The arrival of one of the world’s largest aircraft at Tampa International Airport turned the facility’s parking garage into an impromptu observation deck as aviation enthusiasts gathered to witness the massive Antonov An-124 in action.
The Ukrainian-designed cargo aircraft, operated by Volga-Dnepr Airlines, is the second-largest cargo plane in operation worldwide, featuring a wingspan of nearly 240 feet — significantly larger than the 156-foot wingspan of a Boeing 767 that regularly services Tampa.
“Just the physics. The weight of it and how big it is getting off the ground is just impressive,” said spectator Kyle Bauld who joined dozens of others capturing photos and videos from the airport’s parking structure.
The Antonov’s visit to Tampa served a specific commercial purpose. The aircraft arrived to transport a flight simulator manufactured in Hillsborough County to Denmark. The simulator, described as “state-of-the-art technology,” reportedly weighs approximately 37 metric tons — comparable to 40 elephants.
Loading such specialized cargo requires particular expertise. The Antonov An-124 has previously visited Tampa on similar missions, including a 2012 stop to collect communication devices that had been worked on at Raytheon Co.
Danny Valentine, a Tampa International Airport spokesperson, noted that accommodating the enormous aircraft required special preparations. “It’s one of the largest planes to land at the Tampa airport and required the airport staff to close down part of the taxiway to accommodate it,” highlighting the logistical challenges involved with hosting such an exceptional visitor.
The An-124 Ruslan began operation in the 1980s and has since established itself as a critical asset in the global oversized cargo transportation market. By 2013, the An-124 had reportedly visited 768 airports in over 100 countries, demonstrating its vital role in moving equipment that would be impossible to transport by conventional means.
These specialized aircraft are operated by only a handful of companies. Volga-Dnepr Airlines owns 10 of the 17 An-124 models in service worldwide. The remainder are primarily operated by Antonov Airlines, a Ukrainian company.
The logistics of loading the flight simulator involved what airport officials described as “a delicate mechanical dance” to position the valuable cargo through the aircraft’s rear loading ramp. The plane’s design includes onboard cranes and specialized loading equipment that allow it to operate with minimal ground support at airports around the world.
For Tampa area residents, the glimpse of this aviation giant provided a rare opportunity to witness a marvel of aerospace engineering that doesn’t frequently visit the region’s skies. According to airport officials, Tampa can expect to see the Antonov return on future missions as the region continues to develop as a center for specialized technical manufacturing.