About 150 enthusiasts comprising staff of KLIA and airlines based there gathered to view the aircraft.

Malaysia Airlines technician Mohamad Nor Fathin Zulkifli, 24, described the event as a rare experience. “It is a once in a lifetime opportunity for me to see this plane, as it is only operated once or twice a year in the sky,” he said.

The Ukrainian-designed cargo plane, the only one ever made, touched down at 8.30am from India to refuel, after stops at Prague, Turkmenbashi since taking off from Kiev.

Its chief pilot Antonov Dmytrov said the plane is currently the world’s longest and heaviest aircraft. It is 84 metres long and 18 metres high,the equivalent to a five-storey building, and a wingspan of 88 metres.

Its landing gear comprises 32 wheels, some steerable.

“The aircraft is way bigger than Airbus A380…no other plane like this in the world. It is operated by a crew of 12.

Dmytrov, who has 14 years experience in flying this huge plane, said the plane is powered by six turbofan jet engines, and could carry a maximum takeoff weight of 640 tonnes.

The An-225 was developed in the 1980s to ferry the Soviet Union’s version of the space shuttle.

Malaysia Airports senior executive M. Kathi said this was the second stopover by an An-225. Its first arrival was in 2007 ferrying five helicopters for the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace exhibition.

“The plane was supposed to land at Langkawi but unfortunately the airport apron there could not cater for the plane’s wingspan,” he said.

Norizam Ismail, passenger-handling executive of Hasrat Asia Malaysia Sdn Bhd, whose company is handling the airplane on its refueling stop, said that it will leave for Perth at 5.30am tomorrow.

– BERNAMA

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