Antonov 225 at Shannon Airport today
Taken by Lauren Jordan @irelandspotter on IG
Yesterday at 13:45 local time, the world's biggest plane touched down in Shannon Airport (SNN/EINN) with Ireland's largest consignment on PPE equipment. The Antonov 225 departed Baku (GYS/UBBB), Azerbaijan operating flight ADB3429 just past 07:35 GMT yesterday morning bound for the airport in the West of Ireland. The Antonov 225 has only ever touched Irish soil three times, with the last time being in 2015. It was transiting from Bangor (BGR/KBGR), Maine, U.S. However, with an aircraft which is approaching 32 years old, is it likely we will see the aircraft in Ireland again? Let's take a look...
Why was the aircraft delayed?
Let me bring it back to the 8th of June. The Antonov 225 begin its trip to Ireland starting from Tianjin (TSN/ZBTJ), China where it picked up the essential PPE equipment. The Ukrainian built plane then headed to Almaty (ALA/UAAA), Kazakhstan from China. When it arrived in Almaty, it was noticed that the aircraft needed parts replaced. The plane was scheduled into Shannon for the 9th of June but was delayed until the 10th as a result.
Antonov AN 225 flightpath to Shannon. Taken from FlightRadar24.
But what actually happened? The aircraft usually carries multiple spare pieces as it is getting old and needs a lot of maintenance work. However, they didn't have the required pieces on the day in Kazakhstan. Consequently, Antonov Airlines sent their Antonov AN-74T registered UR-74010 from Kyiv Hostomel Airport (GML/UKKM) to Almaty via Tbilisi (TBS/UGBT) with the necessary parts. The Antonov AN 225 then made its way to Baku at 00:55 GMT yesterday morning.
Antonov AN-74T flightpaths to Almaty. Taken from FlightRadar24.
The AN 225 was meant to leave Shannon Airport at 10:00 GMT tomorrow for Kyiv. However, since the cargo must be unloaded manually, it has been pushed back to Friday, the 12th of June. The plane will need 25 people to unload the PPE which will only last 12 and a half days. This leads to the biggest question of all. Will the AN-225 ever return to Ireland? With the country relying heavily on the PPE equipment coming in, it is quite likely an operation like this will occur again in the near future. A large consignment of PPE may be needed within the next few months so Ireland can keep fighting this crisis successfully. This pandemic brought the aircraft out of an 18 month hibernation period, therefore, it's possible that its use will be optimised.
Why did the AN-225 fly to Shannon and not Dublin?
Kam Air Boeing 767-300 in Dublin International Airport
Taken by Conor McGeehan @cmcg.aviation on IG
Dublin International Airport (DUB/EIDW) has been experiencing a large amount of unusual traffic entering the airport since the start of the pandemic. From PPE to repatriation flights, we have seen an amazing amount of unique and fantastic aircraft from all around the world which may never touch down in Dublin again. If Dublin is getting the majority of traffic related to the COVID-19 crisis, why did the Antonov AN-225 go to Shannon instead?
The AN-225 needs around 3km to take off with maximum takeoff gross weight. Dublin Airport's runway 10/28 is 2.637km while Shannon's runway 06/24 is 3.2km. Therefore, the mega aircraft landed in Shannon Airport as it is the only airport in Ireland that can facilitate an aircraft of this size.
Why was the such a large aircraft built in the first place?
This aircraft's specifications are beyond incredible. With a wingspan of 88.3 metres, it is bigger than the width of Ireland's headquarters of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA), Croke Park. It is 88.1 metres in length and can hold a maximum of 640 tonnes. A plane like this was built for a very specific purpose. Its mission was to transport the Energia rocket's boosters and the Buran orbiter for the Soviet space program in the late 1980s.
There is only one of these aircraft at the moment but over the years another frame have been partially built. The second AN-225 was in production in the late 1980s for the Soviet space program. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 and the cancellation of the Buran space program, the initial AN-225 was placed in storage in 1994. Its six engines were removed to use on AN-124 aircraft. The second uncompleted An-225 airframe was also stored. However, the initial AN-225 was re-engined at brought back into service when it was seen that a larger cargo aircraft rather than the AN-124 was needed soon after.
The interest sparked back again for the production of an AN-225 in the early 2000s. Therefore, the decision was made to resume the production of the second AN-225 in September 2006. The scheduled completion date was meant to be in 2008 but by 2009 the plan had been abandoned. The aircraft was around 60-70% completed by this time. However, by 2011, the Antonov CEO reported to have said that the completion of a second AN-225 requires at least $300 million in funding but if it is provided, it would take 3 years to complete.
Airspace Industry Corporation of China's president, Zhang You-Sheng, told a BBC reporter that AICC first thought about cooperating with Antonov in 2009. They then went on to contact them in 2011. AICC had plans to modernise the second unfinished AN-225 and develop it into an air launch to orbit platform for commercial satellites. They signed a plan with Antonov to recommence the AN-225 production and to have their mega plane in the skies by 2019. However, with the ongoing conflict between between Ukraine and Russia, getting necessary parts have been a struggle and there hasn't been any word about a second AN-225 since. Overall, there is only one of these mighty aircraft still flying almost 32 years later.
My personal experience
I personally was in awe at the colossal size of the aircraft. You really don't know its size and capacity until you see it in person. The freighter's 32 wheels touching down on Irish soil was an incredible sight. It is something that will be remembered in Irish aviation history. Not only did the biggest plane in the world return to Ireland, it arrived here for a good cause. This event is something to remember for aviation enthusiasts but it has a greater message behind it. It shows how aviation has helped and contributed to combating the COVID-19 crisis in my country and likewise, around the world.
Although it has six engines, the sound was not as loud as I expected. I have heard louder, more powerful engines such as the Rolls Royce Trent 7000. However, in modern times, companies are trying to manufacture quieter engines such as the GEnx for the Boeing 787. I believe that it is truly ahead of its time.
Lastly, seeing the way the top of the fuselage is built makes me appreciate the aircraft a lot more. It shows the history of the aircraft and why it was built in the first place. It really opened my eyes to the journey this aircraft has been on for the past 31 and a half years.
Overall, I am delighted to say that I have seen the biggest aircraft in the world and witnessed its brilliant and essential operation. Knowing the history behind the aircraft makes it much more interesting and it will be a day I will always remember.
The view from the Antonov AN-225 cockpit arriving into Shannon yesterday
Comments