Smokin touchdown photos: Behemoth Antonov An-124-100 Ruslan visits Bangalore

It is essentially the world's largest cargo airplane. Capable of carrying 120 metric tonnes it is surpassed by only the Antonov An-225 of which only one aircraft is in existence. It is the Antonov An-124-100M-150 Ruslan.

Last Saturday, a Ruslan registration RA-82078, operated by Volga Dnepr Airlines, visited Bangalore to carry a satellite for the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to French Guyana aboard the Arianne rocket and I managed to capture some pictures of this behemoth landing.

Considering the size, the crew put the plane on to runway 27 very gently, but I still scored the smokin' touchdown.

A better appreciation of the An-124's size can be gauged from this photograph.

To see more smokin touchdowns click here.

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Spotting images: Boeing and Russian freighters

Thanks to a technology based economy (sorry world, but Bangalore is a lot more than just BPO outsourcing), Bangalore has always been a preferred destination for air cargo.

Bio-technology, electronics, aviation, pharmaceuticals, high-end precision engineering, floriculture, fresh produce, and the outsourcing industry which buys tons of imported computers, ensure that Bangalore is the leading hub for air cargo in Southern India, ahead of Chennai and Hyderabad, and third behind Mumbai (the economic capital of India) and the national capital New Delhi.

As the Asian economies recover and lead the world back from the economic slowdown, a few pictures of some cargo beauties from Bangalore and Mumbai for your pleasure. Click on any image for a high resolution view.

Volga Dnepr Airlines. Ilyushin IL-76TD Vladimir Kokkinaki RA-76950
United Parcel Service Boeing MD-11F N293UP
United Parcel Service Boeing 767-300F (Extended Range) N302UP
Blue Dart Aviation Boeing 757-200PCF (Passenger Converted Freighter) VT-BDM
Blue Dart Aviation Boeing 737-200 Passenger Converted Freighter VT-BDG
One of the biggest in the sky. Volga Dnepr Airlines Antonov An-124-100 Ruslan RA-82081. Put in perspective the people working on the taxiway in the background.

Photo used with permission.

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Intruding Volga Dnepr Antonov AN-124 finally departs Mumbai

The intruding Volga Dnepr Antonov Anotnov AN124 finally departed Mumbai late on Saturday evening at 22:39 (17:09Z).


The aircraft apparently has been "wet leased" i.e. aircraft and crew, by the US military for supply flights between the US base at Deigo Garcia in the southern Indian ocean and Kandahar in Afghanistan. The aircraft has made many supply trips over the last few days, but on the night of June 19, something happened.


As per officials, the aircraft entered Indian airspace on Friday June 19 around 20:00 with a call sign Victor-Delta-Alpha (VDA 4466) and a civilian aircraft status. While still in Indian airspace off the west coast of Gujarat, near the front-line Indian Air Force (IAF) base of Jamnagar, and just before entering Pakistani airspace near Karachi, the pilot radioed the Pakistan air traffic control with a different call sign, "REACH 813", which meant it was a military cargo aircraft.

The IAF's South-Western Air Command air defence movement liaison unit observed the ambiguous status of the aircraft and activated the standard operating procedures under which the Mumbai air traffic control ordered the plane to land in Mumbai . Adding to the fears, the behemoth transporter entered the ADIZ (Air Defence Identification Zone) without having obtained the required AOR (air operations routing) of the Indian Air Force which triggered the security alert.

The aircraft landed in Mumbai on Friday. On Saturday morning it was taken to a remote cargo bay. CISF personnel cordoned off the plane, while sleuths from the Intelligence Bureau and officials from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation checked the plane's cargo hold. The 18 crew and passengers on-board were interrogated by IAF officials. Contrary to initial fears, the aircraft did not carry any arms and ammunition on board. It had three non-military armoured ambulances and was also carrying bedsheets and medicines.

"The pilots were not well-versed in English and only one of the other passengers spoke English,'' an official said. "They stayed inside the plane through the 24 hours they were in Mumbai but the aircraft was provided with an air-conditioning unit and a water/toilet cart,'' a Mumbai International Airport Pvt Ltd (MIAL) spokesperson said.

