On Monday Łódź Airport is named after Władysław Reymont reported about a unique machine that landed on the airport runway. It’s about planes AN-124 Ruslan, which is currently the largest transport aircraft in the world. The wingspan is 73 m and the fuselage length is 69 m.
“The purpose of the plane’s visit is confidential, as is the route of the flight – we do not provide any information on this,” said Wioletta Gnacikowska, a spokeswoman for Łódź Airport, in an interview with tvn24.pl. This is the third visit of this machine to Łódź. Previously, the giant appeared at this airport twice in 2017.
The machine was carrying a load that could not be photographed – reports regional portal TVP3 Łódź. According to the station, there are most likely three Mi-17 helicopters in the trunk this time. In December last year, Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa announced that a contract had been signed for MRO services for Mi17 helicopters belonging to the air forces of one of the countries in Central and East Africa. “The helicopter was serviced at Military Aviation Factory No. 1 in Łódź and most likely in the luggage compartment of AN-124 Ruslan,” we read.
Two years ago, the largest cargo plane was the AN-225 Mrija, but in the first days of Russia’s attack on Ukraine, during the fighting at Kiev-Hostomel airport, Mrija was destroyed. Thus, the Ruslan AN-124 aircraft became the largest flying cargo machine in the world.
On Tuesday, the giant left Łódź airport. The moment of takeoff was captured on video. “This is probably the only footage of the AN-124 Ruslan taking off today that was recorded with a drone,” we read on the airport’s Facebook profile.
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