GEN-FAM PHOTOGRAPHY

IL62 in Vatry

Rada Airlines' Ilyushin Il-62MGR (EW-450TR) lands on October 30, 2016

October 30, 2016, will remain a significant date for French aviation enthusiasts, and especially for observers at Paris-Vatry Airport (LFOK). On that day, an iconic Soviet aircraft, an Ilyushin Il-62MGR, touched down on the tarmac in Champagne, an event as rare as it was unexpected.

Registered EW-450TR, the aircraft belongs to the Belarusian company Rada Airlines, which specializes in heavy cargo transport. Founded in 2015 in Minsk, Rada Airlines is a private Belarusian airline specializing in chartered cargo transportation. With one former Ilyushin Il-62M passenger aircraft converted into cargo aircraft, and another in convertion, it is now one of the few operators of this type of aircraft in civilian service.

This military cargo version of the famous Soviet four-engine jet has aroused great curiosity among enthusiasts, particularly due to its imposing silhouette and its retro engine—four Soloviev D-30KU turbofans mounted at the rear of the fuselage.

A vital partnership

The arrival of this aircraft on French soil was not insignificant: it was a logistics rotation as part of a cargo operation, for humanitarian in nature, as evidenced by the MGR (Military & Governmental Requisition) configuration. Vatry, with its infrastructure adapted to cargo traffic and its runway over 3,800 meters long, established itself as a strategic stopover.

Back at time

This flight was also a real event for French spotters: the Il-62, produced during the Soviet era, is a model that has now almost disappeared from European skies. His visit to Vatry was undoubtedly one of the last opportunities to see this rare bird in Western Europe.

Conclusion

Beyond the logistical aspect, this stopover revived interest in the history of Soviet aviation and offered an almost nostalgic interlude for those who remember the long-haul flights operated by Aeroflot in the 1970s and 1980s with this aircraft.

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