Antonov with American Magic's America's Cup boat lands in Auckland

An Antonov plane arrives at Auckland Airport. Photo / Greg Bowker

A giant Antonov plane has landed at Auckland with an America's Cup boat on board.

The Antonov An-124 carried American Magic's second boat into the city on board Ukrainian cargo company, Antonov Airlines.

The four-engine plane is one of the biggest and heaviest cargo aircraft flying although smaller than its six-engine relative, the Antonov An-225 Mriya.

American Magic's boat was loaded in Rhode Island and the An-124 flew via Chicago and Honolulu and onto Auckland where it landed this morning.

The plane has a maximum take off weight of more than 400 tonnes, a wingspan of 73m, length of 69m and is more than 21m high.

Its take off weight is around that of Boeing 747 Jumbo jets. The An-124 completed its maiden flight in December 1982 and entered military service in January 1986. It was certified for civilian use six years later.

Air Force Technology's website says about 60 aircraft were built. The Russian Army operates 25 An-124 aircraft.

The design of the An-124 began in 1971. The aircraft fuselage has a double-deck layout. The cockpit, the relief crew compartment and the troop cabin with 88 seats are on the upper deck. The lower deck is the cargo hold where anything from space craft to pop stars' equipment is carried.

The flight deck has crew stations arranged in pairs for six crew: the pilot and co-pilot, two flight engineers, the navigator and the communications officer, Air Force Technology says.

New York Yacht Club American Magic's first AC75 racing yacht arrived at the end of June after sea voyage after being built in Bristol, Rhode Island.

The America's Cup challenger's finals start in mid-January and the America's Cup will start in March.

Antonov 124s transported Taylor Swift's gear to Auckland two years ago.