The Antonov AN-124 Ruslan (Ukrainian: Антонов АN-124 Руслан) (NATO reporting name: Condor) is a strategic airlift jet aircraft. It was designed by the Antonov design bureau in the Ukrainian SSR within the Soviet Union during the 1980s. It is powered by four turbofan engines and is the largest military transport aircraft in the world. The first prototype, designated Skhval (Russian: Схвал), flew on 22 December 1982.
The AN-124 is the largest military transport aircraft in the world, capable of carrying a payload of up to 250 tons. It’s also the world’s largest commercial aircraft.
It was designed for airlifting heavy cargo and troops along with paratroopers and equipment. In fact, during its first flight in 1984, it even carried an entire Soviet Army battalion!
It has a range of over 6,000 miles and can carry every conceivable type of cargo—from motor vehicles to passenger modules to prefabricated structures and even entire trains.
The AN-124 was designed as an airlifter for military use, but it was never used in this role because there were no orders from anyone who could afford to purchase these large airplanes. So Antonov decided to make them available for civilian use instead.
Today there are more than 70 AN-124s in operation worldwide; most are operated by Russian airline Volga-Dnepr Airlines (VDN). VDN operates 13 An-124s on charter flights around the globe transporting everything from cars to satellites — its largest aircraft ever transported weighs 400 tons and measured almost 50 feet long!
Antonov Airlines is a Ukrainian airline, with a fleet of AN-124s and AN-148s. It is the leading heavy lift and charter carrier in the world and has flown everything from oil drilling equipment to fighter jets.
A great deal of cargo is delivered long distances. The AN-124 can carry up to 25 standard shipping containers and has a range of 5,000 kilometers (3,100 miles). It was designed to deliver freight to remote locations that are difficult to reach by road or rail. Because it is so large and heavy, the AN-124 can land on runways as short as 3 kilometers (2 miles), which makes it ideal for airports with limited space.
The AN-124 was first manufactured in 1991 and was originally designed for military purposes. The aircraft has been modified several times over the years and there are two different models: AN-124-100 & AN-124-100M-150.
The original version of this plane, known as the AN-124-100, carries 100 tons of goods and has a wingspan of 41 meters (135 feet). This model had its maiden flight in 1990 but production stopped after only 10 were built because they were not profitable enough due to high operating costs.
The upgraded version of this plane—known as the AN-124M1—was introduced into service in 2002 with many new features including updated engines that allowed it to carry heavier loads while reducing fuel consumption by 30%. The original design called for 150 tons but due to safety concerns about exceeding maximum takeoff weights and an inability to safely taxi on some runways at desired operational speeds, maximum payload capacity was reduced again by 20% (i.e., down from 150 tons). This model also changed how cargo could be stored inside so as not to block passengers from seeing out their windows during flights since all cargo holds are located beneath passenger cabins; therefore having any obstructions inside would prevent them from seeing outside!
AN-124 is part of the An-124 family, which also includes:
- AN-124-100M – This is the basic long-range version of this aircraft.
- AN-124-100M2 – This is a much larger version than the original with 5 engines instead of 4 and has a payload capacity of up to 150 tons (300,000 pounds).
- AN-124-100M3 – This model has two additional engines and can carry up to 170 tons (350,000 pounds) payloads. It also has an increased wingspan that allows it to fly at higher altitudes without losing as much fuel efficiency as other planes from this class do when flying at altitude for extended periods due to lower air density at higher altitudes than lower ones.
In 1986 the Antonov AN-124 won the 1st Place “ATW Airline Industry Achievement Award” in the category of “Most Outstanding New Product”.
The Antonov An-124 Ruslan holds the absolute world record for an airlifted single item of 185 tons (407,844 lb).
The AN-124 is a Soviet and Ukrainian strategic airlift aircraft. It was originally designed by the Antonov Design Bureau in the late 1970s as a response to the American Lockheed C-5 Galaxy. The Ruslan is powered by four turbofan engines and has an operational range of 2,000 km (1,240 miles). The AN-124 holds the absolute world record for an airlifted single item of 185 tons (407,844 lb).
The first flight took place on December 29, 1982, at Kiev Filonovo Airport with Valery Vostrotin piloting its maiden flight. Production was suspended with only ten units built due to a lack of orders from customers; however, production resumed in 1999 after several modifications were made including new engines and updated avionics systems.
The AN-124 has been used to transport all sorts of large cargo, including locomotives and space shuttles. It was the only aircraft that could transport a space shuttle across the Atlantic Ocean.
The AN-124 is a great plane for transporting heavy cargo long distances at a low cost.
It’s best to think of the AN-124 as an airborne freight train, with one important distinction: it can carry more than twice as much as any other cargo plane in its class. It’s also faster, capable of cruising at 565 mph (910 km/h), which makes it ideal when you need to move something quickly and cheaply—say, if you’re delivering supplies after an earthquake or flood has devastated an area with damaged infrastructure and few resources available to aid those affected by such events.
While it may be big and heavy, it’s also one of the best at doing what it’s designed to do: carrying huge loads long distances. This plane has moved some of the largest things ever created by humans, including a space shuttle and one of the world’s largest cruise liners.
While the AN-124 has suffered during the collapse of the USSR and subsequent years as a result of infrequent usage and lack of development, today this is changing. With Russia’s renewed financial commitment to building their own aircraft, including the Beriyev A-60 (an advanced airframe built on the skeleton of the AN-124), the AN-124 will continue to soldier on. While it may not be produced anymore in its original form, the AN-124 will undoubtedly see continued production and usage within or on behalf of its Russian owners.
The AN-124 is still a popular aircraft and is used frequently by many airlines. While Western use of this aircraft has diminished, it is still in use by people looking for large loads at reasonable rates. It will be used for years to come if it can find the right customers. Russia had a plan to sell more of them as well, but those plans have been stalled due to sanctions that were placed on Russia after it annexed Crimea. The AN-124 may get a new lease on life or become an international plane if those sanctions are lifted.