MD11 Operators

page updated 18/01/2016;

Martinair MD11 PH-MCY on finals to LAX in March 2006.

Centurion Air Cargo acquired its first MD11F from Gemini Air Cargo in late 2008, More MD11's were acquired, (some former Alitalia MD11F's in 2009). They are based in Miami, FL and operate primarily to South America. An affiliate company Skylease cargo is operating 7 MD11's, some leased from/through Centurion, their livery is similar too. An MD11 was acquired from Martinair (PH-MCT) in 2013 but as yet this aircraft is parked in Orlando, FL and maybe just a spares source. Thier first MD11 N988AR was written off after a heavy landing at Viracopos airport in Sao Paolo in late 2012.

N984AR cn 48429
N985AR cn 48430
N986AR cn 48426
N987AR cn 48427 

Check out their web site for more info including schedules;

Their first a/c is pictured below at the carriers home in Miami in a striking new livery for Centurion, still wearing its former Gemini registration N701GC (now N988AR, sadly the one written off in 2012).

Centurion Air Cargo's web site;

Federal Express are the worlds largest MD11 operator with a fleet currently standing of 64 aircraft. They operate the first MD11 built, prototype N111MD now N601FE. Their major hub is Memphis, TN and their aircraft can be seen at a large portion of the worlds major airports. In the UK , they fly into Londons Stansted airport with up to 3 aircraft a day. N601-623FE were built as pure freighters, all the others are converted from passenger aircraft. 2 of the former TAM MD11's joined the fleet in 2009 after freighter conversion and the 4 former Transmile MD11's were acquired in 2011. 3 aircraft, N581FE, N611FE and N526FE were written off in 1999, 1997 and 2009 respectively.

N521FE cn 48478, N580FE cn 48471, N597FE cn 48596, N615FE cn 48767
N522FE cn 48476, N582FE cn 48420, N598FE cn 48597, N616FE cn 48747
N523FE cn 48479, N583FE cn 48421, N599FE cn 48598, N617FE cn 48748
N524FE cn 48480, N584FE cn 48436, N601FE cn 48401, N618FE cn 48754
N525FE cn 48565, N585FE cn 48481, N602FE cn 48402, N619FE cn 48770
N527FE cn 48601, N586FE cn 48487, N603FE cn 48459, N620FE cn 48791
N528FE cn 48623, N587FE cn 48489, N604FE cn 48460, N621FE cn 48792
N529FE cn 48624, N588FE cn 48490, N605FE cn 48514, N623FE cn 48794
N572FE cn 48755, N589FE cn 48491, N606FE cn 48602, N624FE cn 48443
N573FE cn 48769, N590FE cn 48505, N607FE cn 48547, N625FE cn 48753
N574FE cn 48499, N591FE cn 48527, N608FE cn 48548, N628FE cn 48447
N575FE cn 48500, N592FE cn 48550, N609FE cn 48549, N631FE cn 48454
N576FE cn 48501, N593FE cn 48551, N610FE cn 48603, N642FE cn 48485
N577FE cn 48469, N594FE cn 48552, N612FE cn 48605, N643FE cn 48486
N578FE cn 48458, N595FE cn 48553, N613FE cn 48749, N644FE cn 48444
N579FE cn 48470, N596FE cn 48554, N614FE cn 48528, N645FE cn 48446

Finnair were one of the launch customers for the MD11 and operated passenger flights until February 2009. Dedicated cargo flights commenced in May 2010 with a former passenger aircraft of thier own. A second followed shortly. Flights commenced from Helsinki to Seoul and Hong Kong with more destinations added.  Finnair and various Insurance capital companies set up Nordic Global Airlines (NGB) in 2011 to operate dedicated cargo flights. An MD11 has been recently operating from Ostend in Belgium to African destinations. The flights carry joint Nordic Global and Finnair flight numbers. The aircraft are rather unfortunatly painted all white with small Nordic Global Airlines titles. 

OH-LGC cn 48512
OH-LGG cn 48753
OH-NGA cn 48542
OH-NGB cn 48546

Global Africa;

Formed from the ashes of Avient and AV Cargo, Global Africa operate 3 MD11 freighters serving Liege to African destinations;

Z-GAA cn 48410
Z-GAB cn 48746
Z-GAC cn 48756

Lufthansa Cargo have a fleet of 18 MD11F's. They had the last ever MD11 built at Long Beach before the production run was scrapped. They did want more aircraft but Boeing closed the line down although now they have sourced 5 ex passenger examples and converted them to freighters. Their MD11's can be seen worldwide, operating from bases in Frankfurt and Cologne and they also have 3 MD11's from World Airways operating for them from Europe to the USA. 1 aircraft, D-ALCQ was written off after crashing in Saudi Arabia in 2010. The carrier recieved their first 777 freighters in late 2013 and as a result  D-ALCR/CS were withdrawn from use early 2014. In early 2016 2 more are expected to be withdrawn from the fleet.

