World record in Super-Heavy Monopiece air transportation on Il-76

In March 2013 while transporting 46 tons Gas Turbin Generator from Nizhnevartovskaya Thermal Power Plant (TPP) to South Korean city of Busan and back Aviacon Zitotrans set an absolute world record of transportation of a super heavy monopiece made on IL-76TD aircraft .

The shipment, the primary customer of which was Russian branch of General Electric, consisted of Rotor of Gas Turbine Generator for Nizhnevartovskaya Thermal Power Plant (TPP), weighing 46 tons including the transportation rack. The rotor needed to be repaired in Korea and be returned back to the power station in Nizhnevartovsk.

Timely repair of failed Rotor was critical for the Power plant. Since the Rotor is one of the Turbine’s most sophisticated part, airfreight delivery in combination with trucking was chosen to guarantee a safe and just-in-time delivery to the repair shop in the South Korean city of Busan.

The most challenging part of the job was to make sure the gross weight of Rotor, including the transportation rack, did not exceed 46 tons. The rotor transportation rack was designed and manufactured to meet maximum weight restriction, but, at the same time, capable of sustaining multiple loading-unloading procedures, trucking during pre-carriage and on-carriage.

Definitely, this project was not at all feasible without productive teamwork demonstrated by the equipment owner, many subcontractors and providers of additional support equipment and tools, and, of course, background years of airline loadmasters’ experience demonstrated during loading in Yekaterinburg, and offloading in Busan

It was them who worked out the step-by-step technical scheme of loading-unloading, including elements and customized ramp to ensure roll-on roll-off the aircraft. However, as it’s always with heavyweight pieces cargo like that, a big part of the job was done “on the field”, based on personal assessment and responsibility of a loadmaster.

Professional and well-coordinated work of the entire airline team, insured that company had succeed to provide the customer with the most cost effective and successful solution.