, and 787, and variants are in...
to and from their test facilities worldwide.
United Launch Alliance
United Launch Alliance
United Launch Alliance is a joint venture of Lockheed Martin and Boeing. ULA was formed in December 2006 by combining the teams at these companies which provide spacecraft launch services to the government of the United States. U.S...
contracts the An-124 to transport the Atlas V
Atlas V
Atlas V is an active expendable launch system in the Atlas rocket family. Atlas V was formerly operated by Lockheed Martin, and is now operated by the Lockheed Martin-Boeing joint venture United Launch Alliance...
launch vehicle from its facilities in Decatur
Decatur, Alabama
Decatur is a city in Limestone and Morgan Counties in the U.S. state of Alabama. The city, affectionately known as "The River City", is located in Northern Alabama on the banks of Wheeler Lake, along the Tennessee River. It is the largest city and county seat of Morgan County...
, Alabama to Cape Canaveral
Cape Canaveral
Cape Canaveral, from the Spanish Cabo Cañaveral, is a headland in Brevard County, Florida, United States, near the center of the state's Atlantic coast. Known as Cape Kennedy from 1963 to 1973, it lies east of Merritt Island, separated from it by the Banana River.It is part of a region known as the...
. Two flights are required to transfer each launch vehicle (one for the Atlas V main booster stage and another for the Centaur upper stage). It is also contracted by Space Systems Loral to transport satellites from Palo Alto, CA to the Arianespace spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.
Airbus Transport International, a subsidiary of Airbus
Airbus
Airbus SAS is an aircraft manufacturing subsidiary of EADS, a European aerospace company. Based in Blagnac, France, surburb of Toulouse, and with significant activity across Europe, the company produces around half of the world's jet airliners....
, has selected another Russian cargo company, Polet Airlines
Polet Airlines
CJSC «Polet Airlines» is an airline based in Voronezh, Russia. It operates a worldwide cargo and domestic passenger charter services from Voronezh, as well as regional passenger and cargo services from Sokol. Its main base is Chertovitskoye Airport, Voronezh.-History:The airline was established...
as "designated carrier" to the company. Polet expects its three An-124-100s will transport astronautic equipment manufactured by EADS
EADS
The European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company N.V. is a global pan-European aerospace and defence corporation and a leading defence and military contractor worldwide...
, which is Airbus' parent company, and full-size components of a model of the Airbus A380
Airbus A380
The Airbus A380 is a double-deck, wide-body, four-engine jet airliner manufactured by the European corporation Airbus, a subsidiary of EADS. It is the largest passenger airliner in the world. Due to its size, many airports had to modify and improve facilities to accommodate it...
superjumbo. As the Rolls-Royce Trent 900
Rolls-Royce Trent
Rolls-Royce Trent is the name given to a family of high bypass turbofan aircraft engines manufactured by Rolls-Royce plc. All are developments of the RB211 with thrust ratings of . Versions of the Trent are in service on the Airbus A330, A340, A380, Boeing 777, and 787, and variants are in...
is the only A380 engine that can be transported whole in a Boeing 747
Boeing 747
The Boeing 747 is a wide-body commercial airliner and cargo transport, often referred to by its original nickname, Jumbo Jet, or Queen of the Skies. It is among the world's most recognizable aircraft, and was the first wide-body ever produced...
F, the competing Engine Alliance GP7200
Engine Alliance GP7200
|-See also:-References :* -External links :* , Engine Alliance* , GE-Aviation* , Pratt & Whitney...
needs a larger aircraft, like the An-124, if it is to be shipped in one piece.
Significant activities
- On May 1987, an An-124 set a world record, covering the distance of 20151 km (10,881 nmi) without refuelling. The flight took 25 hours and 30 minutes; the takeoff weight was 455,000 kg. The previous record was held by a Boeing B-52H StratofortressB-52 StratofortressThe Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is a long-range, subsonic, jet-powered strategic bomber operated by the United States Air Force since the 1950s. The B-52 was designed and built by Boeing, who have continued to provide maintainence and upgrades to the aircraft in service...
(18,245 km). - In July 1985, an An-124 carried 171,219 kg (377,473 lb) of cargo to an altitude of 2,000 m and 170,000 kg to an altitude of 10,750 m (35,270 ft).
