#aircargo

Boeing 777F Polar Air Cargo

Registration: N777SA Type: 777-FZB Engines: 2 × GE GE90-110B1 Serial Number: 37989 First flight: Apr 8, 2012

Despite the fact that the title indicates the ownership of the aircraft of the American cargo airline Polar Air Cargo, we will talk here about the airline Southern Air, whose logo adorns the side of the aircraft.

Formed in 1999, Southern Air was an international cargo airline based in Florence, Kentucky. Southern Air's fleet consisted entirely of Boeing cargo planes, including the Boeing 777F. The airline provided various services such as long-term ACMI (aircraft, crew, maintenance, insurance) and commercial charters. In early 2011, Southern Air signed a multi-year contract with DHL Aviation. With its Boeing 777F aircraft, the airline was able to expand the range of DHL express parcel delivery services at night through centers in Cincinnati, Bahrain, Hong Kong and Anchorage.

In 2016, Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings acquired Southern Air, making it its subsidiary. Five years later, at the end of 2021, the airline was fully integrated into Atlas Air, ending the history of its separate operations. And the Boeing 777F cargo planes of the former Southern Air were transferred to the fleet of Polar Air, whose parent company is also Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings, and DHL owns 49% of its shares. Therefore, the planes continued to fly on their usual routes, transporting parcels and cargo around the world. The aircrafts retained the DHL partner's livery, and the logo of the former operator was removed.

But one of these planes still has its former appearance with a large logo on board of Southern Air.

Boeing 747-400F UPS Airlines

Registration: N583UP Type: 747-4R7F Engines: 4 × GE CF6-80C2B1F Serial Number: 25867 First flight: Nov 24, 1993

UPS Airlines, a major American cargo airline based in Louisville, Kentucky, is among the world’s largest in terms of traffic volume. The history of its parent company, United Parcel Service (UPS), in the air cargo industry dates back to 1929 when it began transporting parcels as baggage on commercial flights. This service ceased in 1931 due to the Great Depression, but in the 1950s, UPS reentered the air travel market with its Blue Label Air service, offering two-day coast-to-coast delivery. UPS Airlines was formally established in 1988 as a subsidiary of UPS.

Currently, UPS Airlines operates flights to 815 destinations worldwide, utilizing the "hub-and-spoke" system. Its primary hub is Worldport at Muhammad Ali International Airport in Louisville. The airline also maintains several international hubs, including two in North America, two in Europe, three in China, one in Malaysia, and one in the Philippines.

The active fleet of UPS Airlines comprises 291 aircraft, including 43 Boeing 747F aircraft, 13 of which are 747-400F models.

McDonnell Douglas MD-11 Martinair

Registration: PH-MCP Type: MD-11 CF Engines: 3 × PW PW4462 Serial Number: 48616 First flight: Oct, 1994

Martinair (Martinair Holland N.V.) is a Dutch cargo and passenger airline headquartered and based at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol and a subsidiary of Air France–KLM. The airline was founded in 1958 by Martin Schröder. Since 2011, Martinair has operated entirely as a cargo airline with scheduled services to 20 destinations worldwide and additional charter flights. Prior to that date, passenger flights were also operated. The first McDonnell Douglas MD-11 was delivered in December 1994. In total four McDonnell Douglas MD-11CFs (convertible freighter) and two full freighters were delivered. Martinair was the launch customer of the convertible freighter. All of Martinair's McDonnell Douglas MD-11s were phased out by 2016. The MD-11 with registration PH-MCP was the last one operated by Martinair.