Little big of an incoming traffic jam (four or five flights in about a 10-15 minute hold) at BDL as an Antonov-124 was preparing for takeoff on runway 24
flightaware.com/live/flight/VDA1 … /KBDL/EBLG
Aircraft noob; how frequent are Ant-124 charters/cargos in the US?
Two, what kind of runway hog is that beast? 24 at BDL isn’t *exceptionally *long (around 9000 feet).
what is the elevation of BDL?? 9000 feet shouldnt be to bad for a 124. saw a c-5galaxy yesterday in COS use 4000 feet of a 11000 foot runway, or so at 6200 feet of altitude, so dont think a 124 should have problems at a lower altitude.
Was the C-5 loaded?
I’ve seen -124’s around the US quite often on FlightExplorer. Even had the opportunity to see a Beluga rotate into the air at BUF a while ago.
They would just lighten the fuel load until the aircraft was light enough to be able to use the runway in use that day. Cargo doesn’t care if there is an extra fuel stop because of this. Check Gander (CYQX), a lot of Volga-Dnepr flight stop there for fuel. Well, maybe not a lot, but some.
not sure, just left the AFB, I doubt it, and i thought of that after i submitted the post, could not know but it still is cool to see the galaxy take off in a short distance like that, at such high altitude.
When I was at IAD, we got a lot of AN-124’s through the Volga crews ALWAYS paid their bills with cold hard American $$$. The crews all speak Russian, and the one English speaker, was the money man to pay the bills and communicate the needs of the crew. They are a trip to work, and to answer the runway question, it is not that much.
Maybe the C-5 met the tanker in the air?
could be very possible. but if it was going back to travis, could make it with less than full tanks.
in a 124 or a c-5??
hey IADFXMD11HVY it your profile photo of a md-11 of fedex landing in anchorage 
lookout for an AN-124 into ATL on the 5th…
Yep, I’d been trying to find a good pic to use…and came across that one flying into an ice cloud.