Volga-Dnepr delivered over 110 tons of essential cargo to Porte-au-Prince following the devastating earthquake in Haiti

Volga-Dnepr Group - one of the international leaders for humanitarian logistics, has delivered over 110 tons of essential cargo to Porte-au-Prince following the devastating earthquake in Haiti which hit the county on the 14th of August.

The Group was able to adapt its fleet of versatile freighters and organize two charter flights – aboard An-124-100 and Il-76TD-90VD – to deliver relief cargo which included tents, water purifiers, mobile kitchens and general cargo will help the national population to overcome the difficult times and stay healthy.

Pauli Immonen, Deputy Director Healthcare and Humanitarian, highlights: ‘In times of emergency, there is no time to waste - this is the rule of thumb we follow when we get humanitarian requests. Thanks to aligned and long-standing relations with freight forwarders, brokers, NGOs, humanitarian agencies, airport authorities and other stakeholders we guarantee a fast and seamless response and organize life-saving air transport to almost any region or country of the world’.

Those first two flights from Madrid and Liege Airport had cargo from several United Nations agencies, national and International Red Crosses and many International Non-Governmental Organizations supported by several European Governments. The Group keeps on working with the partners to transport other essential cargo to Haiti and plans on operating more flights to the region in need.

The Group’s emergency aid and relief operations date back to the 1990s when it started organizing its charter flights with relief cargo aboard to help population in needs to overcome the consequences of natural and man-made disasters.

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Volga-Dnepr Airlines shifts our urgently needed Bell 214B fire fighting helicopters to Greece

Volga-Dnepr Airlines has masterminded urgent delivery of four Bell 214B helicopters with tanks and other associated equipment from Australia to Greece.

The complex delivery was organized in partnership with Chapman Freeborn Australia and McDermott Aviation – Heli-Lift within the toughest timeframes - only two days after confirmation An-124-100 was positioned to Australia to commence its journey to Athens (Greece) with double pick-up at Wellcamp and Perth (Australia). The cargo, weighing over 30 tons, has been split between two locations, with two helicopters and equipment to be uplifted in each airport.

It is expected that four water-bombers will ramp up Greek efforts to battle wildfires which have significantly spread over the last weeks. 48 hours after landing and reassembly in Athens they joined the fleet of other Bell 214B.

Ekaterina Andreeva, Commercial Director, Volga-Dnepr Airlines, highlights: ‘This is the first time throughout our 30 years of operations when we transported four helicopters on a single occasion, with the loading being done in two steps. This requires exquisite workmanship of the loadmasters, technicians, and crew and is only achieved by accurate calculations, powered by experience and respective competence in helicopters' transportations. Since 1990, Volga-Dnepr has accomplished deliveries of more than 40 types of helicopters for humanitarian missions, medical, firefighting, law enforcement, tourism, and other civil purposes, as well as for aerospace exhibitions and airshows, and they know the special transportation requirements of each of them'.

Today Volga-Dnepr Group’s global team provides the helicopter industry with the technical and engineering air transport solutions the Group is known for, including technical and project concept consulting services. Loading and offloading of non-demountable large-scale units is one of the Group’s proven skills. The core components to make this happen are ‘natural resources’ being Volga-Dnepr’s personnel, the people behind the tools who have extended experience, knowledge, and skills to deliver any project, no matter how complex it may seem.

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Leipzig / Halle Airport strengthens position as a major humanitarian hub with recent Volga-Dnepr charter flights to Namibia

This week two Volga-Dnepr Group’s humanitarian flights took off from Leipzig/Halle Airport (LEJ) to Windhoek in Namibia. Medical supplies, weighing over 95 tons, such as masks and respirators needed by this south African country heavily affected by the Corona pandemic were urgently delivered with An-124-100 flights.

In total, the German government's aid delivery consisted of more than 600 pallets or 1,200 cubic meters, which have been flown to southern Africa by Volga-Dnepr Airlines, one of the long-standing airport’s partners. The direct client is the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO). A new logistics centre also initiated by ECHO for civil protection is to be built in Leipzig within the framework of the RescEU programme. The German Red Cross (DRK) will set up a new logistics centre for disaster control in the area surrounding the airport as part of the RescEU programme.

