A large, 30t spherical ‘ball valve’ with atypical dimensions required the design and manufacture of a special frame by Volga-Dnepr to ensure its safe transportation from Milan, Italy, to Mumbai, India, via a refueling stop in Turkmenistan onboard IL-76TD-90VD aircraft.
The flight, which had a total payload of 38t of oil and gas equipment, was completed on behalf of the Air Charter Service office in India.
The frame was required due to the complexity of the ball valve shipment. The height of the valve meant it only just fitted onboard the Volga-Dnepr aircraft, while its weight and the fact that its length and width dimensions were different would have caused an extreme load on the floor of the cargo hold. By using the frame, the Volga-Dnepr team was able to spread the load evenly over the cargo floor.
The tooling required comprised 60 components and weighed six tonnes.
The loading and unloading was completed according to plan, each taking four hours and involving the use of additional 90t capacity cranes, forklifts and 130cm-140cm trailers. Volga-Dnepr’s engineers ensured the customer was kept fully informed throughout all stages of the two and-a-half weeks of preparation for the delivery and also provided expert advice on the choice of suitable trailers.
The experience and competence of Volga-Dnepr’s specialists enabled the airline to prove the viability of flying such unusual cargo. Since its inception in 1990, Volga-Dnepr has delivered more than 90,000t of goods all over the world for the customers in the oil and gas industry.