Sharjah, March 1997
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After reading the book ‘Merchant of Death’ about the mysterious life of entrepreneur and gun-runner Victor Bout, I decided to share my pics, taken at Sharjah and Ras-al-Kamaj, during a short trip in March 1997, with you.
Boeing 747-206B(SUD) PH-BUR, operating KLM flight KL0501, is seen here sailing serenely, at FL340, over the barren land of Turkey, while on its way to Dubai.
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In the '90s the Emirates were overrun by nouveau riche Russian vacationers and business hustlers. The Emirates offered duty-free shopping and a wealth of Western products still unseen in Russia itself - the latest models of satellite telephones, televisions, stereos, refrigerators and a heady array of American and Japanese cars. Many Russian businessmen saw the opportunity to increase their wealth by servicing their countrymen in their gallop toward once-decadent conspicuous consumption.
In 1995 Sharjah Airport also became a free-tax zone and soon became known for its very lax oversight, corruption and close ties to Islamist radicals. Keep in-mind; the Taliban regime was then recognized by only 3 countries in the world, UAE, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. So, Sharjah was the main shopping center for Russian vacationers, but also for the Taliban. The last one, could buy arms, satellite phones, generators etc... Next to this the well-known gun-runner Victor Bout serviced Ariana Afghan Airways aircraft (the airline was controlled by the Taliban mullahs) in the open and sold them cargo aircraft to bring arms, material and more fighters in and drugs and operatives out. |
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Impressive line-up at Sharjah with some storm clouds brewing overhead.
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Pamir Air An-12BK YA-PAB is awaiting things to come at a packed Sharjah ramp. In 1999 she was transferred to Santa Cruz Imperial and registrated EL-ALJ. This An-12 appeared to be a long-time Sharjah resident and was seen in 2005 on the breakers ramp.
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Air Cess An-24RT EL-AKP seen here at Sharjah, operated by Victor Bout's flagship company, Air Cess. She held a variety of registrations; - 3D-SBP, 3D-KKM and 3C-KKM. She was last noted in 1998 at Brazzaville as 3C-KKM with Damal Airlines titles.
Who knows the present whereabouts of this aircraft? Note; - A hulking Ilyushin IL-76 can be seen emerging from the murky gloom. |
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With the Soviet Air Force on life support, Victor Bout picked up aircraft and pilots on the cheap. Many aircraft had no Certificate of Airworthiness or needed overhauls, but by putting them on a ‘flag of convenience’, where regulations was loose or non-existent. This way of working was cheap, avoided tough regulations and in some cases only an annual fee was payed and the heck with maintenance, training, AD’s, TBO’s, just fly the plane till it cannot fly ! That is why aircraft registered in places like Liberia (EL), Moldova (ER), D.R. Congo (9Q), Equatorial Guinea (3C), Sao Tome e Principe (S9), Benin (TY), Central African Republic (TL), Kyrgyzstan (EX), etc., were and some still are, popular.
Viola Avia Trans IL-18V RA-75554 sitting pretty at the Sharjah ramp on March 16, 1997.
Ilyushin IL-18V RA-75554, was manufactured at the Moscow Machinery Plant No. 30 (located at Khodynka Airport) in 1965 and enjoyed a long and various career. She operated respectively for Interflug (DDR-STI), IL-18 Cargo, Ber-line, German European Airlines, Viola Avia Trans and Ramaer Cargo. Fate hit a blow when on December 17, 1997, the Ilyushin was operating a cargo flight from Johannesburg to Bujumbura. The Ilyushin had been cleared for a runway 03L take-off. The take-off run was normal until VR. At VR the captain experienced high elevator stick forces and the plane failed to accelerate further. Take-off was aborted and the aircraft overran the runway. The nose-gear struck a threshold light and the left main gear-leg collapsed after striking a concrete plinth. The no. 1 engine separated from the wing and a fire erupted. It appeared that the aircraft was overloaded by 5 ton and the forward CofG was outside limits.
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Bin Mahfooz Aviation Boeing 727-228 C5-CMB seen here at Sharjah with her her port JT8D missing.
This Boeing 727-200 was delivered new to Air France. After years of faithful passenger service she was sold to Bin Mahfooz Aviation in 1993 and became J2-KHB. The 727 was re-registered to C5-DMB in 1994. In 2002 she was seen in bad condition at Addis Ababa.
