THE SIGHT & THE SOUND 3/4 : Flight onboard Alrosa IL-76 RA-76360 from Moscow (ZIA) to Mirny (MJZ)

Daniel’s Travel Vlog

FLIGHT #3/4 ALROSA IL-76TD RA-76360 MOSCOW (ZIA) – MIRNY (MJZ), AUGUST 21, 2018

Announcements on Social Media for event flights on Soviet Classics within Russia always come on too short notice.

Getting a visa, getting leave from your employer, shifting plans, especially if you live as far as Japan, are the most common reasons for a “No No”.

After missing the Kosmos TU-134 pleasure flight from Zhukovsky, there was another announcement that the Izhma TU-154M RA-85684, operated by Alrosa Avia would perform a Farewell rotation from Moscow to Sochi on a weekend in August.

I had barely four weeks ahead for planning, yet the decision was clear, this opportunity was not to be missed, by all means.

Simon De Rudder and Mikhail from Alrosa were the mastermind behind this idea and after getting my Russian Tourist Visa, it was off to Moscow from Tokyo via Frankfurt.

In 2018 Alrosa is still operating scheduled flights on TU-154, TU-134, AN-38, AN-24 and helicopters from their operational bases in Mirny and Udachny.

Sampling these beauties would require a 10 day itinerary, which I am simply unable to afford, not taking into account the usual unexpected changes on short notice.

Making things worse, filming and photographing opportunities are extremely limited on these remote locations.

A foreigner travelling alone without prior official arrangements, is always under suspicion and high risk.

However due to the kind invitation and extraordinary hospitality provided by Alrosa and my special friends Mikhail and Alexander, I decided to add a rotation to the Far East to Mirny (MJZ) on this beautiful Alrosa IL-76 and returning from Udachny (PYJ) in the week following the Sochi-rotation on short notice.

This video features the outbound cargo flight 6R 9922 onboard this impressive IL-76TD from Moscow-Zhukovsky to Mirny (MJZ) on August 21, 2018.

There were some restrictions for videography on the ramp side at Zhukovsky and after arrival in Mirny and some guided shots on the ramp, I was spotted and rounded up by a very anxious Policeman, questioned, doubted and interrogated.

Even pictures of the outside terminal of Mirny-Airport were strictly prohibited and threats were made to take me in for questioning.

Russia, by all means remains extremely unpredictable.

This video is the uncut and original version.

History of Ilyushin 76TD RA-76360

Airframe 1033414492 88-03 was manufactured on April 27, 1993 in Tashkent, delivered to Aeroflot, Yakutia Division and registered RA-76360 on May 1, the same year, based at Mirny (MJZ).

RA-76360 was taken over by Almazy Rossii-Sakha, later Aviakompaniya Alrosa, a subsidiary of the Alrosa Mirny Diamond Corporation, on October 10, 1994.

RA-76360 was leased to Samara Airlines on June 20, 1999.

After operating for more than 25 years, RA-76360 has been reported stored at Mirny since July 12, 2019 and since March, 2021 at Ulyanovsk under the new ownership of Helix Aviation Company, based in Perm.

No flying activities reported since.

Enjoy with me the Sights & Sounds of Classic Aviation.

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Flight details

Flight : 6R 9922
Date : Tuesday, August 21, 2018
Aircraft : IL-76TD
Registration : RA-76360
Former Registrations :
RA-76360 (Aeroflot, Almazy Rossii-Sakha, Samara Airlines)
Built : 1993
From : Moscow (ZIA)
To : Mirny (MJZ)
Take off : 22:31 h (1931 UTC)
Touch down : 09:35 h (0035 UTC)
Duration flight time : 5 hours 4 minutes
Flying Distance : 4.250 km
Altitude : 10.060 m
Speed : 693 / 737 / 763 / 760 / 848 / 900 / 932 / 861 / 800 / 810 km/h
Flight Captain : Glushkov, Vladimir
First Officer : Zhabin, Yurij
Flight Engineer : Morozov, Victor
Navigator : Tkach, Vyacheslav
Boardwriter : Bulgakov, Vladimir
Boarder 1 : Kholmuratov, Matkarim
Boarder 2 : Borisov, Vladimir
Technician : Egorov, Dmitry
Technician : Pshenichnykh, Pavel
Customer Representative : Melnikov, Maxim