For the first time in 5 years the Antonov AN-124 returned to RIC.  The AN-124 is on most “plane-spotters” bucket list.  As of late 2020 only 20 AN-124s remain in civil service with Volga-Dnepr Airlines being the largest civilian operator.  Volga-Dnepr is an airline based in Ulyanovsk, Russia providing ia charter services.  The airline operates 12 Antonov-AN124s.

The An-124 is one of the world’s heaviest gross weight production cargo airplanes and heaviest operating cargo aircraft. The combination of  characteristics such as its cargo compartment size, flight range and uplift capability without using special loading equipment allows the An-124 to carry super-heavy and oversized cargo up to 120 tons across the greatest range.  The visit to RIC involved the offload of a single piece of industrial equipment weighing 126,000 lbs.

Here are a few images of one of the most unique aircraft in the world while it visited our airport: