Volga-Dnepr Airlines is the world's largest transporter of outsize and heavyweight air cargo. The airline has earned a 56% share of the global market in this specialist sector. With Scheduled and Air Charter licenses granted to Volga-Dnepr by more than 140 countries, the airline continues to prove its ability to provide air cargo solutions for customers to and from virtually any point of the globe.
10 Antonov AN-124-100 Ruslan aircraft form the backbone of Volga-Dnepr's fleet. Owing to its unique technical performance, the AN-124-100 is the unrivaled leader of the outsize and 'super heavy' air cargo transportation sector.
The overall size and volume of the aircraft's cargo compartment, its cargo capacity and flight range, enables the AN-124 to provide the perfect solution for Volga-Dnepr's customers' transportation challenges and allows the airline to carry up to 120 tonnes as a single unit. The 24-wheel undercarriage of the Ruslan enables the nose section of the aircraft to “kneel down” as required to facilitate loading and off-loading operations. It also allows the aircraft to operate to a wider variety of airports and airfields with different types of runway surfaces.
Volga-Dnepr's AN-124 aircraft feature two cargo doors at the front and rear of the fuselage. Each is equipped with a folding cargo ramp. The door dimensions correspond to the size of the cargo cabin. With its unique range of specially-designed loading equipment, Volga-Dnepr is able to transport outsize and 'super heavy' cargo within the required timeframes of its international customers and in the most efficient manner in full compliance with the requirements of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
In anticipation of future market demand, the Volga-Dnepr Group initiated the design and construction of a new version of the aircraft, the ÀN-124-100Ì. This new aircraft offers an improved payload capacity up to 150 tonnes, increased maximum take-off weight, an extended flight range and has reduced the number of crew required to just four persons. The first upgraded Ruslan, constructed at the "Aviastar" Factory in Ulyanovsk will join the Volga-Dnepr Airlines fleet at the end of 2006.
Aerospase industry operations
During its first 15 years of global operations, Volga- Dnepr has accumulated a vast amount of experience and expertise in transporting aviation equipment.
Volga-Dnepr provides logistics solutions for the world's leading aviation and aerospace corporations, including Boeing, Airbus, Bombardier, BAE Systems, GE Aircraft Engines, Embraer, Pratt & Whitney, Rolls Royce Commercial Aero Engines, Sikorsky Aircraft Company, Kazan Helikopter Factory, Rostvertol, MIL DB, Kamov DB, Space Systems Loral, Lockheed Martin, Astrium, Alenia, Alcatel, Khrunichev Research Center, NPO Energiya and the defense forces of countries around the world.
The unique capabilities of the AN-124-100 aircraft and the special cargo handling equipment designed and manufactured by Volga-Dnepr's engineers allow the airline to transport space vehicles and equipment without the need to disassemble the shipments or to do any other additional preparation.
Volga-Dnepr is a leading transporter of helicopters. Loading programs designed by the airline, for example, allow the AN-124-100 to accommodate and deliver up to four helicopters of MI-8 size per flight. In addition to its proven cargo handling methods and solutions, Volga-Dnepr has also demonstrated its ability to design bespoke loading systems to suit individual customers' requirements.
Oil & Gas and industrial equipment
With over 15 years experience of its presence in the global oversize and heavy cargo market Volga-Dnepr Airlines has operated over 1,600 flights for the oil & gas sector delivering more than 130 thousand tons of industrial machinery and equipment to various destinations worldwide. Where initially transportation of bulky and non-standard equipment took months of precious time, now commercially operated Antonov 124- 100 aircraft have made such deliveries efficient and quick allowing the industry to significantly speed up oil & gas exploration and production thereby gaining additional advantages over competitors.
The list of Volga-Dnepr's oil & gas customers includes many large global companies, such as Exxon Mobile, Chevron Texaco, Calgary Overseas, Canadian Oxy Offshore International and British Petroleum. No other charter operator in the world can offer such experience and expertise in transportation of heavy oil & gas equipment.
Automative vehicles
Volga-Dnepr has specific expertise in the transportation of automobile vehicles.
Vehicles carried by the airline have ranged from hundreds of jeeps assigned to UN peacekeeping forces and various non-governmental agencies to motorcades of Heads of State. Volga-Dnepr aircraft have transported Volkswagen cars for testing in low temperature conditions, delivered Peugeot cars from France to Morocco and the newest models of Mercedes cars to the USA to film a new advertising campaign.
The special double deck loading and transport system designed and patented by Volga-Dnepr allows the AN- 124-100 to transport up to 55 cars or 40 jeeps on a single flight, depending on characteristics of the vehicles. Loading does not require any additional equipment as cars are simply able to board the aircraft by their own power.
Some of the most notable vehicle movements successfully completed by Volga-Dnepr have included cars for international motor rallies, including London- Sydney (1993), London-Mexico (1994), the Master Rally (1996,1997), ‘80 Days Around the World’ (2000), ‘Gumball-3000’, London-Sydney (2000), and the ‘Towards 300th anniversary of St. Petersburg’ rally.
The airline has a rich history of carrying heavy wheel and caterpillar dual purpose vehicles. In particular, Volga- Dnepr has performed many series of flight operations transporting:
- Quarry caterpillar vehicles for the Diamonds of Russia company
- Heavy wheel vehicles for UN forces
- Mining equipment
A combination of the unique capability of the AN-124-100 and the professionalism of Volga-Dnepr’s staff allows the airline to carry out loading and unloading of caterpillar and heavy wheel vehicles without the need for any additional equipment as vehicles enter the aircraft by their own power.
The list of vehicles transported by Volga-Dnepr Airlines is not limited by cars and heavy machinery only. The company is a well-recognized expert in carrying a wide range of other transport types, including subway carriages, yachts and even submarines.
Aid, Relief & Peacekeeping operations
Volga-Dnepr is always ready to provide transportation support when urgent assistance is needed for aid, relief and peacekeeping operations.
Volga-Dnepr has worked on behalf of the United Nations since 1992 and has been involved in every UN peacekeeping operation since then.
The Group’s AN-124-100 Ruslan and Ilyushin IL-76 cargo aircraft have participated in UN peacekeeping missions in the Republic of Congo, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Rwanda and East Timor delivering equipment and other urgently-needed supplies for peacekeeping forces stationed in these locations.
Cars and caterpillar vehicles, tents and warm cloths, medicines and general forces equipment have been regular shipments onboard Volga-Dnepr’s fleet.
In 1994, Volga-Dnepr was entered in the register of principal suppliers to the United Nations and has since operated hundreds of flights for the UN, carrying thousands of tonnes of cargo. In 2000, Volga-Dnepr became the largest Russian supplier of transportation services to the UN. The airline is also a regular humanitarian services provider for the governmental agencies of many countries around the world.
