Antonov AN-124, world’s biggest aircraft, lands in New Zealand

An Antonov 124 belonging to the Ukrainian Antonov Airlines. Photo / Jan Woitas, dpa Picture-Alliance via AFP

The world’s biggest aircraft, a giant four-engined Ukrainian cargo plane, arrived in Auckland this afternoon.

The Herald confirmed the Antonov AN-124 Ruslan aircraft was going to Auckland today and the NZ Defence Force was not involved.

“Auckland Airport can confirm the aircraft is part of a planned private, specialist freight movement,” the airport said this afternoon.

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“Large charter cargo aircraft operate into AKL (Auckland) from time to time,” an airport spokesperson said.

“Further details of this individual cargo movement are managed privately.”

Flight tracking sites showed the Antonov AN-124 Ruslan just northeast of New Zealand this afternoon.

The aircraft has a wingspan of 73.3m and a height of 21m.

The strategic airlift quadjet left from Hawaii earlier today.

The only bigger aircraft was the Antonov An-225 Mriya, which was destroyed when Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.

Antonov Airlines is the giant aircraft’s operator.

Antonov An-124 cargo planes from the Russian Volga-Dnepr Group seen parked at Leipzig/Halle Airport earlier this year. Photo / Jan Woitas, dpa Picture-Alliance via AFP

“The AN-124 Ruslan is the last airplane developed under the guidance of general designer Oleg K. Antonov,” the company website said.

“It is the world’s largest production transport airplane,” it added.

“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 10,750m.”

John Weekes is a business journalist covering aviation. He previously covered consumer affairs, crime, politics and courts.

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