Antonov AN-124 Ruslan

On the 24th of December 1982, the AN-124 Ruslan heavy strategic military transport airplane capable of carrying up to 150 tons of cargo took off from the factory aerodrome in the Sviatoshyn region. To assure proper engineering level during the AN-124 Ruslan aircraft development, a comprehensive goal-oriented program was elaborated and implemented for the first time in the USSR. The program provided for improvement of all components of the airplane efficiency: aerodynamic performance, structural strength and endurance figures, weight perfection, specific performances of the power plant, functional capabilities of the equipment systems, maintenance and repair manhours, etc. 540 probable airplane configurations were analyzed in order to identify an optimum combination of parameters, 185 different models were tested in the wind tunnels, including 36 variants of wings. Supercritical airfoil was finally selected for the wing: this made it possible to make the wing thick, with large structural depth, yet with low aerodynamic drag. Developed for the airplane were unique extruded panels up to 28 meters long, large-dimensioned fuselage panels, new structural materials with improved properties, including polymer composite materials, and long-life fasteners were designed. Multi-strut landing gear with a kneeling feature was used for the airplane. Two cargo doors make it possible to arrange through passage of vehicles thus considerably reducing the loading/unloading time. Utilization of a double-deck fuselage configuration with separate pressurization of the decks permitted to reduce the fuselage weight and improve service life figures, while assuring higher safety of the flying crew and cargo attendants in the event of emergency landing. The AN-124 Ruslan is the last airplane developed under the guidance of General Designer Oleg K. Antonov . It is the world’s largest production transport airplane. Modified Ruslan – the AN-124-100 – is successfully operating in the world commercial transportation market. The flight test aerodrome of the ANTONOV COMPANY at Hostomel (30 km from Kyiv) serves as the base aerodrome of the Antonov Airlines transport wing with seven Ruslans being its main asset. Thirty world records have been set on the AN-124, including an absolute payload-to-altitude record when a 171.219-ton payload was lifted to the altitude of 10750 meters.