4 ms·

I think it was in-use more than you might think. I remember seeing a program about it and there are plenty of people needing to shift large cargo at expedited s

I think it was in-use more than you might think. I remember seeing a program about it and there are plenty of people needing to shift large cargo at expedited speed and as one customer put it, "if you are 2 weeks behind, you can pay for the 225 and buy that 2 weeks back compared to a ship". Also, the amount of time it takes for them to fly these vast distances means it was only available 2 or 3 times per week anyway. They had an office in London for booking and planning so it must have earned them some decent wedge, especially without any direct competitors. I don't know how much maintenance it needed in between though.

masklinn 5y ago
Most of the large cargo would be shifted by the eminently capable, more easily available, and in many ways more flexible, 124s. Keep in mind while Mriya was a towering giant, the An-124 is literally the next best thing. You'd only call on the 225 if the 124 did not suffice either in lift or in volume[0]; of possibly in the rare cases where no 124 was available, the 225 was, and you didn't mind paying a premium. [0] mostly in length as the 124 and the 225 holds have the same cross-section of 6.4m wide and 4.4 high, but the 225's is 6 meters longer.