Interesting Aircrafts

The Athens International Airport “Eleftherios Venizelos” (ATH/LGAV) has been visited by many interesting aircraft over the years, some of which I have photographed. Here are a few of them:

*Antonov AN-225 (Registration: UR-82060)

Antonov AN225 MRIYA UR-82060

The massive Antonov 225 landed several times in Athens before being destroyed by a Russian bombing at the onset of hostilities between Russia and Ukraine. I have photographed it twice upon its arrival and once upon its departure. It was an impressive aircraft of enormous dimensions with six engines and a landing gear system consisting of 32 wheels in total! Its technical specifications are impressive:

Dimensions and Weight

  • Length: 84 meters
  • Height: 18.1 meters
  • Wingspan: 88.4 meters
  • Maximum Takeoff Weight (MTOW): 640,000 kilograms
  • Empty Weight: 285,000 kilograms

Capacity

  • Maximum Cabin Load: 250,000 kilograms
  • Fuel Capacity: 300,000 liters

Engines

  • Engines: 6x ZMKB Progress D-18T turbofan
  • Thrust per Engine: 229.5 kN

Performance

  • Maximum Speed: 850 km/h (460 knots)
  • Cruising Speed: 800 km/h (430 knots)
  • Maximum Range (without load): 15,400 km
  • Maximum Range (with maximum load): 4,000 km
  • Cruising Altitude: 11,000 meters (36,000 feet)

Other Characteristics

  • Crew: 6 people
  • Landing Gear: 32 wheels

It was originally built to transport the Buran space shuttle but was later used as a cargo aircraft.

KUSTBEVAKNING (SWEDISH COAST GUARD) DE HAVILLAND CANADA DHC-8-311Q DASH 8 MSA Registration:SE-MAA

Swedish Coast Guard SE-MAA

During my visit to the military airbase Kalamata 120 Air Training Wing as part of the celebrations for the patron of the Hellenic Air Force, “Archangel Michael,” on November 7, 2019, I had the opportunity to photograph a De Havilland Canada DHC-8-311Q Dash 8 MSA with registration SE-MAA of the Swedish Coast Guard that was stationed there.

Private Helicopter Airbus Helicopters H155B1 M-DLBA

Airbus Helicopter H155B1 Registration:M-DLBA Alisher Usmanov

On July 29, 2020, the Airbus H155B1 helicopter with registration M-DLBA, which belongs to the company Margaux Aviation Limited, reportedly owned by Russian oligarch Alisher Usmanov, landed at the heliport of Athens International Airport “Eleftherios Venizelos”.