Equatorial Guinea hit the headlines in 2004 when a plane load of suspected mercenaries was intercepted in Zimbabwe while allegedly on the way to overthrow President Obiang.

BBC: Equatorial Guinea profile

He brought tourists to Australia by the plane-load, though they half-dreaded what they would find there.

ECONOMIST: Steve Irwin

His visit to Egypt was a hastily arranged affair, bolted on to the start of a long-planned commercial tour of Gulf Arab allies and made in the company of a plane-load of British business chiefs, among them the representatives of eight defence and aerospace firms, prompting press headlines at home about Mr Cameron preaching peace in the company of arms-dealers.

ECONOMIST: Bagehot

The massive plane can return to load up for new missions quickly and can provide an alternative to launch facilities that are already backed up with existing space missions.

BBC: The futurist: The world��s largest plane

It was a German plane being chased, so he dropped his load making it easier for him to escape.

BBC: WWII evacuees: Your stories

In a case which shocked France, the defendants were arrested in Chad as they tried to load the children on to a plane bound for France.

BBC: Zoe's Ark trial: Head of French NGO 'was manipulator'

Its four turboprops provide it with a cruise speed of 0.72 mach at altitudes of up to 40, 000 feet and the plane has excellent low speed handling characteristics needed for paratroopers and load dropping.

BBC: A400M: Military workhorse