Aircraft manufacturers, users push for AN-124 production go-ahead

Aircraft manufacturers, users push for AN-124 production go-ahead    Russian and Ukrainian officials have agreed on steps to resume production of the AN-124, the world’s largest cargo aircraft, possibly by 2006 or 2007, according to a news release from Russian air cargo provider Volga Dnepr.
   Meetings to develop a business plan for the project are scheduled for November.
   The Russian airline group is leading a group of aircraft designers and manufacturers to restart full production of the plane. It has invested $90 million to help resume serial production at Ulyanovsk-based Aviastar-SP based on forecasts for continued growth of the outsize cargo market. Aviastar currently produces single planes, but does not have the ability to conduct serial production.
   Volga Dnepr operates the largest fleet of AN-124s in the world and took delivery of its eleventh aircraft this summer from Aviastar. The plane has a payload of 150 tons, an improvement of 30 percent from the 120-ton range, as well as a longer range and modern avionics. It was designed for a smaller crew than the 16 to 18-person crews required in previous versions and was built with a leftover military airframe.
   There are 50 AN-124 commercial variants in operation around the world today. The cargo lifter was originally built for the Soviet military.