One of the world’s biggest planes, the Antonov AN-124, landed at RNZAF Base Ohakea near Palmerston North just before 12:40 p.m. on 16th April after flying nearly five hours from American Samoa.
The plane delivered important parts for a new training facility for the Air Force’s P-8A Poseidon aircraft, which help patrol New Zealand’s oceans. The landing was a major event, with at least 2,000 people tracking the flight online as it crossed the country.
The Antonov AN-124 is known for its incredible size, with 24 wheels and the ability to carry up to 400 tonnes of cargo. It was designed in Ukraine in the 1970s and is still the largest military transport plane in use today. The Air Force called it a “colossal” plane, and many aviation fans were thrilled to see it land.
The new training centre will include a full-motion flight simulator that looks and feels like a real cockpit. This will allow pilots to practice flying in different situations, including bad weather and emergencies, without leaving the ground. Sarah Minson from the Defence Ministry said the simulator will help crews stay skilled and keep the real planes ready for important missions.
Because so many people wanted to watch the plane arrive, the Defence Force asked the public to stay safe and avoid blocking State Highway 1. They recommended using quieter roads like Fagan Road to view the landing.
The P-8A training facility is part of a larger $2.3 billion project that also brought four new patrol planes to New Zealand in 2023. The new training centre is expected to be ready next year.
