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General information | |
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Type | Heavy transport aircraft |
National origin | Soviet Union |
Manufacturer | Antonov |
Designer | Antonov |
Built by | Antonov Serial Production Plant Aviastar-SP |
Status | In service |
Primary users | Russian Aerospace ForcesVolga-Dnepr Airlines Antonov Airlines |
Number built | 55 |
History | |
Manufactured | 1982–2004 |
Introduction date | 1986 |
First flight | 24 December 1982 |
Developed into | Antonov An-225 |
By July 2013, 26 An-124s were reportedly in commercial service while a further ten airlifters were on order. During 2008, it was announced that Russia and Ukraine were to jointly resume production of the type. At one point, it looked as if Russia would order 20 new-build airlifters. However, in August 2014, it was reported that the planned resumption of manufacturing had been shelved due to the ongoing political tensions between Russia and Ukraine.ar-SP in Ulyanovsk
The Antonov An-124 Ruslan is a large, strategic airlift, four-engined aircraft. Externally, it bears numerous similarities to the American Lockheed C-5 Galaxy, having a double fuselage to allow for a rear cargo door (on the lower fuselage) that can open in flight without affecting structural integrity. The An-124 has a slightly shorter fuselage, has a slightly greater wingspan, and is capable of carrying a 17 percent larger payload. In place of the C-5's T-tail, the An-124 is furnished with a conventional empennage, similar in design to that of the Boeing 747. Many of the flight control surfaces, such as the slats, flaps, and spoilers, closely resemble or are identical to those of the C-5. The An-124 features a fly-by-wire control system. This is a hybrid control system, as it also implements conventional mechanical controls for some aspects; these have been arranged in a manner that provides redundancy against the failure of a single hydraulic circuit.
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On 24 February 2022, at the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion in Ukraine, the first attacks were launched at Kyiv-Antonov-2 airfield, the site of Antonov's test flights and home base of the planes of Antonov Airlines.
Antonov Company is a state-owned commercial company originally established in Novosibirsk, Russia.
Conceived as a competitive aircraft the Bf 108 would take part in the 1936 Berlin Olympics.