A rare sight drew the attention of aviation enthusiasts in Tashkent this week as an Antonov An-124-100M Ruslan, one of the world’s largest serially produced cargo aircraft, landed at Islam Karimov International Airport. According to Tashkent Sky News, the aircraft arrived from Urumqi and was registered as UR-82027. Notably, it bore the inscription “Be brave like Kharkiv”, a tribute to the resilience of the Ukrainian city under Russia’s invasion.
The An-124 remains a global leader in transporting oversized and heavy cargo. Capable of carrying between 120 and 150 tons, it features a cargo hold with a volume of approximately 1,050 cubic meters. The aircraft is equipped with both nose and tail cargo doors, each with built-in ramps, allowing simultaneous loading and unloading from either end, an advantage for complex logistics operations involving large or irregularly shaped equipment.
Its robust design includes heavy-duty, multi-wheel landing gear, enabling it to land on less-developed airstrips. This operational flexibility makes the An-124 especially valuable in situations where access to major international airports is limited.
Members of the Uzbekistan Spotters Team gathered at the airport to capture images of the aircraft during its brief stay. For local aviation enthusiasts, the visit offered a rare opportunity to photograph an iconic aircraft and share the experience with the global spotting community.
