Antei in Zurich

[Niallxg]

UR-09307 preparing to depart from Zurich on Friday evening to Abu Dhabi via Tbilisi. Its first commercial flight in 7 years.

Sadly by the time she'd warmed up, her takeoff (some 40mins after she commenced taxi) was in darkness. But the sound of those Kuznetsovs...

UR-09307 by Niall Grant, on Flickr

[Ledhead27]

Just wow!!!!

[Maisie]

That is the best thing ever. Can't wait for a visit to the UK.

[ikarus]

Superb catch , hope we see this in the UK at some point

[Flankerman]

Superb catch , hope we see this in the UK at some point

Interesting - if unusual - fact......

Antei (or Antaeus in Greek) was a giant who challenged passers by to a wrestling match - which he always won by remaining in contact with his mother Gaia - the earth.

He was eventually defeated by that other famous transport plane................. Hercules

I had the privilege of doing a walkround of an An-22 at Gostomel, Kiev in 2006.....



I just checked my other photos - and it is the same airframe -UR-09307!!!

Here's another one at Zhukovsky at MAKS 2009......



.... and the sound of 4 X Kuznetsov NK-12 turboprops at MAKS 2012 .....



Ken

[tankbuster]

I want one!

[Russ]

Lovely catch.

Was this the same aircraft that has visited the UK in the past? Obviously not the last 7 years.

[Maisie]

Lovely catch.

Was this the same aircraft that has visited the UK in the past? Obviously not the last 7 years.

It's visited a few times, Stansted in 2003, Prestwick 2004, Manchester 2004, Stansted 2006 (I think?) and East Midlands 2007..

[st24]

What a beast. The incredible sound of these things is an event in itself..

[Russ]

Lovely catch.

Was this the same aircraft that has visited the UK in the past? Obviously not the last 7 years.

It's visited a few times, Stansted in 2003, Prestwick 2004, Manchester 2004, Stansted 2006 (I think?) and East Midlands 2007..

Thought so, thanks. Certainly remember it going to East Mids. Hopefully we'll see it in the UK again soon.

[Ramp Rat]

Great to see it in the new livery. It also spent a few days at Manston during January 2004

http://www.adriandowling-aviation.co.uk/p192124326/hc1ea352#h15bf6d13

[Niallxg]

Thanks for the comments,

What a beast. The incredible sound of these things is an event in itself..

And yes 100% agree.

[Roughcutter]

Wow nice catch, I didn't realise there were any Cocks left flying