Antonov 225 calls into Perth

Today the worlds largest aircraft, the Antonov 225, came into Perth Western Australia for the first time bringing in a generator for a Western Australia mine site. The stats on paper for this aircraft are pretty impressive; seeing the aircraft in real life is mind blowing. This is one of the few aircraft I thought I would never see in my life time; Air Force One was one of them and I saw that in Brisbane back in November 2014 (see blog header photo) and now the Antonov 225.
The Antonov An-225 (with the original registration of CCCP-82060 then later reregistered to UR-82060) is a strategic airlift cargo aircraft that was built in 1988 and was designed by the Soviet Union's Antonov Design Bureau to carry its Space Shuttle. The An-225's name, Mriya means "Dream". It is powered by six, yes six ZMKB Progress D-18 turbofan engines and it is the longest and heaviest aircraft ever built.
Just check out the stats below

Wingspan - 88.4 metres (290 feet) It also has the largest wingspan of any aircraft in operation.
Length - 84 metres (275 feet)
Height 18.2 metres (60 feet)
Wheels - 32
Engines - 6
Maximum speed in cruise - 850kph
Maximum takeoff weight of 600,000 kilo's  (1,322,000 pounds).

There was only one AN 225 built, a second aircraft was partially built; but its completion was halted because of lack of funding and interest.
After successfully fulfilling its Soviet military missions, it was mothballed for eight years. It was then refurbished and re-introduced, and is in commercial operation with Antonov Airlines carrying oversized payloads. The airlifter holds the absolute world records for an airlifted single item payload of 189,980 kilograms (418,834 pounds), and an airlifted total payload of 253,820 kilograms (559,577 pounds). It has also transported a payload of 247,000 kilograms (545,000 pounds) on a commercial flight. The AN 225 can only fly around 4,000 kilometers before it needs refuelling therefore today's flight actually started 6 days ago. It left Ukraine and headed to Prague, then it flew from Prague to Turkmensbashi. It flew from Turkmensbashi to Hyderabad and on to Kulala Lumpur. (The below map states Jakarta but it was actually Kulala Lumper) It stayed over night in K L before departing two hours late at 6am and touched down in Perth on Runway 21 at 11.52 local time. 

The Perth viewing area were I was was closed off when the small area got to 400 people, the airport also opened a paddock area across the otherside of the airport that took about 10,000 people. The viewing deck at the international airport was also another popular advantage point, but was also closed off when it got to capacity. The airport predicted there were around 15,000 people spread out throughout and around the airport.

It rolled right through to the end and taxied left onto Charlie 11.  It then very slowly taxied the full length of Charlie and when it arrived at the international apron it turned right and received a water canon salute.

The sheer size of this aircraft is mind blowing. I am looking forward to seeing back here in Australia one day.

Perth Airport

After spending the morning visiting family members I called out to the viewing area of the airport again for a while to try my luck. Unfortunately they were using the far northern east west runway so aircraft landing didn't come down anywhere near me.

AIR ASIA A320-216 PK-AXD (CN 3182)

SOUTH AFRICAN A340-642 ZS-SNE (CN 534)

Not knowing the area at all I thought I would go for a drive and see if I could find somewhere where I can get the aircraft arriving on 24.

VIRGIN A330-243 VH-XFD (CN 1306)

SINGAPORE A330-343 9V-STW (CN 1447)

QANTAS LINK 717-2K9 VH-NXH (CN 55055)

ETIHAD A330-243 A6-EYG (CN 724)

The below photos we taken from the back yard of my cousins house in the suburb of Cloverdale, they are so used to aircraft taking off they don't hear them anymore... I would love to buy this house.

AIR ASIA  A320-216 PK-AXE (CN3715)

AIR ASIA X  A330-343 PM-XXY (CN1600)

ETIHAD A330-243 A6-EYG (CN 724)

SINGAPORE 777-212(ER) 9V-SQN (CN 33373)

MALINDO AIR 737-8GP 9M-LNV (CN 39867)

This is the first time I have seen Malindo 

SCOOT 787-9 9V-OJD (CN 37115)

Cabin Crew member tries to kill himself in flight

A BRITISH Airways plane was diverted after a member of airline staff tried to kill himself at 38,000ft. 

The cabin crew worker is understood to have slit his wrists in a cabin toilet on BA Flight 282 from Los Angeles to London.
There was horror on board the giant Airbus 380 when staff made the grisly discovery of their colleague. It is not known what he used to cut himself. He was found slumped on the toilet seat after executive passengers noticed the cubicle had been locked for a long time.  Emergency medical help was given to the off-duty steward and the plane diverted to Iceland.  One British Airways worker told The Sun: “This was a terrible incident, everyone was upset.
“There was blood and tears. It was truly shocking.”
The plane was full of Hollywood executives headed for the Cannes Film Festival.
Stan Rosenfield, a publicist whose clients include George Clooney, told how one of the toilets was locked for ages.
He said: “Earlier, I remember going to the bathroom and it said occupied.
“I didn't feel like going to another section. A little while later, the same thing happened, so I just went to another bathroom. "Then there were a series of beeps — I've never heard anything like it. All the flight attendants converged in the galley where the bathroom was and drew the curtain."
A flight attendant told the passenger sitting next to Rosenfield – in Cannes to join Clooney for the premiere of his movie Money Monster – that a man had been found slumped in the toilet. He was said to have locked the door before cutting his wrists. The aircraft took off 20 minutes late from California at 3:50pm local time (11:50pm GMT) on Monday and was due to land at London Heathrow at 10am Tuesday. But the plane was forced to make an abrupt turn north shortly after 7am after the dramatic suicide bid. The aircraft eventually landed in the Icelandic capital Reykjavik at 7:44am. The BA worker was immediately rushed to hospital.  The aircraft, an Airbus A380-841, with the call sign "Speedbird 282" had the registration G-XLEK (CN 194) 