Yulia Celetaria, Global Healthcare Director for Volga-Dnepr Group, highlights: ‘Not only do these flights demonstrate our commitment toward Humanitarian sector but also come as a logical step for further development of long-lasting strategic cooperation between LEJ and Volga-Dnepr Group. Earlier this year we have signed MoU which will ramp up our capabilities in setting up an Emergency Logistics/Humanitarian Hub in LEJ and humanitarian flights to Namibia, organized in cooperation with our customer Maersk, is one of the roadmap’s steps’.

All partners involved in the further development of the airport into a humanitarian hub have also exchanged ideas in the course of flights preparation, thus enabling smooth and fast handling for these and other aid flights.

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Volga-Dnepr Airlines completes large-scale delivery of two gigantic oil well rigs to the capital of Oman.

Volga-Dnepr Airlines, the acknowledged leader in providing outsized and super heavy transportation by air, recently played an essential part in the implementation of the large-scale Omani Oil and Gas project with a smooth and seamless delivery of two gigantic oil well rigs to the capital of Oman.

The complex delivery for two advanced automated well service rigs, weighing almost 120 tons, was accomplished in partnership with Pentagon Freight Services Canada Ltd., who engaged Volga-Dnepr for a timely and efficient logistics solution to meet the end-user’s stringent delivery time whilst overcoming many challenging aspects of loading and required detailed & complex computer modelling to ensure they were safely loaded for transportation. The 6-leg flight, lasting 5 days, was organized from Calgary (Canada) to Muscat (Oman) aboard one of Volga-Dnepr’s modernized An-124-150 which has an extended payload carrying up to 150 tons including loading equipment.

Sophisticated state of the art drilling equipment, which was produced and manufactured within record time by Highwood Equipment Technologies, was loaded onto the An-124-150 with the use of specialized ramp extensions. The advanced automated oil well rigs are to be used in partnership with Al Shawamikh Oil Services within the Petroleum Development Oman’s (PDO) assigned concession areas of Bahla and Adam in North Oman.

Volga-Dnepr transports its largest outsized piece onboard An-124-150

Volga-Dnepr Airlines, the leader in air transportations for outsized and super-heavy cargoes, has recently transported a large custom-built compressor from Zurich (Switzerland) to Abu Dhabi (UAE) on its Antonov 124-150 aircraft. The delivery was organized in partnership with GEODIS, the Group’s long-standing customer.

The project has been one-of-the kind as the single piece, measuring 15.65 x 4.40 x 3.85 m and weighing 100 tons, was one of the largest out-of-gauge shipments ever carried aboard An-124-150.

The preparation covered all the steps and details involving project teams from the Shipper, Consignee, Forwarder and Operator and ticking off key milestones, ending with a site visit to ensure all open points and modifications were executed. Each step was coordinated by Volga-Dnepr Operational Base in Dubai, with load planners and commercial team being always here to support and advise.

Volga-Dnepr Airlines operates three charter flights to India from China, Ireland and Germany

Volga-Dnepr Airlines, the leader in outsize and super-heavy air freight transportations, has operated three charter flights to India from China, Ireland and Germany carrying out an aid & relief mission to help the nation in its battle against severe COVID-19 resurgence.

Over 200 tonnes of vital medical equipment containing oxygen storing containers, concentrators and cryogenic containers were delivered onboard An-124-100 and Il-76TD-90VD to various parts of India, which is experiencing a shortage in oxygen equipment amid the emerging number of new COVID-19 cases. Upon arrival at the airports, the vital medical supplies were transported to the final destinations to be tested and checked for further use.

Ekaterina Andreeva, Commercial Director of Volga-Dnepr Airlines, highlights: ‘With the situation in India worsening we have started getting charter requests for transportation of ISO tanks. Together with a team of experts from various departments and powered by competence in dangerous goods transportations we were able to advise our customers on loading, packaging, and conditions of tanks. Working in tandem with our long-standing and reliable customers, Chapman Freeborn, Maersk Special Project Logistic team and Air Charter Service India Pvt Ltd, we organized charter flights within the shortest timeframes in line with biosafety requirements and completed another humanitarian mission’.

