The monster is put to bed back at base after carrying two dozen rather pleased enthusiasts - most went out to Sondok on the IL-76 and back on an An-24 which followed. What a day out - jet and prop perfection. I've made probably a hundred or more flights on Russian equipment but this was something else

An extraordinary visitor to Southend by any measure, for fitment of TCAS

Dark rain clouds approaching from the northwest, but "Lugano" is still lit by the nice autumn sunshine. On 24 May 1991 the crew of this aircraft was unable to find the runway of Bakhtaran, Iran because of bad weather. They ran out of fuel and had to make a forced landing in the Iranian desert. This IL-76, not even two years old at that time, was written off. Metro Cargo ceased operations the following month, on 20 Jun 1991.