I am skeptical that this aircraft could be landed on a flat area in the desert. Her empty weight is ~145 tonnes, or over ten tonnes per wheel.
“I am skeptical that this aircraft could be landed on a flat area in the desert. Her empty weight is ~145 tonnes, or over ten tonnes per wheel.”
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It would have to be an area that was scouted out in advance and found acceptable, possibly after some preparation of the landing area(s), for landing. It’s possible that there could have been more than one site—the first for partial refueling with stolen/diverted jet fuel and the 2nd/”final” where it is currently located/camouflaged for later use.
Remember, this could be something that was in the planning/preparation stages for some time and not a spur-of-the-moment impulsive thing. Sometimes we should expand our minds as we consider the possibilities.