Here in Richmond, VA we get occasional visits from a very large cargo plane. Looks like and Antonov, but not positive it's the 223. It is not here on a military mission, but comes to Philip Morris. (Marlboro cigarettes)
Someone told me that this aircraft receives aerial refuelling on the way home, because it cannot take off from RIC with an adequate fuel load. I can't imagine this being done in US airspace, and the idea of Russians doing it offshore doesn't make much sense to me, either. (and frankly, air-shipping cigarettes doesn't impress me as cost-effective)
This seems preposterous to me, but I've been wrong about a thing or two, and thought I'd see what you guys think of this.
If anything non-military is refuelling in the air, I'd love to know where they do it.
73/Allen (N4JRI)
Someone told me that this aircraft receives aerial refuelling on the way home, because it cannot take off from RIC with an adequate fuel load. I can't imagine this being done in US airspace, and the idea of Russians doing it offshore doesn't make much sense to me, either. (and frankly, air-shipping cigarettes doesn't impress me as cost-effective)
This seems preposterous to me, but I've been wrong about a thing or two, and thought I'd see what you guys think of this.
If anything non-military is refuelling in the air, I'd love to know where they do it.
73/Allen (N4JRI)