Photo: Duma
At the international airport “Odessa” for several months, is Antonov an-74TK-300D, which flew the Libyan dictator Mummar Gaddafi, reports “Duma”.
According to the newspaper, the car, which belongs to the state of Libya, is undergoing repairs in private aircraft repair workshops located on the territory of the air Harbor.
Aircraft an-74TK-300D was built only in three copies, and all of them were used for the first flights. the First was released in 2003 at the Kharkov state aviation enterprise (KSAMC) for the Ukrainian presidential squadron. Second (5A-CAA) was transferred to the government of Libya, which then was still called the great Socialist people’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya. The third Board (RDPL-34020) was delivered to Laos where it crashed on may 17, 2014.
So, now existing An-74TK-300D, there are only two (UR-AWB and 5A-CAA). Three more cars are on the Kharkov plant in caretaker status and is unlikely to ever find a buyer.
In Odessa, there is a second plane 5A-CAA. It was ordered in Ukraine personally by Colonel Gaddafi, who flew it until the beginning of the civil war in 2011. It is a VIP version of the famous Antonov An-72/74. He doesn’t need a short takeoff and short-distance run, so the engines on the An-72/74 were in the center section (for this he was nicknamed “Cheburashka), down under the wing, placing on the pylons. Due to this, the car became less noisy and more economical. For the convenience of passengers, has developed a special interior — leather chairs, inlay, elements from valuable breeds of wood and a two-level ceiling lighting, allowing you to create the effect of night starry sky.
Libya became interested in the Kharkov medical aircraft in VIP configuration in 2000, signing with Ukraine the corresponding agreement of intentions. In April 2005, when in Tripoli the exhibition of achievements of national economy of Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhya oblasts, the Ukrainian delegation arrived at the presidential plane.
In talks with the Libyan Prime Minister — Secretary General of the General people’s Committee al-Baghdadi Ali al-Mahmoudi, who first gave the nod to the purchase of the aircraft, but then refused, the Secretariat of the President of Ukraine. Especially for Gaddafi Kharkov factory changed the order of release of the aircraft, putting the Libyan order in the first place.
Libya made an advance payment, but under the terms of the contract, the buyer demanded to send him a “Deposit” aircraft, which will fly on the tasks of customer until then, until you set a new Board. They became well-known in many international exhibitions An-74TK-200 (registration number UR-74038) with the best factory crew (the commander of the aircraft Alexander Dobrovolny). April 24, 2006 when landing in the Chadian capital n’djamena, the aircraft crashed, all crew members were killed.
The implementation of the Libyan contract has been suspended for a few years — the plant was to receive compensation, but no one knew how to do it. The requirement to implement suspended deliveries voiced Gaddafi himself during an official visit to Kyiv in November 2008. In the end, 23 April 2009, the new aircraft landed in Tripoli.
In February 2011, during an operation by international forces against the Libyan dictator, the plane was damaged by shrapnel bombs, but by the summer it was repaired. Board 5A-the CAA uses the officially recognized world Government of national consensus (unity).
During the ten years of the operation of the aircraft changed several liveries (colors) and maintained at the Kharkov plant. Now due to the difficult situation at KSAMC, the aircraft was repaired in Odessa.
Recall that in mid-February 2011 in Libya began mass demonstrations calling for the withdrawal of the ruling the country for more than 40 years of Muammar Gaddafi, which later escalate into armed confrontation between government forces and rebels.
20 Oct 2011 in the Libyan city of Sirte, the supporters of the National transitional Council of Libya captured Muammar Gaddafi. Soon after the capture of the Libyan leader died from received in the capture of wounds.