How the An-225 became the super-heavy air cargo king

From 2002 until its destruction during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the unique An-225 aircraft was in regular commercial use, offering oversize and super-heavy transportation capability like no other. Alexander Mladenov and Krassimir Grozev report

At the beginning of the new century, the six-engine monster operated by Antonov Airlines took the global air cargo business to new and heavier heights. The 640-tonne aircraft underwent major refurbishment, was test-lown and received its Ukrainian type certiicate immediately before the 2001 Paris Airshow. It was eventually used on a commercial contract with the United States Department of Defense to deliver 216,000 prepared meals, on a single flight, to Thumrait, Oman for US military personnel based in the region in January 2002.