Country of origin:

Union of Soviet Socialist Republics

Description:

Long-range military and civil heavy-lift transport

Power Plant:

Four 51,650 lbst Lotarev D-18T turbofans

Specifications:

History:

Development of the An-124 Ruslan (NATO code-name Condor) began in 1977 in Kiev, in The Ukraine, the Antonov Design Bureau team being headed by Petr V Balabuev. The prototype, powered by four Lotarev high by-pass turbofans, flew for the first time on 26 December 1982.

The An-124 was of basic aluminium monocoque construction with emphasis placed on ease of servicing and maintenance under primitive conditions. The cockpit accommodated a crew of six, comprising a pilot, co-pilot, navigator, communications operator, and two flight engineers. Large loads could be carried, access being gained via a visor-type nose which lifted over the flight deck; and clamshell type doors at the rear of the fuselage. Russian reports indicated it could take-off with a field length of 1,200 m (3,937 ft) and needed 800 m (2,625 ft) to land.

The An-124 set more than thirty world records, one of the most significant being in 1985 when one lifted 171,219 kg (377,467 lb) to an altitude of 10,750 m (35,269 ft), its capability being only exceeded by another Antonov design, the six turbofan powered An-225 Mriya (Dream), the first aircraft to-take off at a gross weight in excess of 453,600 kg (1,000,000 lb), which was built primarily to transport Russia’s Buran space shuttle. The Mriya on its first flight from Kiev on 21 December 1988 established 106 world records on a three-and-a-half-hour flight and had a max payload of 250,000 kg (551,000 lb). The An-225 visited Perth, WA in May 2016.

The An-124 was developed from the turboprop powered Antonov An-22, the largest turboprop aircraft constructed. This aircraft could lift 80,000 kg (176,350 lb). At least two examples of the An-22 have visited this area, one (UR-09307) bringing equipment to Melbourne , VIC at one stage, and another visiting Port Moresby, NG when it delivered two Mil 17 helicopters for service in that region.

The An-124 fuselage had a double-deck layout, the cockpit, relief crew compartment and passenger cabin, which could accommodate 88 passengers, being on the upper deck, the lower deck being the cargo hold. The undercarriage had a number of legs and comprises 20 wheels. It had a kneeling mechanism with an adjustable fuselage clearance to allow loading and unloading of equipment. It had two APUs and was equipped with electric generators for independent operation.

Many outsize loads have been carried around the world by An-124s, including a fully assembled 109 tonne diesel locomotive airlifted from Ontario in Canada to Dublin in Ireland. Another carried four RAF Aerospatiale Super Puma helicopters, together with spares, from the United Kingdom to flood stricken Mozambique; and three were required to carry 390 tonnes of cable from Japan to The Netherlands. Others have been used during car rallies to move cars across oceans.

The An-124-100 was a civil variant which received Type Certification in 1992 and had a lower cargo load capacity, being restricted to carrying 120 tonnes in lieu of the 150 tonnes of the military variant. But in the An-124-100M model, developed by Aviastar, the payload was increased to 150 tonnes and the take-off weight was increased from 392 tonnes to 420 tonnes, the crew being reduced to four. This model also had a digital anti-skid braking system with monographite wheel brake discs.

In 1999 UK cargo airline Air Foyle and Antonov proposed a Rolls Royce RB211-524HT (58,000 lbst) turbofan variant to meet a RAF requirement for a strategic transport, the aircraft to be known as the An-124-210, which was to be fitted with Honeywell avionics and have a three man crew, the proposal being for four aircraft to be leased for five to nine years.

Consideration was also given at one stage to the installation of General Electric CF-680 turbofans, the new designation would have become the An-124-130.

About sixty examples have been completed, a number of which are in civil operation. In September 2004 the Governments of Russia and the Ukraine announced series production of the type would re-commence, with up to 80 An-124-100Ms to be jointly manufactured by Aviastar and Aviant between 2006 and 2020. At a ceremony in Russia in late 2009 An-124 production commenced backed by the Soviet Government and the United States Aircraft Corporation.

The An-124 has been a regular visitor to this region. Operators have included Aeroflot, Antonov Airlines, German Cargo, Air Foyle & Cargolux, and HeavyLift Cargo Airlines. One delivered Mil Mi-24 helicopter gunships to Katherine, NT after the aircraft with its cargo was diverted from New Guinea. In 1996 three were required to transport the equipment required for the Michael Jackson series of concerts during a tour of the South Pacific. Others have delivered heavy equipment all over Australia and rarely a month passes without at least one or more arriving delivering equipment of some kind.

Others have transported equipment to East Timor for the United Nations during independence problems. One was shown to the Australian public at the 1988 Bi-Centennial Air Show when it gave demonstrations of its handling capabilities at low level. Others have been used on charter by the Australian military to the Middle East, East Timor and other areas, from Townsville, QLD carrying stores and equipment for the Australian troops operating in those regions, and during relief operations such as the Tsunami in Thailand in 2004. Examples have also been chartered by the US Air Mobility Command for transport of oversize cargo, etc.

In 1990 a Melbourne-based company, Antonov Airlines Cargo & Services Pty Ltd, announced it intended to operate two An-124s. It advertised “the airline with the flying GIANT Antonov 124, the world’s largest cargo aircraft…aircargo from 3 ton to 100 ton and more”. These two aircraft arrived in Soviet Air Force markings and were numbered 09 and 21, the registrations being changed to Soviet civil registrations (CCCP-82033 – ex 09; and CCCP-80333 – ex 21) whilst on lease in Australia.

The An-124 CCCP-82033 on 1 December 1991 set a number of world records for flight endurance and speed when it flew from Melbourne across the South Pole to Rio De Janiero in Brazil a distance of 13,359 km (8,301 miles), and continued on later to Casablanca in Morocco, and then over the North Pole to Vladivostok, Russia before returning to Melbourne. In the event, although it was expected these two aircraft would be based in Australia, this did not occur and An-124s have been operated to this region on an as-required basis.

An An-124 RA-82078 visited Auckland on 13 October 2000 when it delivered 82 tonnes of musical equipment for a concert.

Further aircraft have visited Australia and New Zealand over the years and in February / March 2017 an example spent a week at the Australian International Air Show at Avalon, VIC after delivering a Boeing Apache on behalf of Boeing.