Brisbane to Perth flight

Today is one of those exciting days were I jumped out of bed and after a shower and a quick bite to eat I headed off to the airport as I was traveling to Perth, Western Australia to see the Antonov 225 arrive on Sunday. My Qantas flight, QF 589, was due to depart at 8.15 so I arrived at the airport just after 7.15am. After checking in and clearing security I headed up to gate 20 were I found my aircraft, an Airbus A330-202 (VH-EBK) basking in the morning sun.

QANTAS A330-202 VH-EBK (CN 945)

We started boarding at 8.05 and my seat for this 5 and a 1/2 hour flight was 30K. We pushed back at 8.23 and began taxiing out for the full length of runway 19 at 8.31.

We got airborne at 8.37 and after circling the city 

BRISBANE CITY

BRISBANE CITY WITH STORY BRIDGE

We headed north up to a place called Kingaroy, this is were we turned left and headed out to Roma, across to Coober Pedy and Kalgoorlie and then into Perth.

The ride was smooth and comfortable and very enjoyable.
We began our descent at 1.10pm and landed in Perth on runway 24 at 1.45pm Eastern Standard Time. Due to the time difference I had to put my watch back two hours so it was actually 11.45am in Perth.

After being picked up by my brother and knowing Iron Maidens "Ed Force One" was due in later that afternoon we hung around the airport to see this aircraft. Unfortunately due to the winds aircraft were taking off and landing on the furthest runway making taking a good photo almost impossible.

SINGAPORE 777-212 9V-SRM (CN 32320)

SOUTH AFRICAN  A340-313 ZS-SXD (CN 643)

SINGAPORE 777-212 9V-SRP (CN 33369)

ED FORCE ONE 747-428 TF-AAK (CN 33369)

ED FORCE ONE 747-428 TF-AAK (CN 33369)

Hobart to Brisbane flight

Well after an amazing night watching my sister and her lovely man get married, and of course catching up with family and friends, it was time to head back home.

My flight out of Hobart was at 10.30 so I arrived at the airport at 9.40, checked in and went through security. The aircraft, a B737 with the registration VH-YFG, had already arrived from Melbourne. We began boarding at 10.00am and for this flight I was in 25A. Hobart airport doesn't have weigh bridges so the aircraft stand alone. We were all boarded by 10.15 but due to our slot time in Melbourne we had to sit and wait for our 10.30 departure time.

JETSTAR A320- 232 VH-VQA (CN 3783)

We started taxiing out for a runway 30 departure at 10.31.  Aircraft need to backtrack in Hobart as well as the taxiways aren't extended to the end of the runway. I was quite nervous about the flight back, still having the horrific flight down carved very deep in my memory.

We became airborne at 10.37 and climbed to flight level 260.  Even though we flew in cloud for most of the flight it was smooth and comfortable.

LAKE SORELL

We began our descent into Melbourne at 11.28 and landed on runway 34 at 11.51. I had a few hours here before my next flight so guess what I did...

BOMBARDIER BD-700-1A10 VH-VGX ( CN 9079)

ROYAL BRUNEI 787-8 V8-DLA (CN 347850

QANTASA330-303 VH-QPG (CN 603)

AIR NEW ZEALAND 777-219(ER) ZK-OKH (CN 34379)

SCOOT 787-8 V9-OFE (CN 37122)

GARUDA A330-243 PK-GPN (CN 1261)

LOCKHEED P 3 ORION

MALAYSIA A330-323 9M-MTN  (CN 1470)

ROYAL AUSTRALIAN AIR FORCE KC30A A39-003 (CN 969)

CATHAY PACIFIC A330-342 B-LAG (CN 895)

THAI B777-2D7 HS-TJS (CN 34587)

Well time went really fast and it was now time to board my second flight, and the aircraft for this sector was another B737 and the registration was VH-VOL and I was sitting in my favourite spot, 20A. We began boarding at 2.35 and we pushed back right on 3pm

We began taxiing out at 3.05 and headed for runway 34. We lined up behind a few aircraft in front and waited our turn, then we taxied out onto the runway, powered up and got airborne at 3.19pm.

Climbing to flt Lvl 350 our track this afternoon took us east of Shepparton, over Orange, Inverell, west the Gold Coast. We began our descent at 4.43 and almost overflying my house before coming in to land on runway 01 in Brisbane at 5.04pm.