The Heaviest Airlift

Logistical Challenge is a definite fan of record breaking. After all what could pose a more difficult task than smashing the Guinness World Record, being put at the pinnacle, number one in your class. The Antonov (you can find more information on my Antonov post here) has done just that lifting a whopping 16.23m long by 4.27m wide gas power plant generator.

The generator weighed in a record 189.09 tonnes.





This Transcript from the Guinness World Records Website;

Antonov airlines are continuing to break records with their very impressive Antonov 225 aircraft – also known as “Myria”, meaning “dream”. This incredible plane already holds a number of records, including that of the only plane to have a maximum take-off weight of over 600 tonnes and the plane with the widest wing-span, at 88.4 m (290 ft).

Antonov airways were the current holders of the record for the heaviest item airlifted: in 1993, the Antonov 124 carried an item (which must be a single piece not requiring further assembly) weighing 124 tonnes. The Antonov 124 and 225 aircraft specialize in lifting heavy cargo, though they require a runway capable of accommodating adequate landing space as these are extremely large and heavy aircraft.

The crowds had started gathering before myself and the commercial

director of Antonov airlines, Mr Valery Kulbaka, we arrived at 9:30 a.m. Once two cranes had taken the weight of the cargo, which was a generator needed in a power plant in Armenia, I measured its weight; at a staggering 187.6 tonnes, it was indeed the heaviest item ever prepared to be airlifted. This was just the start of the operation, though: there followed a very intense and complicated process to get the item loaded into the massive 225. Many countries had been involved in getting the generator to Germany’s Frankfurt Hahn airport where this record attempt took place; all worked extremely well together and the operation went according to plan.

After they managed to load the generator carefully onto the specially prepared ramp, which had to be set at precisely 2.5 degrees, the team proceeded to winch the 187.6 tonne item slowly into the aircraft. Once it was fixed in place inside the aircraft, the Antonov team received a round of applause from the onlooking crowd. The record was not broken yet, though, as the aircraft still had to become airborne.

The crew continued to work extremely hard to get everything in place ready for take-off. By now it was past 11 p.m., but crowds of people were still flocking to the airport to get a view of this record-breaking lift-off.

Myself and Mr Kulbaka, accompanied by all the press teams, headed towards the end of the runway where the 225 was set to take off – and take off it did, the plane leaving the runway with a smooth elegance and grace, giving every appearance of being weight free. I then presented Mr Kulbaka with his well-deserved Guinness World Records™ certificate in front of the media; the onlooking crowds pressed up against the fences to witness this historical moment on the 11 August 2009.

Author Unknown; Date 11 Aug 2009; Heaviest Item Airlifted. Guinness World Records [online] community.guinnessworldrecords.com, Available from: SOURCE [Accessed 30 Aug 2009]