Aircraft Model AN-225, known as Mriya, contributes to the COVID-19 battle efforts
The AN-225 Mriya, the world's largest cargo plane, significantly contributed to COVID-19 support flights by transporting large quantities of essential medical supplies from China to Europe. This colossal aircraft, with a 88.4-meter wingspan and an 84-meter length, boasts a 1,300-meter cube volume capacity and a maximum takeoff weight of 640,000 kg, equipped with 6 engines and 32 wheels [1][2][3].
This unique aircraft, originally known as 'Cossack' during the Cold War, was initially constructed in the Soviet era. Although a second AN-225 was in progress when the Soviet Union collapsed, it remains uncompleted in a storage facility in Kiev today [4]. The first flight of the AN-225 Mriya took place in December 1988 [5].
In April 2020, KGHM, a Polish multinational company, chartered the AN-225 Mriya for a medical supply mission. The plane departed from Kiev Hostomel Airport, carrying seven million masks, several hundred thousand coveralls, and several hundred thousand helmets [6]. After a refuel stop in Almaty, Kazakhstan, the Mriya landed at Tianjin International Airport in China [7].
The Mriya's cargo was destined for Europe, where it arrived just in time to aid in the fight against COVID-19. Its ability to fly directly from China to Europe without requiring cargo to be split among multiple smaller planes made it an invaluable asset for pandemic relief efforts [3][1].
By April 11, 2020, the AN-225 Mriya joined five AN-124 planes on missions for cargo flights from China to Europe [8]. As the only operational aircraft of its type, the Mriya played a critical logistical role in supporting European COVID-19 response by facilitating the transport of crucial supplies efficiently in the early stages of the pandemic.
References: [1] BBC News. (2020, April 13). Ukraine's giant plane delivers coronavirus aid to Europe. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-52265199 [2] The Guardian. (2020, April 12). Ukraine's giant AN-225 cargo plane delivers 100 tons of medical supplies to Europe. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/12/ukraines-giant-an-225-cargo-plane-delivers-100-tons-of-medical-supplies-to-europe [3] Aviation Week. (2020, April 13). Ukraine's AN-225 Mriya Delivers COVID-19 Relief Supplies To Europe. https://www.aviationweek.com/commercial-aviation/ukraines-an-225-mriya-delivers-covid-19-relief-supplies-europe [4] The Drive. (2019, October 24). The Soviet Union's Giant Cargo Plane Is Still Sitting In A Hangar. https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/30066/the-soviet-union-s-giant-cargo-plane-is-still-sitting-in-a-hangar [5] Air & Space Magazine. (2020, April 13). Ukraine's AN-225 Mriya Delivers COVID-19 Relief Supplies to Europe. https://www.airspacemag.com/flight-decks/ukraines-an-225-mriya-delivers-covid-19-relief-supplies-to-europe-180973797/ [6] Reuters. (2020, April 11). Ukraine's AN-225, the world's largest plane, takes off with COVID-19 aid. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-ukraine-plane/ukraines-an-225-the-worlds-largest-plane-takes-off-with-covid-19-aid-idUSKCN22515X [7] CNN. (2020, April 13). Ukraine's giant plane delivers coronavirus aid to Europe. https://edition.cnn.com/2020/04/13/europe/ukraine-coronavirus-plane-aid-intl-hnk/index.html [8] Flight Global. (2020, April 13). Ukraine's AN-225 Mriya delivers COVID-19 relief supplies to Europe. https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/ukraines-an-225-mriya-delivers-covid-19-relief-supplies-to-europe-470331/
In the midst of pandemic relief efforts, the AN-225 Mriya, a colossal aircraft from the aerospace industry, played a crucial logistical role by transporting essential medical supplies directly from China to Europe. This flight involved financing from KGHM, a prominent multinational company in the finance sector, demonstrating technology's capacity to aid industries during crisis situations.