Many African carriers brought their planes to Ethopian Airlines for maintenance. Planes that were irreparable were just parked behind the ET hangar but the same also happened when the company was not able to pay for work done. It seems, ET has started to clean up this area lately, so I persume the 727 has been broken-up by now! |
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Built in the '70 for Aeroflot as CCCP-85561 this series B2, seen on one of Sharjah's aprons in March 1997, was acquired by BSL in August 1992. Ukrainian Cargo Airways took her over in July 1999 and re-registered her UR-UCZ. In the following years she changed hands a couple of times. Other Ukrainian operators were; UM Air (Ukrainian Medeiterranean Airlines) and UC Airways. Coincidently, I spotted this '154' in June 2018 at the military compond of Kiev Intl. Airport in a very scruffy condition.
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It was the Moscow Machinery Plant No. 30, located at Moscow-Khodynka Airport, where this beautiful IL-18V was manufactured. After many faithful years in service with Aeroflot, Elf Air became the new owner in March 1993. She retained her original registation RA-75811. In May '96 she was leased to ILAVIA and photographed by me as such. In February 1998 she returned to Elf Air. This company was re-named Grizodubova Air Company in October 2002. During September 2004, the Iluyshin was again re-registrated, this time as EX-028. The following year she was sold to Sevastopol Avia to become UR-SEV. Unfortunately, her career Ukranian airfirm was short, as just three years later she was parted-out & scrapped at Sevastopol.
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Sadly, it was a murky day for our ramp-tour!
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This particular aircraft began service with Condor Flugdienst in February 1965. Eventually she jointed MME Farms in November 1982. During 2008 she was stored Southend-on-Sea and one year later she was parted-out. Her fuselage and tail were transported on a flatbed truck to Bournemouth.
Note; - In the background, sharing the overcast, is an Hinduja Cargo Service-owned Boeing 727-200F, which just landed. |
Parked in a remote corner of Sharjah Airport, I found this mauled Antonov An-8.
This Ivchenko AI-20D powered leviathan first flew in 1961. She became part of Victor Bout's Air Fleet somewhere in the mid '90s and wore the registration EL-ALE. In March '98 she was transferred to Santa Cruz Imperial, another air firm of Mr. Bout. 'EL-ALE' her career was cut short as just one year later she was reported damaged beyond repair in a take-off accident from Mogadishu airport.
One of Victor Bout's mechanics is giving the dusty old engine a well needed check.
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The Certificate of Airworthiness was available in the cockpit of An-8 'EL-ALE'.
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In December 1951, the Russian government initiated the design of a twin-engined assault transport aircraft, powered by two turboprop engines and fitted with a large rear cargo door to allow vehicles to be driven straight into the hold. Other features were; - a large unpressurized hold, a manned tail gun position, chin radome for navigation/mapping radar and a glazed nose for the navigator. Given the service designation An-8, the new transport was built in the GAZ-34 factory in Tashkent from 1957 to 1961. The majority of An-8's built served in the Soviet Air Force. They continued in large-scale use on frontline military duties in the Soviet Air Force until the 1970s, when many were later transferred to Aeroflot for use as freighters.
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Following a series of accidents in the early 1990's, the An-8 was withdrawn from use in Russia. This, however, did not mean the end of the An-8, as a number were sold overseas with a few aircraft observed flying in the Middle East and until recently, in Liberia, the DRC and Angola, (especially airlines associated with the Russian businessman and alleged arms dealer Viktor Bout). This, despite that the Antonov Aeronautical company had withdrawn the airworthiness certificate and support for the type in 2004, ending legal use of the aircraft.
Russian mechanics are giving the old freighter a well needed check.
An-8 'EL-ALE' is seen here disgorging a respectable load of goat meat at Sharjah, on March 17, 1997.
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Santa Cruz Imperial An-8 J2-KBG This one later became EL-AKY and later flew again in Africa as S9-DBC for Kisangi Airlift. She was stored at Goma, DRC, since 2009. She was finally scrapped in the following years.
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Close cropped front starboard side view of Santa Cruz Imperial An-8 J2-KBG. She is seen parked at a disused taxiway at Sharjah on March 16, 1997, in dull cloudy conditions.
Completely worn out An-8's were real moneymakers for Victor Bout.
At Sharjah, Russian aircraft were everywhere, these aircraft were very cheap to buy, as after the fall of the USSR there were hundreds of aircraft just parked throughout the former Soviet Union. In fact, it was the abundance of cheap aircraft, pilots and mechanics that gave gun-runner Viktor Bout to start an air charter airline, which eventually grew to 30+ aviation companies with 50+ aircraft from AN-8’s, AN-26’s, to IL-76 freighters.
