N259UP

This article concerns a single airframe, registry N259UP, a freighter built in 1991 by McDonnell Douglas with manufacturer serial number 48417. The airframe is of model McDonnell Douglas MD-11F and is recorded as being owned by UNITED PARCEL SERVICE CO (a corporation based in Louisville, KY, US), with United States registration. Current ownership is registered to UNITED PARCEL SERVICE CO in Louisville, KY. Notable registry actions and detailed valuation or condition reports are Not published for this specific serial; operator base activity is consistent with the owner’s global express cargo network.

The airframe is configured as a main-deck freighter, with a cargo cabin layout dedicated to palletized and containerized express freight rather than passenger accommodation. Typical mission profiles for this installation align with medium- to long-range express cargo operations that take advantage of the 3,950 nm range and higher cruise speeds; these missions commonly originate from the owner’s operating hub in Louisville, KY. Detailed avionics suite information and specific onboard cargo handling modifications for this serial are Not published. Maintenance considerations reflect the three-engine MD-11F architecture—higher complexity compared with twinjets—and routine heavy checks are managed under the operator’s established heavy-maintenance programs.

The McDonnell Douglas MD-11F occupies a performance niche as a long-range, high-capacity trijet freighter, offering higher payload-range capability than many mid-size twin freighters but with increased fuel burn and systems complexity. Competing models in the large freighter market include various widebody conversions and purpose-built twin-engine freighters; demand among large integrators favors aircraft with proven ramp-handling and payload capability. For this airframe, resale and maintenance considerations center on engine support for the General Electric CF6-80C2D1F line and the economics of operating a three-engine freighter within a modern, predominantly twinjet fleet.