Giant aircraft carry bridges for Lebanon reconstruction

Three large Bailey bridges - developed during World War II – have been transported to the region via giant Antonov-124 freighters. The bridges are part of an initial £12.7m aid package arranged by the British Government’s Department For International Development (DFID).

DFID has announced it may send up to 14 bridges to Lebanon to aid in the reconstruction of key routes destroyed by bombing. In total the damage caused to infrastructure during the conflict is estimated to be in the region of £1.25 billion.

The two Antonov-124 aircraft, arranged by London based Air Charter Service, flew from RAF Brize Norton to RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus. The bridges were successfully unloaded and are currently in the process of being taken on a UN ship to Lebanon from the port of Limassol.

The Antonov-124, designed by the Soviet Union, is regularly used to transport heavy and outsize cargo around the world.

In addition to the bridges, ACS arranged 31 relief aid charters to the region on Antonov-12 and Airbus-310 aircraft during the crisis – and the passenger department also provided MD-82 aircraft to evacuate over 600 foreign nations from Lebanon.

Air Charter Service never tyre of flying

Air Charter Service’s London office have had the pleasure of arranging Antonov-26 and Antonov-12 aircraft to transport Michelin’s Formula One racing tyres to both the Hungarian and Italian Grand Prix events.

To help keep the Hungaoring F1 event firmly on track James Cristofoli, cargo charter analyst at Air Charter Service, arranged two Antonov-26’s to move tyres from France to Budapest.

In a separate charter Air Charter Service provided an Antonov-12 aircraft to fly more tyres from Turkey to Milan for the Monza Grand Prix.

Air Charter Service work extensively in the motor sports industry, arranging both cargo charters for the various teams, and passenger charters on private jets for sponsors and fans.