Tatarstan Tu-154B-2 RA-85804 is a former Czech Government aircraft. She was withdrawn from use in 2002 and scrapped at Kazan in August 2007.
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Pulkovo Aviation IL-86 RA-86106 is seen here, still in her dull Aeroflot uniform.
Wide-body airliner RA-86106 began life in October 1989 with Aeroflot. In the first week of '97 she was transferred to Pulkovo at Leningrad. Here she was withdrawn from use during November 2008. She is presently used by local art-painters.
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Many airports had terminals too small for Aerobuses. In the West, the solution to this involved constructing greater airport capacity. By contrast, Soviet aviation research institutes addressed ways of increasing passenger throughput without the need for additional airport capacity. Many Soviet airports also had surfaces too weak for Aerobuses. The Soviet solution again favored adapting aircraft to existing conditions, rather than reconstructing airports. The Aerobus thus had to match the ground loadings of existing airliners. This called for complex multi-wheel landing gear.
The Soviet solution to the airport capacity issue involved passengers loading and unloading their own luggage into and from the aircraft. This was eventually called "the luggage at hand system". Taking suitcases into the cabin, as in trains, was studied, but necessitated a 3 meter fuselage extension with a 350-seat capacity. To avoid this, passengers were to deposit their luggage in underfloor compartments as they entered the airliner.
The Soviet solution to the airport capacity issue involved passengers loading and unloading their own luggage into and from the aircraft. This was eventually called "the luggage at hand system". Taking suitcases into the cabin, as in trains, was studied, but necessitated a 3 meter fuselage extension with a 350-seat capacity. To avoid this, passengers were to deposit their luggage in underfloor compartments as they entered the airliner.
A Russian star from yesteryear is seen here, in the third week of March 1997, at Sharjah Airport.
Originally delivered in Augustus 1967 to Aeroflot as CCCP-75449, this aircraft retired after 30 years of service with the Artic division of the Soviet Airline and was bought in 1997 by Ramaer. A year later she was transfered to a 'private owner' and registated in Sudan as ST-APZ. Ownership changed again and in December 1999 the IL-18 wat registrated to Phoenix Aviation. Phoenix on their turn leased the Ilyushin to Jubba Airlines. In the first months of 2000 she received yet another registration when she was registrated in Kyrgyzstan as EX-75449. In 2005 she underwent a major engine overhaul and seemed to obtain a new lease of life. However she was also one of the last Il-18's operated by Phoenix before they were replaced with 737-200s.
Who knows the present whereabouts of this aircraft?
Who knows the present whereabouts of this aircraft?
Broadshouldered Trans Avia Export IL-76, EW-78827, takes a breather at Sharjah, with an Air Cess Antonov sitting in the background.
Trans AVIA export Airlines is a Belarusian national airline involved in air transportation of cargo. It is based at Minsk International Airport in Belarus, with a hub at Sharjah International Airport, in the United Arab Emirates.
EW-78827 is (Oct. 2020) still active with Zet-Avia as UR-CIB.
EW-78827 is (Oct. 2020) still active with Zet-Avia as UR-CIB.
Veteran Airlines IL-76MD RA-86846 in an awfully bland livery, was in March 1997 a bit rough looking, but still a good performing IL-76MD. In 1999 she was abandoned at Umm-Al-Quwain. See the story here-under.
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The Soviet era aircraft was designed as a strategic airlifter and was built for the Soviet Air Force in 1975 under the registration CCCP-86715. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the plane was then operated by the Russian Air Force until the mid-1990's, with registration RA-86715. Then, the plane was re-registered as EL-RDT to Air Cess in 1997, 3D-RTT to Air Pass in 1998 and then was registered to Centrafrican Airlines from 1998 to 2000. This is where it gets interesting... all these airlines were connected to Viktor Bout. His planes carried cargo and arms from Eastern Europe via the Middle East, to Africa. Which, in no doubt, subsequently, led to him being banned from entering the UAE in the early 2000's and his arrest in Thailand in 2008. He is now currently serving a 25-year sentence in a US jail.
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A wet Thursday morning in Sharjah, ..... so I thought this damp looking photo is a fitting one to share with you!
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Anyone who has visited Umm-Al-Quwain will be familiar with the abandoned plane found at the old airfield, but what's it's story?
