N263UP

This airframe, tail number N263UP, is a McDonnell Douglas cargo jet delivered new in 1998 with manufacturer's serial number 48782. It is a freighter variant of the type, the McDonnell Douglas MD-11F, and carries a U.S. registration. The aircraft is owned and operated by UNITED PARCEL SERVICE CO, a corporation headquartered in Louisville, KY, USA, and has been primarily associated with that operator’s Louisville hub. Its registry reflects corporate commercial use in the U.S.; specific valuation or recent major condition notes are not published.

The aircraft is configured as a freighter with a main deck pallet/containerized cargo arrangement, optimized for unit load devices and bulk cargo throughput. Typical mission profiles for this airframe include medium- to long-range express cargo sectors within the operator’s network, routed through its Louisville international hub. Avionics and systems conform to the MD-11F freighter standards for airline freight operations; routine maintenance cycles follow heavy-utilization schedules common to express carriers. As a three-engine, wide-body freighter, operating considerations emphasize payload-range tradeoffs, main-deck loading equipment compatibility, and adherence to corporate fleet maintenance programs.

The McDonnell Douglas MD-11F occupies a niche for high-capacity, medium- to long-range freighter missions with higher payload capability than typical twin-engine widebodies of its era. Competing models in this segment have included converted passenger widebodies and newer twinjets, which can offer lower fuel burn but sometimes less volumetric capacity. Market demand for older MD-11Fs is driven by cargo carriers needing volume and payload over fuel efficiency; resale and maintenance considerations therefore focus on structural hours, engine shop visits for General Electric CF6-80C2D1F units, and the availability of main-deck freighter components.