A little-known yet long-standing Ukrainian carrier by the name of Motor Sich Airlines has been flying its Antonov AN-12B quite regularly in recent months. The 54-year-old turboprop flew from its home at Zaporizhzhia (OZH) in Ukraine to Paris Vatry Chalons Airport (XCR) yesterday. However, in recent times the aircraft has also flown some incredibly exotic routes such as Tbilisi to Kabul, Brno to Cairo, Oslo to Amman, and Ankara to Prague. What do we know about this plane and the work that it performs?

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According to Planelogger.com, there are over 30 AN-12s (and their variants) still active. Photo: Dmitry Avdeev via Wikimedia Commons

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What is the AN-12?

The AN-12 is the Soviet equivalent of the American Lockheed C-130 Hercules. The aircraft entered into service in 1959 and was the standard medium-range cargo transport of the Soviet air forces for more than three decades.

What made (and continues to make) the AN-12 a useful aircraft is its short runway capabilities and lifting power. Combine this power with its high-mounted wings and raised tail, and the aircraft becomes a valuable asset for cargo transport- especially when serving some remote corners of the world.

The first prototype of the AN-12 flew in December 1957, and production of the aircraft began in Irkutsk but was later moved to Tashkent in modern-day Uzbekistan. This later moved to the Russian cities of Voronezh and Kazan, with a total of 1,248 having been built.

Production of the AN-12 type cargo aircraft ceased in 1973.

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The AN-12s dimensions and specifications make it an effective cargo carrier. Photo: Igor Dvurekov via Wikimedia Commons 

AN-12 specifications

According to Airliners.net, these are the specifications for the Antonov AN-12:

  • Capacity: 20,000 kg (44,092 lb) payload
  • Dimensions: 33.1 m (108 ft 7 in) long and 10.53 m (34 ft 7 in) high
  • Wingspan: 38 m (124 ft 8 in)
  • MTOW: 61,000 kg (134,482 lb)
  • Maximum speed: 660 km/h (410 mph)
  • Cruise speed: 570 km/h (350 mph)
  • Range: 5,700 km (3,500 mi, 3,100 nmi) with maximum fuel, 3,600 km (2,200 mi; 1,900 nmi) with maximum payload

The specific aircraft that drew our attention to this type is the AN-12B. While we don't have the specifics on this variant, we can tell you that some 60 different variants were produced. Upgrades of the type included increased take-off weights and additional fuel capacity.

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Production of this aircraft began in the late 50s and ended in the early 70s. Photo: Dmitry Avdeev via Wikimedia Commons

Serving remote corners of the planet

According to FlightRadar24.com, Motor Sich Airlines has been flying its AN-12s on some incredibly interesting routes.

The airline itself is both a charter and scheduled airline which serves as both passenger and cargo transport. Of course, the airline's AN-12s are deployed on charter cargo missions, which take them to somewhat uncommon destinations. Indeed, in the last month, Motor Sich's AN-12s have flown from Serbia to Ethiopia, Montenegro to Egypt, and even domestic missions within Sudan.

It's impressive that this aircraft (or any aircraft) is still flying after 50 years of regular operation. Indeed, it's a testament to solid maintenance and quality construction.

Have you ever seen the Antonov AN-12 in real life? Please share your experience with us in the comments!