Umm-Al-Quwain is situated in the north, beyond Ajman and is home to two popular family destinations that are great to visit; - Dreamland Aquapark and the Barracuda Beach Resort. Anyone who has headed this way will no doubt spot the large, abandoned and very old aircraft that now lies in the grounds of the old airport. She was flown, by a brave Victor Bout's crew, to Umm-Al-Quwain and serves as an advertising platform for the nearby Palma Beach Hotel.
Umm-Al-Quwain is situated in the north, beyond Ajman and is home to two popular family destinations that are great to visit; - Dreamland Aquapark and the Barracuda Beach Resort. Anyone who has headed this way will no doubt spot the large, abandoned and very old aircraft that now lies in the grounds of the old airport. She was flown, by a brave Victor Bout's crew, to Umm-Al-Quwain and serves as an advertising platform for the nearby Palma Beach Hotel.
Production of Il-76s was allocated to the Tashkent Aviation Production Association in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, then a republic of the Soviet Union.
Some 860 of the basic transport variants were manufactured.
Some 860 of the basic transport variants were manufactured.
The behemoth is powered by four Soloviev D-30KP turbofan engines, mounted on underwing pylons and housed in individual pods secured on the engines.
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This aircraft, 9L-LBK, was first delivered to the Soviet Air Force as CCCP-86909. In 1995 she went to work for Atlant Soyuz from Moscow. The next year she was sold to Air Sultan who registrated, her 'for obvious reasons' in Sierra Leone as 9L-LBK. In the following years the leviathan went on to operate for exoticly named operators as; - Qeshm Air and Atlas Air Iran. After her Iranian adventure she finally was registrated to Phoenix Aviation as ST-CAC.
In 2009 her service life was over and she was chopped-up at Al-Fujairah. |
A classic early Turbo Propliner is this Viola Avia Trans Iluyshin IL-18 LZ-AZO.
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This aircraft was delivered from the Khodynka production line in the mid '60 and served with Interflug until the final months of 1991. The next four years she spent flying for German outfits, like Ber-Line and German European Airlines, before she was leased to Viola Avia Trans from Russia. In October 1996 she went to Bulgarian register as LZ-AZO and operated for the dubious airfirm European Airlines. During the years with 'European' she also wore registration EL-ADY and T9-ABB. In February of the year 1999 she became part of the questionable Phoenix Airlines. In March 2005 Anikay Air titles were displayed on the Iluyshin with the Kyrgyzsian registration EX-405. As such she was spotted and photographed at Palma Mallorca in March 2005.
Who knows the whereabouts of this Iluyshin? |
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The cockpit sections of these Iluyshins stands out against the gloom of a March day at Sharjah Airport in 1997.
The long-nosed front fuselage of the Il-18 was unusual in having a pressure bulkhead immediately ahead of the cockpit and a long way from the tip of the nose.
Looking like a freighter should look.
In March 1997 this shabby An-8 was owned by Interstate Airways. In 1998 she was handed over to an airfirm called Southern Gateway. She was still flying in 2000 as EL-WHL for Southern Gateway. Apparently she disappeared in Africa and it's rumored to be scrapped around 2002.
Note; - This An-8 was still operating well after the type certificate was withdrawn, but it has not been reported since.
Who knows the present whereabouts of this aircraft?
Note; - This An-8 was still operating well after the type certificate was withdrawn, but it has not been reported since.
Who knows the present whereabouts of this aircraft?
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Arms smugglers supplied the arms to create the carnage and human disasters that the UN then had to help deal with, so you make money on the arms that fueled the wars and then you fly the food and medicine’s to ‘heal’ the damages from the war, sad world indeed.
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Ice, hail and rain have battered away the paint from the radome and the fuselage skin aft of the cockpit windows, making this workhorse look a little the worse for wear.
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Viktor Bout’s Air Cess and his web of aviation companies that fueled the wars, flew the diamonds and rare metals stolen during those wars and then flew in UN peacekeepers, food, medicine and supplies needed for restoration after the wars.
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Air Cess An-12 EL-RDL was transferred to Victor Bout's Central African Airlines as TL-ACR.
She was stored at Ras Al Khaimah since 2002 and is most likely scrapped in the meantime. Who knows the present whereabouts of this aircraft? |
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Flight FLV An-12 RA-11003 is seen here still wearing Special Cargo Air colors. One year later she was sold to Air West Sudan as ST-AWM. She was stored at SHJ and is most likely scrapped by now.
Who knows the present whereabouts of this aircraft?
Who knows the present whereabouts of this aircraft?
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Many of the An-12's at Sharjah were ratty looking.
