ANTONOV airplanes maintenance base has been opened in Leipzig.

     On January 17, in Leipzig Halle (Germany) the international presentation of the base of the maintenance of AN-124-100 Ruslan airplanes of Antonov Airlines (Ukraine) and Volga-Dnepr (Russia) involved in transportation under SALIS programme took place. More than 130 official representatives of NATO countries, Ukraine and Russia as well as Saxony Land, on the territory of which the base is situated, participated in the presentation. The eminent guests surveyed the territory and equipment of the base allowing performance of all the main works on the different forms of AN-124-100 airplane maintenance. Now these aerial giants don’t need to return periodically to their main basis in Kiev and Ulianovsk that allows the increase the economic effectiveness of the transportations. Participants of the presentation familiarized with the transport possibilities of ANTONOV airplanes as well. The corresponding exposition was opened in cargo cabin of AN-124-100 Ruslan airplane belonging to Antonov Airlines. Crew of the other airplane, belonging to Volga-Dnepr airline, performed demonstrative loading. At that Mr. Lushakov, Executive director of Antonov Airlines and Mr. Pivovarov, General Director of Volga-Dnepr commented everything.

     After presentation was completed, its participants discussed prospect of the further use of the joint AN-124 fleet for transportation cargo in the interests of NATO countries. Summing up the discussion, lieutenant-general Heinz Marzi, deputy commander-in-chief of FRG AF, said: “We need to continue cooperation. Ukraine and Russia do everything well. It fully suits German party. We see clear – neither now, nor in the foreseeable future transportation of the big number of cargo to the other regions undertime is impossible without use of AN-124-100 airplanes”.

     For information:

     In 2006 AN-124-100 as a transport mean capable to transport undertime the necessary number of cargo to any pint of the planet, was chosen by 15 countries: Great Britain, Hungary, Spain, Denmark, Canada, Luxemburg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, France and Czechia on tender basis. Sweden joint to the participants of the programme. The necessity to lease such an airplane is explained by the expiration of these countries to increase their participant in the peacemaking, humanitarian and other missions. Transport aviation is one of the most important tool for it.

     The Ruslan was chosen under many aspects including its considerable advantages before competitor – Boeing C-17 American airplane. By the maximum cargo capacity Ruslan exeeds it almost twice (AN-124-100 – 120 t, AN-124-100M-150 – 150 t against 76,7 t). The same regards the volume of cargo cabin and a range of flight. Ruslan is able to be operated autonomous for the long time which is confirmed by the everyday practice of its use. It is equipped with the onboard complexes of loading-unloading equipment. These complexes allow load/unload airplane without use of ground means including that from /on the car though the rear cargo ramp.