Boasting a 240-foot-wide wingspan, the world’s largest operating cargo plane descended to the runway and touched down with its whopping 24 wheels — drawing spectators and photographers to the perimeters of Melbourne Orlando International Airport.
A mighty Antonov AN-124 plane approached from the west and landed on Florida’s Space Coast amid hot, sunburn-inducing summertime weather just before 12:30 p.m. Sunday, June 28.
“It’s unique, because of the size and the attention that it draws. It’s one of those iconic aircraft in the aviation world,” said Jeremy Phillips, general manager of Sheltair’s MLB fixed-base operation.
The Ukrainian carrier Antonov Airlines operates the tremendous cargo plane, which flew to Melbourne from Germany. After landing, the massive aircraft slowly rolled to Taxiway Uniform between the passenger terminal and the STS Aviation Services-anchored Aerospace Center off Apollo Boulevard.
Phillips said a Sheltair crew would load aerospace equipment, and then the huge plane would likely depart Melbourne in the 11 a.m.-to-noon time frame Monday, June 29. The aircraft’s undisclosed 50,000-plus-pound payload was bound for the Pacific Northwest, said Cliff Graham, the Melbourne airport’s director of operations and maintenance.
“We’re always excited to have them come for a visit. We are so glad that we have the infrastructure and the capability to do an operation such as this,” said Melissa Naughton, the airport’s assistant director of business development and marketing, standing near Taxiway Uniform and looking at the heavy-lift plane.
Naughton said the Melbourne airport last hosted an Antonov AN-124 in March 2024. She watched Sunday’s landing from inside the air traffic control tower, then drove to the taxiway for a closeup look at the quad-engine cargo aircraft.
“It gets everyone really excited in the community, too. I saw a bunch of people watching from the roadways and on airport property. It’s just a great thing to have come to town,” Naughton said.
“Just the sound of it coming in is so unique. You just know it’s an Antonov,” she said.
Sheltair managed the Antonov AN-124’s mission — the Apollo Boulevard fixed-base operator also handled the aircraft’s previous visits. Phillips said the company marshalled in the plane and provided ground-support hookups; fueled the aircraft; managed the 20-member Ukrainian aircrew’s U.S. customs, hotel accommodations and breakfasts; and loaded the cargo.
“Each one we do is always unique. But they’re always fun and exciting,” Phillips said.
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Rick Neale is a Space Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY, where he has covered news since 2004. Contact Neale at Rneale@floridatoday.com. Twitter/X: @RickNeale1
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This article originally appeared on Florida Today: World’s largest cargo plane lands at Melbourne airport to get aerospace payload
Reporting by Rick Neale, Florida Today / Florida Today
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Rick Neale, Florida Today | USA TODAY Network
