Antonov 124
 

Anybody know if its possible to safely parachute from the Antonov 124. It would be a tandem freefall.

I saw on a Discovery program about parachuting that the Russians only jump off rear ramps, not side doors. I'm fairly certain that all Russian aeroplanes fitted with lowering ramps are primarily military designed and modified for civilian use. The IL-76 drops parachutists- I'm quite certain the AN-124 does too!

From the AN124 web page it apears that there is a swinging nose door for large cargo entry. Does anyone know if there is a rear ramp which can be opened in flight as with a C130

Yes, there is rear ramp, but whether you can jump from it or not I don't know - if you look at the photo using the following link, you will notice there are also side swinging doors at the rear as well.

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/202886/L/

JAW2001

Thanks for that link it answers most of my questions apart from "can any doors open in flight" ? but I would guess the Russians will have thought of every conceivable use including para's

I have been in a 124 a couple of years back. It was in LGB and the whole plane is truly impressive. It has a huge rear cargo ramp and there are actually two internal cranes rated at 5 tonnes - if I remember correctly. The cockpit was mind-blowing as well. I remember the 12 green "gear-down-and-locked" lights. Behind the cockpit there's a section for the FE, Navigator and fro two other crewmembers. Behind that compartment one could find resting beds.

Unfortunately, I don't know if the ramp can be opened in flight.

Skitzoid, why an An-124?

Renting it from Heavylift @ Stanstead in June for TV show, not as I suspect from men in black breaking down my front door this morning for any other reasons....who said this forum was secure!

Why jump out of an Antonov 124? Like "why do dogs lick their balls?" - because he can! A certain style, I think. I know an immigration officer who took the opportunity to check the crew when one of the first in the west came to Woodford air show - they welcomed him in the sleeping quarters with vodka...

Thanks all.
Problem solved....tail ramp cannot open in flight.
Now looking for something similar......anyone know of civvy C130's

Think maybe SAFair or Transafrik may help you out with a C130, they the biggest civilian operators. I have a feeling that SAFair may still have a C130 in the UK out of East Midlands with DHL. If you try a search on SAF air it should pull up a tread about Iraq and Messrs Blix and Co, the PR guys name is mentioned and is always willing to help.

As for the AN124, dont write off the drop from that, not sure if the info is quite correct there, pretty sure they are capable of doing drops from altitude, after all anything soviet was designed with a military application to it. Have a friend going through Kabul tomorrow, will get him to talk to the crews, as there were 2 or 3 making deliveries for ISAF the other day.:cool:

I think I saw a 124 at Austin yesterday, it was hard to tell as we were taxiing past and I was riding in the back where the little windows are. It was blue and white too.

Do you have to make the film in the UK?

Skitzoid,

Why don't you give the Antonov 72/74 a go. It does have a rear ramp that opens in flight and takes about 40-50 paras on board. Basically it is a small version of the An124. I think Channel Express still has one based in Bournemouth which is leased from an European company.

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/219741/M/


Iso

AN-124:

"The airplane is also used to transport such combat equipment as mechanized infantry combat vehicles, BTR-60PB armored personnel carriers, armored reconnaissance vehicles, self-propelled gun mounts SU-85, ZSU-23-4, ZSU-57-2 and Gvozdika. When necessary, they can be paradropped on airdrop platforms 4P-134, 2P-134 and 14P-134.

Their combat crews are paradropped in two flows via the rear cargo doors, on dropping the last cargo".

There is a civvy C130 based in Dublin at the moment. As far as I know it is SAFair, working for Air Contractors.

It's huge - try parachuting inside it.