Once again interrupting the North Korean series. This time to give you a couple of photos of the biggest flying plane in the world! The Antonov 225 Mriya. Only one is flyable. The one and only. Created in the Soviet Union to transport the Buran space shuttle. Now is hired for ultra heavy and large cargo shipments that can not be done by land. It has been a couple of times to Leipzig - but I never could make it there. This time, not only it landed closer to Warsaw, but also I had plenty of free time. The "Dream" (this is what Mriya stands for in Ukrainian) came to Ostrava, just behind the PL-CZ border. A five hour drive from Warsaw. Marvelous! I found a couple of mates to fill the car and we set off.
When at the airport we didn't have many occasions to test camera settings. Not much traffic here. Just a couple of mere GA and a Lufthansa A321 returning to Germany on a technical callsign. Fellow spotters were already set for the arrival, occupying various spots. From behind close to the fence, through standing in the middle of the field to being on a raised hide. A merry atmosphere could be felt, everyone was excited and happy about what was soon going to happen. She suddenly appeared in the sky. A beast, a monster, a cow - however you call her. Mighty sure she is. Touchdown. And she's gone behind the buildings. Time to go and have a look from a closer distance. People crowding to get to the best location for a photo, taking patiently their turns. People standing in line to get a perspective from a higher point.
All in all, we drove 5 hours one way to get a photo of one airplane - this is possible only with really crazy people :D
May the photos speak for the beauty of this unique machine.
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| Coming in to land. |
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| How to spot - part 1 |
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| LH A321 departing leaving a cloud of dust behind. |
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| Here she is! |
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| Nearly on the ground |
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| Almost there! |
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| Welcome on Czech soil. |
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| How to spot - part 2 (EPKT edition) |
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| How to spot - part 3 |
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| Waiting for the loading procedure to be completed. |
Oh! I would have forgotten. I was supposed to have a photo session with the giant on the 1st of February but due to independent circumstances it has been canceled. Pity. Anyway, I still have a couple frames that I want to take of this beast. So I'll have to wait for proper circumstances again.
Cheers.
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