Denholm Zholdas chartered aircraft, arrives in Atyrau

09:44 local time Wednesday, 26th April all eyes in Atyrau Western Kazakhstan turned skywards at the sight of the Denholm Zholdas chartered Antonov 124-100 (Ruslan) making its final approach to the airports new runway. With a length of 69.1m, wingspan of 73.3m and a maximum takeoff weight of 405,000kg this was the biggest plane to ever land at the civil airfield in Atyrau and caused not only the public to stand and stare, all the airport management and staff to come outside but also attracted the National Press to be on hand to record the event for posterity.

This historic event was just the 1st half of a major cooling equipment shipment for Tengizchevroil (TCO) our most important client here in Western Kazakhstan. The equipment is intended to supplement existing plant cooling at the Tengiz Site thus increasing Oil and Gas production throughout the hot summer months to compensate for production losses during a difficult period last winter.

Denholm Oilfield Services are the Caspian Area Agent for Aggreko. DZ contacted Aggreko for help and support towards TCO’s requirements, Aggreko responded from their Braeside Australia Branch. The actual cargo was, at only 26.5 Tons far below the maximum payload of 150 tons, but the volume 3 x 40’ and a 20’ container fitted snugly inside the Antonov’s cargo deck.

Using the aircrafts own 20 ton overhead crane. The containers were loaded through the upward hinging nose, placed into position on the cargo deck and then subsequently unloaded through the opening tail. This is a true roll on roll off craft and with good ground support can self unload it’s cargo in an average of 40 mins.

With this being the first time that such an aircraft had landed at the airport it took somewhat longer that 40 minutes on this occasion but eventually everything was loaded onto trucks and with a customs escort left on its 6 hour journey to Tengiz. Once unloaded and the plane made safe the 6 aircrew and 3 cargo handlers took lunch and retired to their cabins on the upper deck.

I was continuously reminded of cross channel ferries with this massive machine. The lower cargo deck is truly immense but the upper deck alone is as big as most commercial airliners with the capacity to carry 88 passengers and a maximum crew of 24.

Asked about his next flight the Pilot was happy to report he was off to Moscow to collect some urgent parts for the International Space Station which he was to deliver to Baikonur and then probably back to Australia to collect our second shipment.