In an uncommon interview with Air Cargo Week, Ruslan Bykovets, Executive Director of ANTONOV Airways, the esteemed Ukrainian cargo service, has shared insights into its important resilience and suppleness amidst unprecedented global challenges.
From the Covid-19 pandemic to the continuing battle in Ukraine, ANTONOV Airways has consistently demonstrated its capacity to retain an actual presence in the aviation trade while navigating the complexities of war.
Resilience at its core
Over its 35 years of operation, the airline has established a reputation as a legitimate service, maintaining a leading location in the cargo structure transportation sector.
Even with the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, ANTONOV Airways showed important flexibility and dedication; the exhaust of its specialist trip and excessive professionalism to be sure the worthwhile transportation of surprising oversized and heavy cargo.
“We deployed all our airplane in the hasty to meet the demands of the air transport market, continuing to operate in an intensive mode spherical the sphere,” Bykovets mentioned, pointing to the technical capabilities of the AN-124-100 airplane and skilled, customer-oriented crew at ANTONOV Airways.
Adapting amid battle
The Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 introduced challenges many in the logistics trade, including these at ANTONOV, had by no technique confronted earlier than.
When the battle reached Hostomel Airport, ANTONOV Airways had to act quick.
“The first missile strikes on the territory of Ukraine took situation even earlier than the beginning keep apart of the working day, so a selection of the staff didn’t come to the airfield,” Bykovets shared.
“Other individuals who be pleased been already at areas of work be pleased been moved to shelters and evacuated from the territory at the major different. Some airline workers be pleased been at Leipzig/Halle airport on a scheduled business time out and supported operational actions in the early days of the invasion.”
Leipzig/Halle Airport has been a supportive partner since 2006, providing a depraved for ANTONOV’s airplane operating beneath a NATO contract.
With the elephantine-scale invasion, the airport authority promptly equipped its infrastructure, permitting ANTONOV’s hasty to continue operations and maintenance from a short-term depraved.
“Thanks to the coordinated work of all divisions of the enterprise and the excessive level of responsibility and professionalism of every employee, we be pleased been ready to take care of all processes, make certain the decent work of the airline and completely fulfil the phrases of contracts with possibilities.
“The fruitful, selfless work of the staff of “ANTONOV” ensured unruffled operations in an unparalleled discipline.
“The velocity of resolution-making has also change into needed in issues of guaranteeing operational sigh, upkeep and crisis conditions. A crew working as a single organism is the major to the efficient operation of the company beneath any stipulations.”
Despite the challenges, ANTONOV Airways continues to aid a world market.
“We continue to work in the section of extremely-heavy and immense-sized cargo air transportation,” the airline outlined.
The inquire of for transporting aerospace cargo has grown, reflecting the sphere’s pattern. As industries improve from the pandemic, chartered air transport is more and more stale for quick logistics alternate choices.
The airline also noted a important enlarge in flights to and from North The United States over the final two years.
The lack of the AN-225
The ANTONOV An-225 “Mriya,” the largest airplane on the earth, was a symbol of engineering prowess and national pride for many Ukrainians.
Tragically, this most inviting airplane was destroyed by Russian forces on Twenty seventh February 2022, all the blueprint in which via the Battle of Hostomel and Battle of ANTONOV Airport.
“Ukrainian defenders efficiently repelled the assault of the invaders and made it very no longer going for planes to land on the airfield. Property losses incurred by Ukraine, including the unparalleled AN-225 airplane, are a renewable handy resource. Doubtlessly the main element is to protect our people, and we shall be in a position to progressively rebuild,” Bykovets mentioned.
With a size of 84 metres, a top of 18.2 metres, a wingspan of 88.4 metres, and a ability of about 1000 cubic meters, “Mriya” was an unparalleled giant in the aviation trade.
The destruction of the unparalleled AN-225 airplane all the blueprint in which via the battle was a important loss for ANTONOV, Ukraine and the total aviation trade.
An integral fragment of the logistics sector due to its better cargo hang ability, the AN-225 transported multiple file-breaking loads.
“This was more major than correct finishing up the mission. For a selection of our purchasers, it was a matter of pride to expose the structure of the sphere’s largest airplane; it became fragment of the history of any company,” Bykovets mentioned mournfully.
Diverse plans be pleased been urged to rebuild the AN-225, akin to securing the funds from Russian reparations. On the opposite hand, plans are on abet while Ukraine’s efforts are centered on successful the continuing war.
“We are working for the victory of Ukraine and the liberation of Ukranian lands from the Russian invaders and the return of the total country to a mute lifestyles. Having achieved this purpose, we shall be in a position to be ready to absolutely put in force the reconstruction and pattern plans,” Bykovets declared.
Energy and resilience
In expose to create precise operational sigh, ANTONOV Airways has introduced a rotating system of workers between its Kyiv dwelling and a short-term depraved at Leipzig/Halle Airport.
“The supreme discipline since 2022 is guaranteeing stable working stipulations for our workers in Ukraine because fixed shelling from Russia creates a fixed probability to the lives of Ukrainians,” Bykovets printed.
“That is why legitimate shelters and safety solutions of sigh be pleased been created as a matter of precedence because human lifestyles is the supreme payment.
“We continue to originate spherical-the-clock providers and products for our possibilities and retain up a correspondence with our companions 24/7/365.
“The swift resolution-making and teamwork of ANTONOV’s workers be pleased been needed in conserving the airline’s operations and relaxing contractual responsibilities with possibilities.”
Workers with out whom the elephantine-fledged operation of the airline is terribly no longer going, akin to contributors of the flight crew, representatives of the technical service and other excessive objects, are no longer discipline to being deployed on the front.
“The total people of Ukraine mobilised for the sake of conserving the integrity and freedom of our country. Amongst the staff of “ANTONOV” are also defenders of our shriek, serving in the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine,” Bykovets mentioned proudly.
“ANTONOV belongs to the shriek of Ukraine and works in its interests. Therefore, guaranteeing the uninterrupted operation of the airline is a strategic resolution.”
Skills and collaboration
ANTONOV Airways today launched a new internet keep, reflecting its forward-taking a look come. The airline has pattern plans that encompass hasty modernisation and strengthening. Partnerships and collaborations play an extraordinarily grand feature on this technique.
“Combining efforts presents better results,” Bykovets outlined, underscoring the significance of cooperation, with skills key to the blueprint in which forward for operations.
“We are modernising our planes and consistently bettering the patron service system.”
Digitalisation is a excessive course on this job, and ANTONOV is working with experts to introduce effective alternate choices.
As ANTONOV Airways continues to navigate via global challenges and battle, its resilience, adaptability, and commitment to excellence live unwavering.
“We work on the worldwide market. Therefore, in expose to retain our excessive positions, we consistently give a hang to the patron service system, discovering out and imposing the most up-to-date requirements and requirements,” Bykovets outlined.
“We are modernising our planes. With out it, additional pattern is merely very no longer going. For tear, digitalisation is one in every of the major instructions on this job, and we’re fruitfully cooperating with experts on this discipline to introduce current and effective alternate choices in the work of our Airline”.