"The aircraft got all the sanctions needed to continue the flight. The IAF gave the aircraft the AOR (air operations routing),'' defence ministry public relations officer Capt M Nambiar said.

Post the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, since the terrorists came to Mumbai from Karachi via the sea, the whole area is on a much higher state of alert.

Apparently this is not the first intrusion by this aircraft; it has been happening for the past 15 days. The failure of the Indian authorities to register this intrusion earlier, has raised several questions about the alertness of the agencies entrusted with the task of giving air clearances to all flights using Indian airspace.

Images courtesy Google Earth.

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Volga Dnepr Antonov AN-124 forced to land after violating Indian airspace - Update 1

A Volga Dnepr Antonov AN-124 super transporter has been forced to land at Mumbai airport after it violated Indian airspace under highly suspicious circumstances.

As per news reports, the plane was spotted on radar entering Indian airspace around 21:50 local (16:20Z). With no record of the flight and Mumbai having some of the busiest airspace in the country, air traffic control questioned the pilot for details.

Any flight over Indian airspace has to obtain an air defence clearance code. The Volga Dnepr flight was unable to provide a correct code which coupled with the vague and evasive responses prompted a high alert. The flight landed at Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport at 22:40 (17:10Z).

The AN124-100 has been parked on runway 14 which is now closed for operations. Security forces have surrounded the aircraft and are questioning six passengers and two crew. Sources indicate that there is a substantial quantity of arms and ammunition on board.

The Press Trust of India reports

IAF sources said the plane apparently belonging to the United States took off from Diego Garcia island, a military base near Mauritius in the Indian Ocean, and was headed for Kandahar in Afghanistan.

I find the claim "belonging to the United States" a little hard to believe. Pictures on TV clearly show the aircraft to be the Antonov AN124-100 belonging to Volga Dnepr airlines which is Russian. In the dark it is impossible to determine the aircraft registration.

The entire episode caused a total shut-down of the airspace over Mumbai as well as flight operations at Mumbai airport. There is a significant backlog which is now being cleared as operations have resumed.

Volga Dnepr is a regular visitor to India and is also involved with defence cargo movements. Recently, it transported Advanced Light Helicopters sold by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited at Bangalore to the Ecuador Air Force. This cannot be a case of ignorance.

Stay tuned for more information.

Update 1 - 02:00 (20:00Z)

There are 18 crew on board. All are Russian. The aircraft leased to the US military was transporting US military cargo, primarily vehicles, from the US base at Diego Garcia to the US base at Kandahar in Afghanistan. Initial reports of arms and ammunition have been found untrue.

The crew are being questioned by Indian security and civil aviation teams.

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Flight Images: Antonov An124-100 takes five advanced light helicopters from Bangalore

At the start of Aero India in early February, Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd., announced it would make delivery of the first five of the Advanced Light Helicopters sold to the Ecuadorian Air Force using the behemoth Antonov An-124-100.


On the night of March 18th the giant transporter came to the HAL airport to load up. I managed to catch her departure yesterday and hope you enjoy the picture. She is BIG!!! Even with a small Nikon 50mm f/1.8 lens she filled more than 60 per cent of the photo frame.


While at the airport I managed to also capture one of the four Indian Air Force owned Embraer ERJ135 derived Legacy 600 Executive Business Jet (IAF tail number K3601, actual registration VU-AVS) coming in to land. A fifth aircraft of this type is owned by the Border Security Force. These aircraft are used to transport VIP passengers. I wonder who came to Bangalore on it?

Also got buzzed by an Ilyushin IL 76 MD of the Indian Air Force. Called Gajraj (King of Elephants) by the Indian Air Force, (IAF tail number K2879, actual registration VU-FGH). The IL 76 MD is a strategic heavy lift transporter very aptly named; she is big and noisy.

Even with its large size, the IL 76 MD Gajraj was dwarfed by the Antonov An-124-100.

Sorry about the heat haze, even at 10:15 AM, it is peak summer at Bangalore.

To get a small appreciation of the An-124's abilities see this video about the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) trains which were transported from Bombardier's Germany facility to New Delhi by the giant transporter.


A huge hat tip to Airliners-India user Aseem for the video link.

Please note, these images are covered by a CC license who terms are at the bottom of this page.

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