Antonov An-124, one of world’s largest aircraft, parked at Cairns Airport
THE Far North has now bid farewell to one of the world’s largest aircraft - an Antonov An-124 cargo plane - which had been parked at Cairns Airport.
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UPDATE: The Volga-Dnepr Group Antonov An-124 which was parked at Cairns Airport has now departed the Far North, bound for Malaysia.
It took off just before 12.20pm, soaring over parts of the Esplanade before heading north-east and then swinging inland near the balancing rocks at Wangetti.
The plane had been parked at Cairns Airport since it arrived from Rockhampton on September 14.
Its departure date had changed several times after it was originally scheduled to leave Cairns last Saturday.
EARLIER: Plane spotters now have extra time to catch a glimpse of a Volga-Dnepr Group Antonov An-124 which is parked at Cairns Airport.
The strategic transport jet, which is one of the world’s largest aircraft, arrived in Cairns from Rockhampton Airport on September 14.
The plane was originally scheduled to depart on Saturday, September 22, however it was pushed back to Saturday, September 29 - subject to further changes.
It is understood the plane touched down in Rockhampton direct from Paya Lebar Air Base in Singapore with four Republic of Singapore Air Force Boeing AH-64D Apache helicopters on board.
It dropped off the helicopters to participate in the annual Singapore Armed Forces Exercise Wallaby 2018 running at Shoalwater Bay next week.
It then departed Rockhampton at 9am Friday for a one-hour, 28-minute flight to Cairns.
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CQ Plane Spotting blog manager Damian Freiberg said Rockhampton normally had one or two Antonovs land for the exercise this time of year.
“The size of them makes them a treat for planespotters,” he said.
“In Rockhampton, we’re a regional airport so to see a massive plane like that is a novelty for locals.”
“It would be the same as well for Cairns.”
The plane is expected to fly to Malaysia once it departs Cairns.
ABOUT THE ANTONOV
THE Antonov AN-124 is a strategic airlift jet aircraft which can carry superheavy and oversized cargo up to 120 tonnes across the greatest range, according to Volga-Dnepr Group which operates a fleet of 12.
It was designed in the 1980s by the Antonov design bureau in the Ukrainian SSR, then part of the Soviet Union.
One of the aircraft was last in Cairns in January.
Originally published as Antonov An-124, one of world’s largest aircraft, parked at Cairns Airport
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