Largest aircraft in the world lands in Ghana

Only two of such aircraft were built.

The current Antonov An-225 Mriya, which is the only one in operation, according to Aviation Ghana, flew from Leipzig and successfully landed at KIA shortly after 4pm on July 7, 2021.

It is a six-engine plane.

The arrival of the aircraft gives credence to the fact that Ghana’s Kotoka International Airport is capable of hosting all types of aircraft.

The Antonov An-225 Mriya is a six engine, strategic heavy lift cargo transport aircraft designed and manufactured by the Antonov Design Bureau (ADB) of Ukraine. The term Mriya refers to the word dream or inspiration in English. Its NATO reporting name is Cossack.

The aircraft was derived from the An-124 Ruslan (NATO: Condor). Cossack is the heaviest fixed wing aircraft in the world to carry 640t of cargo. It is bigger than an Airbus 380 airliner, the An-124 and the Boeing 747 Freighter.

Meanwhile, as air transport demand improves, major airlines are now operating scheduled flights with only crew members fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

In other news, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency has announced a $1.2 million dollar grant funding for a feasibility study to support the development of a maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility at the Kotoka International Airport in Ghana.

The U.S. Ambassador to Ghana, Stephanie S. Sullivan presided over the ceremony and was joined by members of the government of Ghana, grantee representatives from the Ghanaian company, Aerojet Aviation Ltd U.S. Company Alton Aviation Consultancy as well as industry leaders.

The feasibility study is a critical foundation before implementation of the project which would establish the first full-service MRO facility in West Africa.