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Air Cess An-24RV EL-AKO of Air Cess left the Kiev aircraft factory in the mid 70's and was absorbed in Aeroflot's massive An-24 fleet. During the mid 90's she was acquired by Victor Bout's Air Cess. There are reports that she's seen stored at Brazzaville.
Who knows the present whereabouts of this aircraft?
Who knows the present whereabouts of this aircraft?
With 5,250 ehp of tired iron, turning on either side, EL-AKM is held against the brakes.
The comparatively rare An-8 is a high-wing design from which the An-10 and An-12 were born. The first aircraft was built at Kiev-Svyatoshino, factory # 473, the prototype was first flown on February 11, 1956. Production subsequently switched to Tashkent factory # 84. The aircraft was equipped with AI-20D turboprop engines. The type entered service with the military in the late 1950's.
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Even in 1997 the number of active An-8's were rapidly dwindling.
Air Cess An-8, EL-AKM, was noted stored around 2000 at Kigali Airport, Ruanda. She is probably scrapped soon afterwards.
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Pictured in the twilight of its career, Sultan Aviation An-8 RA-69334, stands idle on the ramp at Sharjah, in March 1997.
Since December 1994, some An-8's have appeared on several African, Middle East and Asian registers, often with Sharjah as being their home base. By early 1997, the An-8 was no longer allowed to fly in the CIS, also causing those left as being airworthy to flee to these so called "convenience registers". Probably less than twenty were still serviceable by the turn of the century.
This An-8 has been manufactured in 1960 for delivery to the Soviet Air Force. After retirement from the military, she was transferred to Aeroflot. In February 1996 was acquired by Sultan Aviation and retaining her registration RA-69334. In 1997 she became part of Victor Bout's Air Fleet. In October of that year she was re-registrated EL-WVA and went working for another fictitious airfirm, Air Pass. She was damaged beyond repair at Kalemie, DRC, after she overshot the runway in May 2002.
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The An-8 was not, as often thought, regarded as a stopgap until the An-12 became available; in fact, at the development stage there was a large anti An-12 lobby in the Soviet Air Force which claimed that the new type was unnecessary and the cheaper An-8, which also required less metal to build, would cater for all of the Soviet Army's transport needs in the foreseeable future. So both the Soviet Air Force and the Soviet industry used the An-8 not only as a cheaper option than the An-12 but also more useful when volume was required rather than payload and the runway was long enough. Actually the next 40 years of service proved this to be right. Little over a hundred aircraft that were surviving by the early seventies were withdrawn from military service and civil registered.
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Air Cess Iluyhsin IL-18 EL-AKQ in driving rain at Sharjah.
Iluyshin EL-AKQ takes a break between operations at Sharjah, on this rather dull and wet day in March 1997.
In 1995 Sharjah became a free tax zone and soon became known for its very lax oversight, corruption and close ties to Islamist radicals. The emirate Sharjah allowed its airport to be used by many dubious operators like Viktor Bout’s flagship firm Air Cess. In Sharjah, aircraft could be de-registered overnight and registered somewhere else the next day. Air Cess, Air Pass, Santa Cruz Imperial Airlines, Bukavu Aviation, Centrafrican Airlines, etc. aircraft could be seen in all the major war-zones. Sharjah was also the main shopping center for the Afghan Taliban regime, it could buy arms, satellite phones to generators and Bout serviced Ariana Afghan Airways (the airline was controlled by the Taliban mullahs) aircraft there in the open. Bout also sold them cargo aircraft to bring arms, material and more fighters in and drugs and operatives out.
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This aircraft and the shady airlines it worked for have been linked to the notorious arms dealer Viktor Bout. According to researchers it was previously EL-AKQ, 3D-SBQ and 3C-KKL. Under the Kazakh registration UN-75005 its operators were named as Air Cess, 'Air Bas', 'Linee Aerienne Tchad' in late 2003 and then Irbis Air Company. Irbis became Mega Airlines and this machine became UP-I1801. It was flying between Djibouti and Somalia in the early 2000's. She seems presently stored at Berbera, Somalia.
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Hinduja Cargo Services Boeing 727-243 N59412 was a Lufthansa Cargo venture.
The, in 1980 manufactured Boeing 727-200, started her airline career with Alitalia as I-DIRN. Five years later, she was sold to Newark based, People Express. In 1998 People Express was taken-over by Continental Airlines.
In August 1996, the 727 was sold to Hinduja Cargo. After only four years the Indian adventure was over and out. Via broker Pacific Coast Group the 727 was sold in November 2000, to Total Linhas Aereas as PT-MTQ . It seem that the freighter is still active in superb condition. |
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Nice line-up at Sharjah in March 1997.
