N961CE

This airframe, registered as N961CE, is a McDonnell Douglas MD-82 built in 1987 with manufacturer serial number 49470 and later converted to an MD-80SF freighter configuration. The aircraft is recorded as owned by Arctic One LLC, a corporation based in Fairbanks, AK, US, and carries a United States registration. The airframe’s conversion removed the passenger cabin to accommodate main-deck cargo; its market valuation is listed at $3,800,000, reflecting its freighter role and age. Notable registry actions include its maintained U.S. registration and a shift from passenger configuration to a dedicated freighter during its service life.

As an MD-80SF conversion, N961CE features a freighter cabin with the passenger seating removed and a main-deck cargo layout optimized for bulk and containerized freight. Typical missions for this airframe center on medium-range cargo routes well within its 2,050 nm range and at cruise speeds near 450 kts, operating from its owner’s base in Fairbanks, AK for regional or transcontinental freight duties. Avionics and specific fit were not published in the provided data, but operational considerations for this aircraft include maintenance of aging JT8D engines and airframe systems consistent with a 1987-built MD-82 converted to freighter specification.

The McDonnell Douglas MD-82, represented here by N961CE in MD-80SF form, occupies a niche as an older-generation medium-capacity narrow-body suitable for freight conversion where lower acquisition cost offsets higher operating and maintenance demands. Competing alternatives in the used freighter market include other converted narrow-bodies and newer-generation regional freighters; buyer demand often targets operators needing cost-effective main-deck cargo capability. Resale and maintenance considerations for this airframe reflect its 1987 manufacture date, the legacy JT8D powerplants, and the specialized freighter conversion status influencing valuation and serviceability.