- An An-124 was used to transport the Obelisk of AxumObelisk of AxumThe Obelisk of Axum is a 1,700-year-old, 24-metres tall granite stele/obelisk, weighing 160 tonnes, in the city of Axum in Ethiopia. It is decorated with two false doors at the base, and decorations resembling windows on all sides...
back to its native homeland of Ethiopia from Rome in April 2005. The shipment was made in three trips, each carrying a third of the monument's 160 tons and 24-metre (78 ft) length. The airstrip at AxumAxumAxum or Aksum is a city in northern Ethiopia which was the original capital of the eponymous kingdom of Axum. Population 56,500 . Axum was a naval and trading power that ruled the region from ca. 400 BC into the 10th century...
was modified to accommodate such a large aircraft. - An An-124 was used to transport an EP-3E Aries IIEP-3E Aries II|-See also:-References:* Winchester, Jim, ed. Military Aircraft of the Cold War . London: Grange Books plc, 2006. ISBN 1-84013-929-3.-External links:* and * *...
electronic intelligence aircraft from Hainan Island, China on 4 July 2001 during the Hainan Island incidentHainan Island incidentOn April 1, 2001, a mid-air collision between a United States Navy EP-3E ARIES II signals intelligence aircraft and a People's Liberation Army Navy J-8II interceptor fighter jet resulted in an international dispute between the United States and the People's Republic of China called the Hainan...
. - An An-124 transported the first of IÉIarnród ÉireannIarnród Éireann is the national railway system operator of Ireland. Established on 2 February 1987, it is a subsidiary of Córas Iompair Éireann . It operates all internal intercity, commuter and freight railway services in the Republic of Ireland, and, jointly with Northern Ireland Railways, the...
's new 201 ClassIE 201 ClassThe Iarnród Éireann 201 Class locomotives are the newest and most powerful diesel locomotives operating in Ireland, and were built between 1994 and 1995 by General Motors. They are model type JT42HCW, fitted with an EMD 12-710G3B engine of 3200 hp, weigh 112 tonnes and have a maximum speed of...
(JT42HCW) locomotives from Canada to Ireland in June 1994. - A Volga-DneprVolga-DneprVolga-Dnepr Airlines, LLC is an airline based in Ulyanovsk, Russia. It operates scheduled and charter passenger and cargo services, but specialises in outsize cargo operations using the world's largest fleet of Antonov An-124 aircraft. It is a world leader in the global market for the movement of...
An-124 delivered a whale from Nice (France) to Japan; another flight was to deliver an elephant from Moscow to Taiwan. - An-124s provided by Ruslan International, a specialist transport company based at Stansted UK, have been used on several occasions by BAE Systems to transport airframes as part of their Nimrod refurbishment programme.
- An An-124 was used in the James BondJames BondJames Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
film Die Another DayDie Another DayDie Another Day is the 20th spy film in the James Bond series, and the fourth and last film to star Pierce Brosnan as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond; it is also the last Bond film of the original timeline with the series being rebooted with Casino Royale...
, though the interior shots appear to be that of an Ilyushin Il-76Ilyushin Il-76The Ilyushin Il-76 is a multi-purpose four-engined strategic airlifter designed by Ilyushin design bureau. It was first planned as a commercial freighter in 1967. Intended as a replacement for the Antonov An-12, the Il-76 was designed for delivering heavy machinery to remote, poorly-serviced areas...
. - An An-124 will be used in April 2011 to airlift a large concrete pumpConcrete pumpA concrete pump is a tool used for transferring liquid concrete by pumping. There are two types of concrete pumps.The first type of concrete pump is attached to a truck. It is known as a trailer-mounted concrete pump because it uses a remote-controlled articulating robotic arm to place concrete...
from Germany to Japan to help cool reactors damaged in the Fukushima nuclear accident. The An-225 will be used to transport an even larger pump to Japan from the United States.
Variants
An-124 Ruslan- Strategic heavy airlift transport aircraft
An-124-100
- Commercial transport aircraft
An-124-100M-150
- Commercial transport version fitted with Western avionics
An-124-102
- Commercial transport version with an EFIS flight deck
An-124-130
- Proposed version
An-124-135
- Variant with one seat in the rear and the rest of the cargo area (approx. 1,800 square feet) dedicated to freight
An-124-150
- New variant with several new features
An-124-200
- Proposed version with General Electric CF6-80C2 engines, each rated at 59,200 lbf (263 kN)
An-124-210
- Joint proposal with Air Foyle to meet UK's Short Term Strategic Airlifter (STSA) requirement, with Rolls-Royce RB211-524H-T engines, each rated 60,600 lbf (264 kN) and HoneywellHoneywellHoneywell International, Inc. is a major conglomerate company that produces a variety of consumer products, engineering services, and aerospace systems for a wide variety of customers, from private consumers to major corporations and governments....
avionics—STSA competition abandoned in August 1999, reinstated, and won by the Boeing C-17AC-17 Globemaster IIIThe Boeing C-17 Globemaster III is a large military transport aircraft. Developed for the United States Air Force from the 1980s to the early 1990s by McDonnell Douglas, the C-17 is used for rapid strategic airlift of troops and cargo to main operating bases or forward operating bases throughout...
