McDonnell Douglas MD-11F

R_Nelson 🇺🇸

03 May 2026 · © R_Nelson

1 UPS and 2 FedEx MD—11’s sitting at IAH

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McDonnell Douglas McDonnell Douglas DC-10

Aircraft

MD-11F MD11

FedEx Express, UPS

Airline

FX (FEDEX), 5X (UPS)

FedEx Express, UPS Airlines

FDX (FedEx), UPS (UPS) / FX (FedEx), 5X (UPS)

Manufacturer

McDonnell Douglas

Gear

Sony A7R4 100-400gm

Achievements

Cargo King, Rare Bird, Vintage Voyager

3 badges earned

Location

Rankin Rd

George Bush Intercontinental Airport · IAH/KIAH

29.9741, -95.3502

Open map

George Bush Intercontinental Airport IAH

Airport

Insights

Aviation History

The MD-11 was the last widebody trijet produced; once a mainstay for long-haul passenger and now mostly a freighter. FedEx is the largest operator.

Fleet Rarity

Less than 120 MD-11s remain active, all as freighters; FedEx, UPS, and Lufthansa Cargo are the main operators.

Record Flights

The MD-11 was used on intercontinental overnight cargo flights, e.g., Memphis-Paris and long east-west transpacific routes.

Safety & Events

Several MD-11s have been involved in non-fatal and fatal cargo accidents, mostly during landing; known for being challenging to land due to its aerodynamics.

Future Outlook

MD-11F is being progressively retired in favor of two-engine freighters like the 777F; many are destined for storage or scrapping soon.

Specifications

Pratt & Whitney PW4460 (FedEx) or General Electric CF6-80C2 (optional variant)

Engine

51.66 meters

Wingspan

61.2 meters

Length

6,640 km

Range

876 km/h

Speed

MD-11F: Up to 201,000 lb (91,200 kg) of cargo

Capacity

286,000 kg

MTOW

17.6 meters

Height

PW4460: 266 kN (60,000 lbf) each; CF6: 273 kN (61,500 lbf) each

Thrust

Chapter 3/4 ICAO (varies); typically 89-97 dB (approach, depending on configuration)

Noise