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Mriya Visits Vatry Airport

The An 225 Mriya at Vatry airport

On April 19 and 20, 2020, the skies over Paris‑Vatry Airport (LFOK) roared with the arrival of the Antonov An‑225 Mriya, registered UR‑82060, operated by Antonov Design Bureau. This one-of-a-kind super-heavy cargo aircraft came to France carrying a massive humanitarian shipment from China.

Mission Context

The An‑225 landed at Châlons/Vatry on April 19 around 11:15 a.m., marking its first visit to France since 2014. The payload, over 1,000 cubic meters, set a world record for the largest volume of cargo ever flown. Ground operations to unload the cargo took nearly ten hours, involving a large logistics crew.

Amid the height of the COVID‑19 pandemic, the An‑225 was chartered to transport approximately 150 tons of medical equipment (masks, gloves, gowns, etc.) from Tianjin, China, to France. The operation was organized by two private logistics companies and was not commissioned by the French or European governments.

The An 225 taxiing few minutes before departure

Technical Specifications

The An‑225 was the largest aircraft in the world, originally built to transport the Soviet Buran space shuttle. With a length of 84 meters, wingspan of 88.4 meters, and payload capacity of 250 tons, it held numerous world records.

It was powered by six Progress D‑18T turbofan engines, cruising at speeds of 800–850 km/h.

The An 225 takiing of at Vatry Airport

Conclusion

The arrival of the An‑225 in Vatry was far more than a routine cargo drop—it was a symbol of logistical power placed at the service of humanity. Though a privately organized flight, the mission delivered critical supplies to France and indirectly supported Europe in its pandemic response.Its enormous size, exceptional capacity, and media impact made this mission one of the most memorable airlift operations of the COVID-19 era.

Paris-Vatry Airport played a crucial role in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic in France by ensuring the rapid and secure delivery of millions of medical masks from China. This major logistics operation not only strengthened the protective capacity of medical personnel, but also demonstrated the resilience and efficiency of French infrastructure in the face of a global health crisis.

More pictures here : https://flic.kr/s/aHskMSmbGv

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