N292UP

This airframe, registered as N292UP, is a McDonnell Douglas MD-11F built in 1993 with manufacturer serial number 48566. The aircraft is owned by UNITED PARCEL SERVICE CO (a corporate operator based in Louisville, KY, US) and operates in the US registry US as a dedicated freighter. Notable registry and operational history centers on its conversion to a main-deck cargo configuration and long-term assignment to UPS’s transcontinental and intercontinental express cargo network. At three decades old, its condition and valuation are influenced by heavy freighter utilization, legacy avionics, and the economics of wide-body cargo operations.

The cabin for this airframe is configured in a main-deck cargo layout following freighter conversion, with lower deck container capacity aligned to the typical MD-11F freight arrangement; seating is limited to 7 for flight and crew accommodations. Avionics remain a legacy flightdeck fit with Honeywell VIA systems featuring CRT-based displays typical of the MD-11 series, which influences cockpit workflow and upgrade considerations. In service with UNITED PARCEL SERVICE CO, the aircraft typically performs medium-to-long-haul express cargo sectors from its Louisville base, integrating into scheduled hub-and-spoke operations. Maintenance regimes focus on tri-jet engine cycles, structural checks associated with high-cycle freighter duty, and periodic avionics modernization debates driven by operational efficiency goals.

The McDonnell Douglas MD-11F family occupies a niche as a long-range, high-capacity freighter derived from an earlier wide-body airliner, offering range of 3,945 nm and cruise speeds near 473 kts suitable for intercontinental express cargo. Competing models include later-generation twin-engine freighters offering improved fuel efficiency; demand for MD-11Fs is primarily in the cargo sector where payload and volume outweigh fuel penalties. Resale and maintenance considerations for this 1993 airframe emphasize engine shop visits for its PW4460 powerplants, airframe fatigue management due to heavy freight cycles, and potential costs associated with replacing legacy Honeywell VIA CRT-era avionics.