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Russian Ministry for Emergency Situations (MChS) IL-76 RA-76363 is still active in 2020!
Production of Il-76's was allocated to the Tashkent Aviation Production Association in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, then a republic of the Soviet Union. Some 860 of the basic transport variants were manufactured.
The Il-76M aircraft is powered by four Soloviev D-30KP turbofan engines, mounted on underwing pylons and housed in individual pods secured on the engines. |
Russian hardware on a wet soaked Sharjah tarmac in March 1997.
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Originally delivered to the Soviet Air Force in August 1980 as RA-78843, the Iluyshin passed through a succession of owners, including Aviacon Zitotrans. She is still active (2020) with Trans AVIA Export.
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Iluyshin IL-78, UR-76690 takes a break at Sharjah in the spring of 1997, wearing the titles of BSL Airline over her previous Aeroflot scheme.
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BSL Airline IL-78M 'Midas' UR-76690. The Il-78 is a tanker plane version of the Il-76, but could be converted back for transport flights. After a couple of years she was sold as a tanker to the Algerian Air Force registrated 7T-WIN. She appears to be in active service in 2020.
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IL-76 RA-76507, with its engine covers on, was operated by Tyumen Airlines. Tyumen Airlines took the IL-76 over from Aeroflot as RA-76507 in 1994. Tyumen Airlines sold the freighter to Iran in 2004, where she was registrated ER-IBD. In 2008 she became part of the SkyLink Arabia fleet and was registrated RDPL-34155. But then her career dead-ends as the Iluyshin was seen in store at Ras-al-Kamaj.
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Most commercially operated IL-76's in the late 1980's and early 1990's owed their livelihood to the cargo business, this veteran Iluyshin IL-76TD freighter being photographed between flights at Sharjah in March 1997
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The Iluyshins wait on the cargo ramp at Sharjah Airport for the hectic late afternoon rush to begin when they will be loaded up with packages and parcels and dispatched to their Russian home bases.
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Novosibirsk Airlines IL-76TD RA-76446.
Originally delivered to Aeroflot as CCCP-76446, she passed through a succession of owners, including Novosibirsk Airlines and Gazpromavia, before ending up with Shar Ink, a Moscow based charter cargo airline. In 2013 Shar Ink leased the heavyweight freighter to Hondurian, Ceiba Cargo. It now bounces around the globe as 3C-TM06 with the Equatorial Guinea Air Force.
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Aviaenergo has an unique paint scheme on its IL-76TD, RA-76843.
In 2000 she was exported to Libya and operated for airfirms like; - Cen-Sad, Transafrican Air Cargo and Libyan Arab Air Cargo.
In December 2015 she was sold to Trans AVIA Export of Belarus. I have been informed that she's stored at Minsk.
In December 2015 she was sold to Trans AVIA Export of Belarus. I have been informed that she's stored at Minsk.
Tashkent Aircraft Production Corporation IL-76TD UK-76427 pauses between flights.
UK-76427 rolled-off the Tashkent Aviation Production Association factory in April 91. This IL-76 has spent its entire life with Tashkent Aircraft Production Corporation before she was being stored in 2016.
During our visit to the UAE's we only had cool temperatures and soggy, rainy days.
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Thumbs—up, the chocks are taken away from the nose wheel and taxi clearance is received for runway 12. - Notice the german flag on fuselage.
SAN Airlines, another rare airline on Sharjah's glory days. Tu-154M RA-85824 was delivered new to LOT-Polish Airliens as SP-LCE. In June 1996 she was sold to Bashkirian who leased her to SAN Airlines. Ten years later she changed hands again and Continental Airways became the new proud owner. Four years later the ship was withdrawn from use and broken-up at Ufa during 2011.
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Varna International Airways Tu-154M LZ-MIG on Sharjah's tarmac, which was flooded from the deluge we had experienced minutes before.
In November 2006 she was sold to UTair and re-registrated RA-85013. She was finally broken-up at Ufa Airport in June 2014.
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Ariana Afghan Airlines Boeing 727-228 YA-FAY takes a break between operations.
This airframe, which was bought from Air France, was the only surviving Ariana 727 at Kabul, after the US Air raid of October 2001.
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Gods and/or Allah's best Boeing, thé 727.
The 727 was the first commercial airliner to be fitted with triple-slotted trainline edge flaps. These intricately engineered flap system, added to the full-span leading-edge flap, increase wing area by 25 per cent when fully deployed and help dramatically reduce the 727’s take-off and landing distances.
