N286UP

This airframe, registration N286UP, is a McDonnell Douglas MD-11F built in 1991 with manufacturer serial number 48453. The freighter has been owned by UNITED PARCEL SERVICE CO, a corporation based in Louisville, KY, US, and has been operated in the UPS global cargo network from that hub. The aircraft is registered in the US and has been maintained as a main-deck freighter configuration; its operational history centers on scheduled long-haul cargo missions and intra-continental services. Notable administrative actions include its continued corporate ownership and U.S. registry, reflecting long-term service within a large integrator’s fleet.

The airframe is configured as a main-deck freighter (cargo), with the cabin dedicated entirely to pallet and containerized freight rather than passenger seating. Avionics and mission systems are aligned with late-model MD-11 freighter standards to support extended-range cargo dispatches; routine assignments typically include transcontinental and intercontinental express delivery routes operated from the Louisville base. Maintenance considerations for this specific aircraft follow heavy-airframe and tri-jet protocols—particularly the three-engine PW4460 powerplant maintenance cycles and structural inspections dictated by its 1991 build year and intensive freight operations. The aircraft’s corporate ownership by UNITED PARCEL SERVICE CO implies centralized, operator-managed heavy maintenance and logistics support.

The McDonnell Douglas MD-11F occupies a niche as a long-range, high-capacity tri-jet freighter capable of transoceanic cargo missions with moderate cruise speeds and a near-4,000 nm range. In the freighter market it competes historically with stretched widebodies and converted passenger types for integrator and cargo-carrier demand. Buyers and operators consider factors such as engine SPIs, airframe fatigue life tied to build year 1991, and the availability of aftermarket support; resale and long-term maintenance economics are influenced by the MD-11’s older technology and the specialized three-engine maintenance requirements.