Volga-Dnepr Airlines has used the special two-tier car racking system developed for its An-124-100 freighter fleet to deliver 30 Mercedes vehicles to Luanda in Angola for the inauguration ceremony of newly-elected president, Joao Lourenco.

The 90-tonne payload was transported from Leipzig/Halle Airport on behalf of the Angolan Embassy in Germany. It consisted of a fleet of Mercedes cars comprising 25 luxury sedans, three police cars and two heavy armoured G-class vehicles. Including tooling, the total load exceeded 110 tonnes.

Volga’s two-tier platform enables cars and 4x4s to be driven onboard the An-124-100 and parked safely inside its spacious cargo cabin.

Volga-Dnepr’s deputy head of its load planning centre, Alexander Prokofiev says: “The vehicles were carefully loaded inside the An-124-100 freighter with minimum clearances. This was completed by our expert drivers who have special experience of loading vehicles using our two-tier racking system, with the assistance of staff from Volga-Dnepr’s operations base at Leipzig and the airport authority.

“Our local team managed the expeditious preparation of the aircraft, installation of the necessary tooling, and loading procedures to ensure the flight was ready to depart on schedule to support such an important event in Angola.”