A critical shipment of gold mining equipment from Türkiye to Canada was recently completed by a chartered AN-124-100 flight operated by ANTONOV Airlines, in coordination with Air Charter Service Canada. The cargo, destined for a mine in Northern British Columbia, was urgently needed to avoid costly operational delays.
The equipment originated in Istanbul and was the only available unit from a Turkish supplier. With downtime looming at the Canadian mine, time was not on their side. That’s when the AN-124—one of the world’s largest cargo aircraft—was called into action. But moving such a massive and uniquely shaped component wasn’t without its hurdles.The piece was transported on a special frame. It was loaded into the cargo cabin of the AN-124-100 through the rear door using onboard cranes.
Facing Technical Constraints on the Ground
Before the aircraft could even take off, engineers had to address unexpected technical challenges during the cargo securing process. The clock was ticking, and the pressure was on. According to insiders, the initial load plan didn’t meet the strict safety compliance required for the transatlantic haul. The teams on both sides had to quickly adapt.
Working around the clock, ANTONOV Airlines‘ specialists and the supplier’s engineers managed to modify the restraints and implement a solution that satisfied both air safety standards and the shipment’s tight timeline.
A Strategic Partnership That Delivered
This high-stakes mission highlights the value of agile collaboration in project logistics. Air Charter Service Canada brought in the right aircraft at the right time, leveraging their partnership with ANTONOV Airlines to deliver critical cargo over 8,500 kilometers—on schedule.
.
