Volga-Dnepr airlines is grounding their AN-124 fleet (Update: They're back)

[GWR64]

Is there a connection?

https://www.aircargonews.net/airlines/freighter-operator/an-124-disk-inspection-ordered-after-uncontained-failure/

Also, maybe to that too?

http://ivchenko-progress.com/?p=5837&lang=en

[libra]

I often forget that the An-124 fleet and "oversized market" share has split in two, courtesy of  Russia / Ukraine ongoing clusterfrack and quagmire,  since 2013.

So the Russians An-124s are grounded, when the Ukranians are not ? because spares ?

Does that impact the Russian air force An-124s ?

What a complicated situation, really...

[russianhalo117]

I often forget that the An-124 fleet and "oversized market" share has split in two, courtesy of  Russia / Ukraine ongoing clusterfrack and quagmire,  since 2013.

So the Russians An-124s are grounded, when the Ukranians are not ? because spares ?

Does that impact the Russian air force An-124s ?

What a complicated situation, really...

They are in a dragged out re-engine and upgrade/modernisation programme discussed elsewhere previously on this forum.

[Star One]

I often forget that the An-124 fleet and "oversized market" share has split in two, courtesy of  Russia / Ukraine ongoing clusterfrack and quagmire,  since 2013.

So the Russians An-124s are grounded, when the Ukranians are not ? because spares ?

Does that impact the Russian air force An-124s ?

What a complicated situation, really...

They are in a dragged out re-engine and upgrade/modernisation programme discussed elsewhere previously on this forum.

If memory serves me the Russian government has asked Ilyushin to come up with an eventual replacement for the AN-124.

[russianhalo117]

I often forget that the An-124 fleet and "oversized market" share has split in two, courtesy of  Russia / Ukraine ongoing clusterfrack and quagmire,  since 2013.

So the Russians An-124s are grounded, when the Ukranians are not ? because spares ?

Does that impact the Russian air force An-124s ?

What a complicated situation, really...

They are in a dragged out re-engine and upgrade/modernisation programme discussed elsewhere previously on this forum.

If memory serves me the Russian government has asked Ilyushin to come up with an eventual replacement for the AN-124.

Both are still on the table as the AN-124M programme still hasn't been cancelled.

[zubenelgenubi]

Cross-post:

Antonov Airlines can probably fly if the instructions from the Ukrainian authorities from March 2020 ! to check the engines on all AN-124 and the one AN-225, have been followed.
https://www.aircargonews.net/airlines/freighter-operator/an-124-disk-inspection-ordered-after-uncontained-failure/

[Bubbinski]

The IL-76 is a lot smaller than the AN-124/C-5 and wouldn’t be able to handle the same outsized cargo the 124 handles.

As far as alternatives, I don’t know if Boeing’s Dreamlifter could be made available for use, though I imagine the COVID pandemic has lowered 787 production rates for now. The Beluga is out there and the C-5 for USAF/NASA cargo. The C-17 is out there, some air forces use it, but it is smaller than the C-5. If the Super Guppy is available, and it needs to cross the Atlantic, I imagine it could take a route similar to what C-47’s did in World War 2 (north through Ireland, Iceland, Newfoundland, or through Bermuda/Azores, or the southern route through Natal/Dakar).

Perhaps Stratolaunch could develop a giant cargo pod for the carrier plane if the need were there and someone important paid for it.

Finally, if time really weren’t that critical, couldn’t a large cargo ship be used?

[Asteroza]

Cross-post:

Antonov Airlines can probably fly if the instructions from the Ukrainian authorities from March 2020 ! to check the engines on all AN-124 and the one AN-225, have been followed.
https://www.aircargonews.net/airlines/freighter-operator/an-124-disk-inspection-ordered-after-uncontained-failure/

Wait, that was a six month inspection directive from 3/20/2020, so by fleet directives, that should have been done by the end of September 2020 already... Even assuming that's the same rotor issue as the recent accident...