.
| Performance | An-124-100 | An-124-150 |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum Payload | 120 tonnes | 150 tonnes |
| Range | 4,600 km | 5,200 km |
| Service Life | 24,000 hours | 50,000 hours |
| Crew | 6 | 4 |
Civil
In September 2009 a total of 28 Antonov An-124 aircraft remain in airline service, with a further 10 firm orders.- Libyan Arab Air CargoLibyan Arab Air CargoLibyan Arab Air Cargo is a cargo airline based in Tripoli, Libya. It is the cargo division of Libyan Airways operating all-cargo services. Its main base is Tripoli International Airport...
(2)
- Volga-DneprVolga-DneprVolga-Dnepr Airlines, LLC is an airline based in Ulyanovsk, Russia. It operates scheduled and charter passenger and cargo services, but specialises in outsize cargo operations using the world's largest fleet of Antonov An-124 aircraft. It is a world leader in the global market for the movement of...
(10)+ 5 on order. - Polet AirlinesPolet AirlinesCJSC «Polet Airlines» is an airline based in Voronezh, Russia. It operates a worldwide cargo and domestic passenger charter services from Voronezh, as well as regional passenger and cargo services from Sokol. Its main base is Chertovitskoye Airport, Voronezh.-History:The airline was established...
(8)+ 5 on order.
- Antonov AirlinesAntonov AirlinesAntonov Airlines is a Ukrainian cargo airline. It operates international charter services in the world oversized cargo market. Its main base is Gostomel Airport near Kiev...
(7)
- Maximus Air CargoMaximus Air CargoMaximus Air Cargo, an Abu Dhabi Aviation Group company was established in 2005 to provide tailored solutions for moving outsized cargo. After operating for 5 years in the region, it is now a significant regional air cargo carrier and cargo aircraft wet lease operator , employing more than 200 staff...
(1)
Former civil operators
- Aeroflot Russian International AirlinesAeroflotOJSC AeroflotRussian Airlines , commonly known as Aeroflot , is the flag carrier and largest airline of the Russian Federation, based on passengers carried per year...
- AyaksAyaksThe Ayaks |Ajax]]) is a hypersonic aircraft program started in the Soviet Union and currently under development in the Russian Federation by the Saint Petersburg Institute for the Hypersonic Systems of Leninets Holding Company...
- Russian State Transport CompanyRossiya (airline)Rossiya Airlines OJSC , operating as Rossiya — Russian Airlines is a secondary national airline with its head office in Saint Petersburg, Russia, resulting from the 2006 merger of the Moscow-based company of the same name and Saint Petersburg-based Pulkovo Aviation Enterprise...
- Transaero Airlines
- Aeroflot Soviet AirlinesAeroflotOJSC AeroflotRussian Airlines , commonly known as Aeroflot , is the flag carrier and largest airline of the Russian Federation, based on passengers carried per year...
- Air FoyleAir Foyle HeavyLiftFor the Australian Cargo Airline see: HeavyLift Cargo AirlinesAir Foyle HeavyLift was an aviation company based in Bishop's Stortford, United Kingdom. It specialized in heavy air cargo services. It was the worldwide sales agent for Antonov Airlines of Kiev, Ukraine...
(in partnership with Antonov Design Bureau) - HeavyLift Cargo AirlinesAir Foyle HeavyLiftFor the Australian Cargo Airline see: HeavyLift Cargo AirlinesAir Foyle HeavyLift was an aviation company based in Bishop's Stortford, United Kingdom. It specialized in heavy air cargo services. It was the worldwide sales agent for Antonov Airlines of Kiev, Ukraine...
