I watched the Mil 26 depart Mt Hagen (PNG) around 98ish...it was enroute to Jayapura I think and then on to whereever...it was loaded to the gunnels with 'stuff' from spares to all sorts of 'personal' items
of the crew.
Given that it can apparently carry 20 tonnes internal, or on the sling, I would hate to think what she was carrying that day...it taxied out and did a running takeoff using the runway (not unusual because a hovering departure even light would blow everything for miles over)...but it's takeoff roll was REALLY long and the coning from the main rotor blades as it finally lifted off was awesome....it must have taken a good 700m to accelerate through translation before lifting off and lumbering over the hills to the north...not even a hint they might do a farewell flyby
