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Wikipedia's[3] Antonov An-124 Ruslan article states the prototype's first flight took place on 26 December 1982.- Start
- Dec 26, 198290% CONFIDENCEsource
Antonov An-124 Ruslan Makes Its First Flight
The Antonov An-124 Ruslan, still one of the largest cargo aircraft ever built, first flew over Kyiv on 26 December 1982, years before it entered airline service.
- The Antonov An-124 Ruslan (NATO name Condor), a four-engined strategic airlifter designed by Antonov in the Ukrainian SSR, first flew on 26 December 1982 per the anniversary article; Wikipedia gives 24 December[2][3]
- Design began in 1971 to fix a heavy-airlift shortfall in Soviet military transport aviation; assembly of the first aircraft began in 1979[2][3]
- It made its Western debut at the 1985 Paris Air Show and was introduced in 1986[2][3]
- A May 1987 record flight covered 10,881 nautical miles without refuelling[2]
Notable features
- A strategic airlifter resembling the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy, with a slightly shorter fuselage, slightly greater wingspan and a 17 percent larger payload, a conventional tail in place of the C-5’s T-tail and fly-by-wire controls; it is the heaviest operating cargo aircraft[3]
- It carries up to 150 tonnes; 57 were built[2][3]
- The 36 x 6.4 x 4.4 m cargo hold, about 20% larger than the C-5’s, has a titanium floor and is only partly pressurised; the fully pressurised upper deck seats 88 passengers[3]
- Four Progress D-18T high-bypass turbofans of 226.8 kN each; maximum take-off weight 402,000 kg; range 3,700 km with maximum payload and 14,000 km ferry range; length 69.1 m, wingspan 73.3 m[3]