(in partnership with Volga-Dnepr Airlines) - Antonov AirTrack
- Titan Cargo
- TransCharter Titan Cargo
Notable accidents
As of 2011, four An-124 hull-loss accidentsAviation accidents and incidents
An aviation accident is defined in the Convention on International Civil Aviation Annex 13 as an occurrence associated with the operation of an aircraft which takes place between the time any person boards the aircraft with the intention of flight and all such persons have disembarked, in which a...
have been recorded, with a total of 97 fatalities:
- On 13 October 1992, SSSR-82002, operated by Antonov AirlinesAntonov AirlinesAntonov Airlines is a Ukrainian cargo airline. It operates international charter services in the world oversized cargo market. Its main base is Gostomel Airport near Kiev...
crashed near KievKievKiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
, Ukraine during flight testing. 8 fatalities. - On 15 November 1993, RA-82071, operated by Aviastar AirlinesAviastar AirlinesLLC Aviastar-TU is a passenger and cargo charter airline based in Moscow, Russia. It works as transport section for the Ulyanovsk production factory and operates out of Ramenskoye Airport....
crashed into a mountain at 11000 feet (3,352.8 m) while in a holding pattern at KermanKerman- Geological characteristics :For the Iranian paleontologists, Kerman has always been considered a fossil paradise. Finding new dinosaur footprints in 2005 has now revealed new hopes for paleontologists to better understand the history of this area.- Economy :...
, Iran. 17 fatalities. - On 8 October 1996, RA-82069, owned by AeroflotAeroflotOJSC AeroflotRussian Airlines , commonly known as Aeroflot , is the flag carrier and largest airline of the Russian Federation, based on passengers carried per year...
but operated by Ajax, crashed at San Francesco al CampoSan Francesco al CampoSan Francesco al Campo is a comune in the Province of Turin in the Italian region Piedmont, located about northwest of Turin.-References:...
, Italy, during a go-around. 4 fatalities. - On 6 December 1997, RA-82005, operated by the Russian Air ForceRussian Air ForceThe Russian Air Force is the air force of Russian Military. It is currently under the command of Colonel General Aleksandr Zelin. The Russian Navy has its own air arm, the Russian Naval Aviation, which is the former Soviet Aviatsiya Voyenno Morskogo Flota , or AV-MF).The Air Force was formed from...
, crashed in a residential areaResidential areaA residential area is a land use in which housing predominates, as opposed to industrial and commercial areas.Housing may vary significantly between, and through, residential areas. These include single family housing, multi-family residential, or mobile homes. Zoning for residential use may permit...
after take-off in IrkutskIrkutskIrkutsk is a city and the administrative center of Irkutsk Oblast, Russia, one of the largest cities in Siberia. Population: .-History:In 1652, Ivan Pokhabov built a zimovye near the site of Irkutsk for gold trading and for the collection of fur taxes from the Buryats. In 1661, Yakov Pokhabov...
, Russia. All 23 people on-board and 44 people on the ground were killed.
Specifications
Flight range
An-124-100- 0 tons of cargo = 15000 km (8,099.4 nmi)
- 10 tons of cargo = 14100 km (7,613 nmi)
- 20 tons of cargo = 13250 km (7,154 nmi)
- 30 tons of cargo = 12300 km (6,641 nmi)
- 40 tons of cargo = 11500 km (6,209.5 nmi)
- 72 tons of cargo = 8700 km (4,697.6 nmi)
- 90 tons of cargo = 7100 km (3,834 nmi)
- 97 tons of cargo = 6500 km (3,510 nmi)
- 104 tons of cargo = 5900 km (3,185.7 nmi)
- 108 tons of cargo = 5550 km (2,997 nmi)
- 120 tons of cargo = 4500 km (2,429.8 nmi)
- 122 tons of cargo = 4300 km (2,322 nmi)
Аn-124-100М-150
- 40 tons of cargo = 11900 km (6,425 nmi)
- 92 tons of cargo = 7500 km (4,049.7 nmi)
- 113 tons of cargo = 5900 km (3,186 nmi)
- 120 tons of cargo = 5400 km (2,915.8 nmi)
- 122 tons of cargo = 5200 km (2,808 nmi)
- 150 tons of cargo = 3200 km (1,728 nmi)
See also
External links
- Antonov An-124 page on the Antonov website
- Aviastar-SP – manufacturer of the An-124 in Russia
- Aviant – manufacturer of the An-124 in Ukraine
- An-124-210 Condor Long-Range Heavy Transport Aircraft – Specifications
- Antonov An-124 on aero-enthusiast.com
- Walkaround An-124-100 RA-82041, #9773054055089 at MAKS-2009 Second walkaround
- AN-124 specifications compared next to other air cargo aircraft