The airline which operates the fleet of ramp freighters is capable of transporting up to 12 x 20feet ISO tanks aboard An-124-100/150 and 3 x 20feet ISO tanks aboard Il076TD-90VD, with both planes being self-sufficient in terms of loading and offloading procedures. For over 30 years of operations, the company has completed numerous charter flights to India, thus being familiar with charter processing in different airports across the country.

Yulia Celetaria, Global Healthcare Director for Volga-Dnepr Group, comments: ‘We hope that our efforts and additional medical supplies will help India in meeting the oxygen crisis. Together with our Global Healthcare team and local managers, we are able to cater to the needs of our customers and supply the world when it needs us the most'.

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Volga-Dnepr supporting cargo operations to Antarctica for the 6th year running.

All the flights were operated from Cape Town (South Africa) to Novolazarevskaya runway (Novo) in close cooperation with the Antarctic Logistics Centre International (ALCI), covering a distance of over 4,200 km and delivering over 200 tons of general cargo essential for intact and uninterrupted work of the research stations.

With Volga-Dnepr’s expertise, experience, aligned procedures and capable fleet of five IL-76TD-90VD freighters, the company was able to accomplish landing and take-off on a glacial blue ice runway which supposes great skill and competence from the crew members.

Volga-Dnepr Airlines to set up emergency logistics / humanitarian hub.

Volga-Dnepr Airlines and Leipzig/Halle Airport (LEJ) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the aim to set up an Emergency Logistics/Humanitarian Hub. The decision comes as a logical step for further development of long-lasting strategic cooperation between LEJ and Volga-Dnepr Group (the Group). Both parties agree to strengthen their unique services in the Humanitarian sector, shouldered by an expert combination of the ‘carrier-airport’ capabilities. While the Group is ready to ramp up Emergency Logistics Hub with its operational base in LEJ, 30+ years of experience and expertise in Humanitarian logistics, a diversified fleet of freighters including ramp ones which are self-sufficient for flight operations to remote or less equipped airports, LEJ is ready to offer its beneficial market-driven commercial conditions for export warehousing, long-term storage conditions for emergency cargo and terminal handling package to support the industry.

Voyager Announces the Lease Conversion of a Second 747-8F

Voyager Aviation Holdings,  announced this week that it has entered into an agreement with AirBridgeCargo Airlines and Volga-Dnepr Group to convert the operating lease on one (1) of the Company’s 747-8F aircraft into a finance lease. The transaction is the second conversion of a 747-8F operating lease with AirBridgeCargo (part of Volga-Dnepr Group) to a finance lease.

“This second lease conversion, following the first transaction announced on December 14, 2020, is indicative of the continued strength of the cargo market and performance of AirBridgeCargo and Volga-Dnepr,” said Voyager’s President & Chief Executive Officer, Mike Lungariello. “Voyager is pleased to offer innovative financing solutions to our customers, and we will continue to do so in the future when opportunities present themselves.”

Volga-Dnepr Airlines returns AN-124-100 to service following recent crash.

Photo Volga-Dnepr Group

The heavy and odd-shaped cargo specialist freight carrier Volga-Dnepr Airlines has confirmed the restart of flying operations of the Antonov An-124-100 commercial operations following a crash in November grounded the fleet.

The first plane ready after the completion of technical checks and execution of service directives to a full extent was RA-82077 completing a flight from Leipzig to Shanghai on 26th December.  

The airline suspended operations after the incident on the 13th of November 2020 which saw one of the fleet suffer an uncontained engine fan disk failure of series D-18T shortly after take-off. The failure resulted in engine failure and the loss of control systems. The bulk carrier was carrying 84 tons of cargo with full fuel tanks at the time of the incident. Despite suffering engine failure and loss of control elements, the crew still managed to avert a major disaster by making a 180-degree turn, land the aircraft, managing to keep the aircraft on the runway before skidding off the end of the runway.