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Ariana Afghan Airlines Boeing 727-113C awaits her passangers at Sharjah on March 16, 1997. Unfortunately this aircraft, which was operated by Ariana since 1970, was destroyed by an US Air raid at Kabul Airport during October 2001.
The 727 was actually the first jet airliner to be equipped with an auxiliary power unit and integral airstairs, thereby given it independence from ground equipment such as that shown in this photograph.
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The 727 was designed for smaller airports, so independence from ground facilities was an important requirement. This led to one of the 727's most distinctive features: the built—in air stair that opens from the rear underbelly of the fuselage, which initially could be opened in flight. Hijacker D. B. Cooper parachuted from the back of a 727 as it was flying over the Pacific Northwest. Boeing subsequently modified the design with the Cooper vane so that the air stair could not be lowered in flight.
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The side-loading cargo door can be distinguished mid-way along the forward fuselage.
The earlier short-fuselage version has not retained the high second-hand values associated with stretched late-build 727-200 and -200 Advanced airframes built towards the end of the production line in 1984.
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Air Sofia An-12B LZ-SFK with Air Mark titles, was originally delivered in 1964 to the Soviet Air Force. This aircraft retired after 28 years of service with the Soviets and was bought in 1992 by Air Sofia. The Bulgarians leased Antonov to a succesion of air firms like; - Turkish Airlines, Air Afrique, SriLankan Airlines, DHL Air and Air Mark Singapore. In September 2007 she was sold to United Intl. Airlines YU-UIC for operations by the Yugoslav Air Force. Already in November 2008 she changed hands again. S Group Aviation became the new owner who registrated her EX-153. In the mid 2000's she is seen stored at Al Fujairah all white with L.A. Colombe Cargo titels.
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Polet Flight An-12 RA-11325 is seen here awaiting her next mission.
She was sold by Victor Bout to Ariana Afghan Airlines and destroyed by an US bomb raid at Kabul in October 2001.
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Ural Airlines Tu-154-B2 RA-85349 is pushed back in pouring rain at Sharjah airport at the start of her long journey to her home-base at Yekaterinburg Airport. She was broken-up at Yekaterinburg during 2007 .
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Elf Air IL-18Gr RA-75431 nosing up to the camera on a disused taxiway at Sharjah in March 1997.
The Moscow Machinery Plant No. 30, located at Khodynka, near where the Ilyushin design office and the prototype had been built, was also the place where CCCP-75431 was manufactured in 1960. The Ivchenko powered turboprop, was delivered new to Aeroflot. After 34-years of faithfull service she was transfered to Elf Air in August 1994.
Elf Air was a subsidiary of the Zhukovsky Research Institute, which was renamed into LIIPim (Flight Research Institute named after Grizubudovoy). Consequently Elf Air was renamed Grizobudovoy Aviation Company. (Grizubudovoy was a famous and highly decorated Hero of the Soviet Union).
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In 2000, the Iluyshin was sold to Compagnie Africaine d'Aviation as 9Q-CHB. Eight years later she was broken up at Kinshasa.
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Loading-up Elf Air IL-18Gr RA-75431 to the gills at Sharjah, with a cargo destined for Sochi, Russia.
Santa Cruz Imperial Antonov-12 caught on camera at a disused Sharjah taxiway on March 17, 1997.
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Victor Bout's Santa Cruz Imperial An-12B EL-ALA was an ex Aeroflot machine and wore registration CCCP-12991 at the start of her career. Later-on, like so many of Bout's freighters, she changed hands numerous time. Fictious Lotus Airways Cargo operated her on Sierra Leone registration 3C-ZZD. In 2007 she was again re-registrated, this time to South Airlines of Armenia as EK-12777. Next owner was Miapet Avia and registration EK-12305. She was destroyed in a landing incident at Bagram on May 06, 2019.
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Santa Cruz Imperial An-12 is a great looking brute.
Aeroflot Tu-154M RA-85728 IS about to place its set of rubber down on the Sharjah's runway 12, in March 1997.
This '154' is stored at Mirnyy and seen as such in 2018.
This '154' is stored at Mirnyy and seen as such in 2018.
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Tajikistan Airlines, 1962-built Tu-154-B2 registrated EY-85466, has just touched down at Sharjah.
She was broken-up at Dushanbe during 2009. |
Hinduja Cargo Service Boeing 727-243(F) N14416 clearing the active runway at Sharjah.
