N165TS

This airframe, registered as N165TS, is a Boeing-built 727-223 (Advanced) constructed in 1979 with manufacturer serial number 21523. The airframe is recorded as owned by BANK OF UTAH TRUSTEE, a corporate owner based in Salt Lake City, UT, US, and is registered in the US. The aircraft's configuration has been adapted to a freighter (cargo) role and retains the wider operational heritage of late‑1970s Boeing 727-200 series builds. Public records for this specific tail identify corporate trustee ownership rather than an airline operator, and the aircraft’s corporate custody suggests asset‑management or lease-related status rather than front-line passenger service.

This airframe is configured as a freighter (cargo) cabin, indicating the passenger accommodation originally associated with a 134-seat layout has been removed or repurposed to support cargo handling, palletized loads, and freight door operations. Typical mission profiles for this configuration would emphasize medium‑to‑long-range cargo sectors within the aircraft’s 2,690 nm range and cruise economy near 495 kts, operating from a corporate‑custody base in the United States. As a freighter conversion of a 727-223 (Advanced), maintenance considerations focus on airframe aging, cargo door and floor reinforcement, and continued support for systems common to the 727 fleet. The record of trustee ownership implies the aircraft may have been held for lease, sale, or financial collateral purposes rather than active scheduled airline deployment.

The Boeing 727-223 (Advanced) occupies a historical niche as a three‑engine, medium‑range transport that bridged short‑field performance and higher payload for its era. With a service ceiling of 42,000 ft and cruise capability near 495 kts, the type has remained in specialized demand for freight conversions even as passenger demand moved to newer twinjets. Competing models in later markets included twin‑engine narrowbodies offering lower fuel burn; however, the 727’s freight adaptations have sustained secondary-market interest. Resale and maintenance considerations for this specific 1979 airframe emphasize aging‑aircraft inspection regimes, component availability, and the economic calculus of continued operation versus parting out.