Ruslan International first Australia flight after An-124 fleet declared Chapter 3 noise compliant

Ruslan International –  the joint venture company which markets and manages the combined fleet of 17 An-124 aircraft belonging to its parents Antonov Airlines and Volga Dnepr Airlines – has successfully operated its first An-124 commercial flight from Australia since the acceptance of its  aircraft as Chapter 3 ICAO noise-compliant by the country’s Department of Infrastructure & Transportation.

Previously, Ruslan International was required to submit “letters of support” from its charter principals to the Department, proving flights were in the public interest, before it could obtain operating rights.

This requirement was recently rescinded after Ruslan International submitted noise certificates for all 17 aircraft, satisfying the Department that the fleet fully complies with Chapter 3 ICAO noise standards, and is not impacted by the MCC3 noise levels regulations.

The latest flight, carrying 105 tonnes of specialised drilling equipment for Tom Browne International Pty Ltd, left Sydney en route for Nouakchott in Mauritania.

Says Ruslan International Business Development Manager, Michael Goodisman: “Tom Browne advised us that the fast delivery of this outsize drilling equipment was a key factor in securing a new drilling services contract, at the Tasiast Gold Mine in Mauritania, for Kinross Gold.

“The timely acceptance by the Australian authorities of the Antonov Airlines and Volga-Dnepr Airlines An-124 fleets which we manage, and the assurance this brought to Tom Browne’s own negotiations with its customer, Kinross Gold of Canada, have produced an excellent outcome for

this Australian company. Ruslan International is pleased to have played its part in this highly positive result.”

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About Ruslan International:

The company was formed in July 2006 as a joint venture of Antonov Airlines and Volga-Dnepr Airlines, to provide marketing of both airlines’ An-124 fleets (which total 17 aircraft) with the aim of optimising their utilisation.

The decision to streamline and centralise the marketing function stemmed from the two carriers’ already successful collaboration in the ‘Ruslan Salis’ operation – a joint project that continues to provide NATO with a dedicated aircraft from each fleet. The cooperation was further driven by the need more efficiently to serve the ad-hoc charter market, as well as satisfy existing long-term contracts requiring the allocation of significant portions of both carriers’ fleets.

The Ruslan International concept has now evolved further, enabling the two airline partners to pool spare parts and loading equipment, as well as acting as the vehicle for both airlines’ efforts to resurrect production of the An124 – thus safeguarding the future availability of this unique aircraft.

Both airlines retain their separate and distinct identities, and the 17-strong combined fleet of An-124 aircraft continues to operate in the liveries of the individual aircrafts’ respective owners.

Ruslan International comprises five key departments:

Operations
Responsible for flight-watch, permit applications and the scheduling of both fleets.

Commercial
Responsible for handling charter enquiries, price negotiations and contracts.

Customer Service
Responsible for the after-sales coordination of all flights.

Load Planning
Responsible for pre-flight cargo preparation and planning.

Route Planning
Responsible for flight routing and flight planning procedures.

About the An-124:
The Antonov An-124 “Ruslan” was first flown for military purposes in 1982, and civil certification was issued in 1992. The aircraft was manufactured in parallel by the Russian company Aviastar-SP and by the Kyiv Aviation Plant AVIANT, in Ukraine. The last airframe was completed in 2004, but plans are now afoot to re-start production.

Externally, the An-124 is similar to the American military Lockheed C-5 Galaxy, but has a 25% larger payload. An-124s have been used to carry a wide variety of loads including railway locomotives, ocean yachts, aircraft fuselages, B777 engines, and even the occasional elephant. The An-124 is able to kneel to allow easier front loading. The cargo compartment of the An-124 measures 36.5m x 6.4m x 4.4m and the maximum payload is 120,000 kg.