The, in 1981 manufactured Boeing 727-200, started her airline career with Alitalia as I-DIRS. Five years later, in 1985, she was sold to Newark based, People Express. In 1998 People Express was taken-over by Continental Airlines. In August 1996 the 727 was sold to Hinduja Cargo.
After only two years in service with Hinduja fate hit a blow. On July 07, 1999, the 727 operated Lufthansa Cargo Flight LH8533. The freighter departed runway 20 at Kathmandu, Nepal for a flight to Delhi, India. The plane was carrying about 21 tons of cargo, mostly woolen carpet, when it crashed.
While climbing after take-off, the aircraft proceeded across the 4 DME arc prior to commencing a shallow right turn. As the aircraft was in a 10-degree right bank turn at approximately 4.4 DME crossing the Kathmandu VOR/DME on the 247 degree radial, the GPWS warning sounded. The stick shaker activated 11 seconds after the initial GPWS warning as the speed dropped below 171 knots. The aircraft impacted terrain in the Champadevi hills at the 7550 feet level, 6 NM south west of Kathmandu VOR/DME.
After only two years in service with Hinduja fate hit a blow. On July 07, 1999, the 727 operated Lufthansa Cargo Flight LH8533. The freighter departed runway 20 at Kathmandu, Nepal for a flight to Delhi, India. The plane was carrying about 21 tons of cargo, mostly woolen carpet, when it crashed.
While climbing after take-off, the aircraft proceeded across the 4 DME arc prior to commencing a shallow right turn. As the aircraft was in a 10-degree right bank turn at approximately 4.4 DME crossing the Kathmandu VOR/DME on the 247 degree radial, the GPWS warning sounded. The stick shaker activated 11 seconds after the initial GPWS warning as the speed dropped below 171 knots. The aircraft impacted terrain in the Champadevi hills at the 7550 feet level, 6 NM south west of Kathmandu VOR/DME.
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Gulf Air, 1994-built Boeing 767-300 A40-GZ, has just touched down at Sharjah's runway 12, on March 16, 1997. She ended her career with Iraqi Airways as YI-AQW. The 767 was stored in March 2017.
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Lufthansa Cargo Boeing 747-230B
D-ABZC blasting out of Sharjah, on March 16, 1997. The Jumbo-Jet is stored at Marana since December 2004. |
Ras-al-Kamaj airport.
These aircraft are pictured under a rain-washed northwestern sky in the spring of 1997.
These aircraft are pictured under a rain-washed northwestern sky in the spring of 1997.
Busol Airline IL-76 UR-76415 is powered by four Soloviev D-30KP turbofan engines, mounted on underwing pylons and housed in individual pods secured on the engines. Ras-al-Kamaj, March 17, 1997.
On July 17, 1998, the Ilyushin met her untimely end. She was chartered by the Bulgarian company Air Sofia and operated a Bourgas (BOJ) to Asmara (ASM) flight. The plane was on an instrument approach to Asmara and reported on finals with runway in sight. A little later the aircraft struck a hill 4,4 km from the airport at an altitude of 2321 m/7618 feet. this Iluyshin met her untimely end in 1998. On July 17, 1998, the Ilyushin was chartered by the Bulgarian company Air Sofia and operated a Bourgas (BOJ) to Asmara (ASM) flight. The plane was on an instrument approach to Asmara and reported on finals with runway in sight. A little later the aircraft struck a hill 4,4 km from the airport at an altitude of 2321 m/7618 feet.
Tashkent Aircraft Production Corporation An-12BP UK-11807 stands under a rain laden sky.
The Antonov was still seen in working order during 2008.
She was last noted stored Tashkent - Vostochny in 2018. The airfield is now closed, so she will end-up as scrap.
She was last noted stored Tashkent - Vostochny in 2018. The airfield is now closed, so she will end-up as scrap.
A supposedly anonymous IL-78 is seen parked at Ras-al-Kamaj on a wet morning in March 1997, but the registration (UR-78734) identifies it as one of the Atlant-SV Aircompany fleet out of Simferopol.
In May 2018 she was registrated UR-CRP and owned by Yevropa Air. In the early hours of July 26, 2019, while being parked at al-Jufra (Libya), she was destroyed when was attacked by a TB2 "Bayraktar" UAV.
In May 2018 she was registrated UR-CRP and owned by Yevropa Air. In the early hours of July 26, 2019, while being parked at al-Jufra (Libya), she was destroyed when was attacked by a TB2 "Bayraktar" UAV.