[Star One]

Some hopeful developments in this situation.

Volga-Dnepr Group could see its AN-124s back in the air earlier than expected, following “very good dialogue” with Ukrainian engine manufacturer Motor Sich.

The airline expects directives on the engine to be published shortly, allowing work to start soon, according to group chief commercial officer Konstantin Vekshin.

“There is a set of actions that have to be performed, and we are hoping work can start in Leipzig on 10 or 12 December,” he said. “We expect it will take one week per aircraft.”

https://theloadstar.com/volga-dnepr-an-124s-could-be-back-in-the-air-before-the-end-of-the-year/

[GWR64]

The AN-124 RA-82042 was towed.


And a few pictures of the machine from December 2019 during the delivery of OneWeb satellites in Baikonur.

http://kosmosnews.fr/2019/12/16/le-premier-lot-de-satellites-oneweb-arrive-a-baikonour/

and:
https://twitter.com/OneWeb/status/1206054343784448000/photo/1

[Hobbes-22]

The OneWeb shipment is odd. The sats fit in ISO shipping containers, so the shipment is small enough to fit in a much smaller aircraft. 

[GWR64]

The OneWeb shipment is odd. The sats fit in ISO shipping containers, so the shipment is small enough to fit in a much smaller aircraft. 

The OneWeb satellites are transported in special, air-conditioned containers from RUAG. Which also have to be flown back.
The use of space is poor, I think. It only fits 8 satellites. Sometimes obviously even less in it.
OneWeb has enough money. 
But that is off topic here.
https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=50417.msg2156415#msg2156415

[dondar]

Space industry logistics related news...

Looks like the recent uncontained engine failure accident of an AN-124 is having repercussions

https://theloadstar.com/exclusive-safety-first-as-volga-dnepr-grounds-its-an-124-fleet-indefinitely/

Which means anybody flying satellites that won't fit through a 747 cargo door is in for a world of hurt. That basically means the available alternatives are getting access to a NASA super guppy, an Airbus beluga, maybe a Boeing LCA, or military like a USAF C-5 or C-17?

If it is only Volga-Dnepr grounding their AN-124's then there are a few other civilian and military providers that fly them and their derivatives. IL-76 fleet is still available.

IL-76 has approximately same size  to B747. (the difference in height is only ~20-40cm, i.e. ~325cm). Sat carriages (thanks to the suspension mech primarily) are generally in 4+m range which make them way to big for IL-76.

Granted, Airbus containers are designed for An-124 specifically...

[Asteroza]

Apparently Antonov is opening the AN-225 up for commercial time priority use when it comes out of maintenance soon to try to cover the global oversize lift deficit due to Volga-Dnepr being unavailable. Still, that's just 1 aircraft...

[Star One]

Apparently Antonov is opening the AN-225 up for commercial time priority use when it comes out of maintenance soon to try to cover the global oversize lift deficit due to Volga-Dnepr being unavailable. Still, that's just 1 aircraft...

Here’s a related news article.

https://www.flightglobal.com/airlines/antonov-offers-an-225-to-fill-void-in-an-124-capacity/141508.article

[Asteroza]

Apparently Antonov is opening the AN-225 up for commercial time priority use when it comes out of maintenance soon to try to cover the global oversize lift deficit due to Volga-Dnepr being unavailable. Still, that's just 1 aircraft...

Here’s a related news article.

https://www.flightglobal.com/airlines/antonov-offers-an-225-to-fill-void-in-an-124-capacity/141508.article

another article too, but nobody seems to mention exactly when the big girl will come out maintenance...

https://theloadstar.com/antonov-rolls-out-its-cargo-big-gun-the-an-255-to-fill-in-for-grounded-124s/

[Star One]

Volga-Dnepr have now resumed AN-124 operations.

https://www.scramble.nl/civil-news/volga-dnepr-resumes-an-124-operations