OREANDA-NEWS. January 9, 2008. In late December 2007, the 25th anniversary of the maiden flight of AN-124 Ruslan heavy military transport was celebrated, the press service of Antonov enterprise reported. During this time the airplane remained the most biggest cargo capacity one of those serially produced in the world. In 1982, it took-off for the first time being controlled by the crew consisting of V.I. Tesrkii and A.V. Galunenko, test-pilots; A.P.Poddubny, navigator; V.M. Vorotnikov and A.M. Shuleshchenko, flight engineers; and M.A. Tupchienko, radist.

AN-124-100, civil version of Ruslan, belongs to the class of the most commercially successful aircraft, appearance of which became a landmark in the history of aviation. AN-124-100 formed a new segment of the market – transportation of oversized and superheavy cargo. Ruslan became an indispensable element to provide building of the large industrial complexes, realization of the international projects of aviation industry and aeronautical researches. It rescued refugees and people suffered from natural disasters, transported tanks and Christmas trees, elite fast horses and cruise yachts, concert equipment and reconnaissance aircraft, banknotes and pure gold. The list of its cargo is endless – in this sense it can be called as the most universal airplane in the whole history of aviation.

AN-124-100 often carries cargo which cannot be delivered with other transport. For example, only Ruslan was able to return a relic to the people of Ethiopia. It carried this relic -- the granite obelisk from the grave of the ruler of the powerful kingdom of former times situated in the north of Ethiopia – from Italy to Ethiopia. Transportation of the water deminiralizer wighing 72t by AN-124-100 to Marshall Islands was much appreciated by the government of this state. It decided to immortalize that transportation with issue of the collection postage stamp. Among the permanent users of AN-124-100 are such companies as Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Loral, Folkswagen, Simens, General Electric, which consider efficiency and long-range of large-size cargo transportation as the main criteria.

At present, Ruslans continue actively work within the limits of SALIS (Strategic Airlift Interim Solution) programme. 17 European countries and Canada take part in this programme. In 2007, Antonov Airlines’ airplanes, involved in this programme, performed more than 130 flights, transported more than 7031 t of cargo. In general, volume of cargo transported by the airplanes of this airline increased by 12,9%, number of flights grew by 17,6% as compared with the last year.

In the world market of air transportation of oversized and super heavy cargo a big volume of work is waiting for Ruslans. According to the experts forecasts the volume of this market will increase three times till 2017. To provide the AN-124 compliance with modern and future requirements of the market ANTONOV ASTC and its partners constantly modernize this aircraft. In 2007 a new version of Ruslan -- AN-124-100M-150 was certificated. Its payload was increased from 120t to 150t, take-off and landing masses and range of flight were increased as well. An important peculiarity of AN-124-100M-150 is simplification and acceleration of loading a monocargo weighting up to 150t. In accordance with the modern and future requirements of Eurocontrol on P-RNAV, the new Ruslan is equipped with the modernized integrated navigation system. The new early ground proximity warning system was installed as well. The AN-124-110M-150 is being piloted by a crew of 4 persons.

Jointly with the partners from Russia and Ukraine ANTONOV ASTC implements the programme to renew serial production of the upgraded Ruslans.