D-ALCA cn 48781, D-ALCG cn 48799, D-ALCM cn 48805
D-ALCB cn 48782, D-ALCH cn 48801, D-ALCN cn 48806
D-ALCC cn 48783, D-ALCI cn 48800, D-ALCO cn 48413
D-ALCD cn 48784, D-ALCJ cn 48802, D-ALCP cn 48414
D-ALCE cn 48785, D-ALCK cn 48803, 
D-ALCF cn 48798, D-ALCL cn 48804,  

Cargo schedules are available from Lufthansa's web site. Click on the link below for more info.

Lufthansa Cargo's web site

Martinair operates 3 MD11's from its Amsterdam on freight services worldwide. They used to operate Summer IT charters to destinations such as Palma and Vancouver with their MD11CF's but this ceased in 2006 and the aircraft have had all the passenger support systems removed and are now pure freighters. They were the only other airline besides World Airways to order and operate the CF (convertable freighter). 1 aircraft was sold to Centurion in 2013 (PH-MCT) and 2 were ferried to the USA in 2015 for storage (PH-MCR/Y) 

PH-MCP (MD11CF) cn 48616
PH-MCU (MD11F) cn 48757
PH-MCW (MD11F) cn 48788

PH-MCS (MD11CF) cn 48618 currently stored at Amsterdam

Skylease Cargo (GG/KYE) have been around in one form or another for around 20 years and are an affiliate of Centurion Air Cargo. After Tradewinds enter Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2008 they were purchased by Sky Lease 1 and renamed in 2010. With the acquisition of Tradewinds came MD11 N986AR and in 2010 3 ex China Cargo MD11's joined the fleet as well. In 2011 the 3 remaining China Cargo MD11's also joined the Skylease fleet. The livery carried is very very similar to that of its affiliate Centurian Air Cargo but with different titles!

N950AR cn 48461, N953AR cn 48520
N951AR cn 48495, N954AR cn 48498
N952AR cn 48497, N955AR cn 48496

Above - N952AR of Skylease Cargo pictured recentyl on approach to Santiago, Chile. (Photo courtesy of Mauricio Carvajal A) whilst below is N986AR still its wearing former Alitalia colours is (Thanks to Robert Collazo for the picture)

UPS are now operating all 38 MD11F's ordered.All are ex passenger examples converted to freighter from airlines such as JAL, Varig, Thai and Swiss. They operate from their hub at Louisville, KY to many worldwide destinations but currently the only place to see their MD11's in Europe is Cologne.

N250UP cn 48745, N260UP cn 48418, N279UP cn 48573, N289UP cn 48455
N251UP cn 48744, N270UP cn 48576, N280UP cn 48634, N290UP cn 48456
N252UP cn 48768, N271UP cn 48572, N281UP cn 48538, N291UP cn 49477
N253UP cn 48439, N272UP cn 48571, N282UP cn 48452, N292UP cn 48566
N254UP cn 48406, N273UP cn 48574, N283UP cn 48484, N293UP cn 48473
N255UP cn 48404, N274UP cn 48575, N284UP cn 48541, N294UP cn 48472
N256UP cn 48405, N275UP cn 48774, N285UP cn 48457, N295UP cn 48475
N257UP cn 48541, N276UP cn 48579, N286UP cn 48453, N296UP cn 48474
N258UP cn 48416, N277UP cn 48578, N287UP cn 48539,
N259UP cn 48417, N278UP cn 48577, N288UP cn 48540

Western Global Airlines were formed in 2013 as an ACMI operator providing lease and charter services to other operators. Their AOC was granted in 2014 and are based at Fort Myers in Florida. All aircraft are painted all white (for now at least).

N381WA cn 48523 (stored)
N411SN cn 48411
N412SN cn 48412
N415JN cn 48415
N435KD cn 48435
N512JN cn 48512
N513SN cn 48513 (stored)
N542KD cn 48542
N543JN cn 48543
N544KD cn 48544 (stored)
N545JN cn 48545
N546JN cn 48546
N581JN cn 48581 (stored)
N630SN cn 48630 (stored)

Western Global Airlines