A lorry with an airplane. (source: My Liptov - Ľubica Stančíková)
It took two nights for the former government special, a Tupolev Tu-154M type aircraft, to travel from Bratislava to Liptovský Mikuláš. It didn't fly; it was first dismantled at the Bratislava airport and then loaded on large trucks in order to be transported to the north of Slovakia, reports My Liptov.
The fuselage of the aircraft was the largest part. Since the transport was scheduled to restrict traffic as little as possible, the plane was moved during the night.
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The government special was the largest
Cyril Forgaš, a Liptovský Mikuláš businessman and aviation enthusiast, is behind the transport and purchase of the aircraft. After years of being grounded at the Bratislava airport, the government special will be a part of his amusement park in Liptovský Mikuláš.
As a historical exhibit, it will commemorate the years when it served the highest representatives of the state and symbolised the era of Slovak diplomacy in the clouds.
This is not the first time he has done such a feat.
In 2018, he had a huge Airbus A320 aircraft transported to Ondrašová, with the disassembled fuselage of the aircraft measuring 43 metres. Two years later, he imported a Fokker 100 airliner with a length of over 35 metres.
It has flown almost 1,500 times
The Tupolev Tu-154M in question, acquired by the Aviation Department of the Interior Ministry in 1998 as part of Russia repaying debts owed to Slovakia. During its active service, it made 1,496 flights, spent 2,423 hours in the air and transported almost 35,000 people, including Slovak presidents, prime ministers, parliament speakers and ministers.
At a time when Slovakia was still building its position on the world stage, the Tupolev was often an integral part of diplomatic missions and foreign trips.
Also memorable is the flight from September 2001, when the Tupolev was over the Atlantic with then prime minister Mikuláš Dzurinda at the time of the terrorist attacks in the United States. The plane's route was promptly changed, and the plane landed in Ottawa, Canada, instead of the planned destination.
The aircraft's deck offered a private bedroom with a shower and toilet, a luxury lounge and two VIP compartments with a capacity of 16 passengers. In addition, there was an economy class available, where up to 52 people could travel, which made it possible to combine comfort with sufficient capacity for accompanying personnel and diplomatic delegations.
The last time the plane took to skies was in 2010.
Since the Tupolev no longer had any financial value and was only generating costs, the aviation department was looking for a way to dispose of it and at the same time preserve this aviation monument for the public.
According to the ministry, the plane was saved from being scrapped, which would have cost tens of thousands of euros. The Ministry received an electric car in exchange worth more than €30,000.
The dismantling of the plane itself and its transport were more than three times more expensive.
The government special is the second plane of this kind that has been preserved and made available to the public. The first Tupolev was moved to the Aviation Museum in Košice years ago.
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