N781SN

This airframe, registered as N781SN, is a McDonnell Douglas MD-11F built in 1998 with manufacturer's serial number 48781. It was produced by McDonnell Douglas and is recorded in U.S. registry as a freighter configured transport with a minimal crew/jump‑seat cabin layout. Ownership is held by ATARES FUNDING LLC of Fisher Island, FL, US, a limited‑liability company listed as the current titleholder. Notable registry and valuation details beyond the recorded ownership are not published; the airframe is presented in documentation as a cargo‑configured MD-11F with standard freighter characteristics.

The aircraft’s main deck is a freighter cargo bay with only minimal crew and jump‑seat accommodation in its transport configuration, reflecting a primary mission of cargo carriage rather than passenger service. The flightdeck retains a Honeywell VIA 2000‑based integrated avionics fit with CRT‑era displays, consistent with late‑1990s installations on the type and relevant to modernization or retrofit considerations. Typical mission profiles for this airframe would leverage its long‑range capability to operate transcontinental or intercontinental cargo sectors from its U.S. operator base, with routine utilization of three CF6 engines for sustained high‑gross‑weight cruise. Maintenance and operational planning for this specific MD‑11F is influenced by freighter conversion outfitting and the avionics legacy, which may prompt upgrades for operators seeking glass‑cockpit performance or enhanced dispatch economics.

The McDonnell Douglas MD‑11F occupies a niche as a long‑range, medium‑to‑large freighter derived from a trijet airliner, offering greater payload and range than older widebodies in some missions while competing against later two‑engine freighters and newer conversions. In the 1998‑built vintage represented by N781SN, buyers and lessors weigh fuel efficiency and avionics obsolescence against airframe capability and payload range of 6,840 nm. Resale and maintenance considerations for this model commonly include legacy engine and avionics support, structural checks for high‑cycle freighters, and market demand driven by cargo carriers seeking durable, long‑range lift rather than lower‑fuel‑burn two‑engine replacements.