^*Finally* got the UPS DC-8-71 in a better weather, but the lighting could have been better and heat haze was wreaking havoc with shots of taxiing aircraft. This is N702UP entering the UPS ramp after taxiing what seemed like ALL DAY from the east side of DFW.
This particular aircraft has had one helluva career. Built originally as a DC-8-61CF in 1967 for Trans International, she then went to Nordair who in turn leased her out to airlines like Air Afrique and Royal Air Maroc. Nordair then sold her to Evergreen International who flew her for a while before selling her to UPS who had the aircraft re-engined with CFM56s to become a DC-8-71F.
^You don't see many UPS birds in the older colors much, so this was a catch for me- this particular UPS Airbus A300-600F, N152UP, was built and delivered to UPS in July 2003.
^This UPS A300-600F (N152UP) must have been light, she didn't use much of 18R on landing and quickly entered the UPS ramp where I got this head-on shot.
^Delta MD-88 on short final, this is N982DL, built and delivered to Delta in June 1991.
^This one is new to me, this American 757-200 is christened "Flagship Freedom" and has special yellow ribbon markings honoring US armed forces personnel. Built and delivered to American Airlines in July 1993, she got retrofitted with winglets in 2007 and was unveiled on Veterans Day last year as "Flagship Freedom" at DFW after being repainted in Tulsa.
^This was another new catch for me, it looks like any other China Cargo Airlines 747-400F that's a regular at DFW, but this aircraft, B-2425, is actually a two year old 747-400ERF.
^Close up shot of the nose of the China Cargo 747-400ERF. China Cargo Airlines was originally called China Eastern Cargo but when it became an independent subsidiary of China Eastern it was renamed to its current appellation as a joint venture between China Eastern Airlines and China Ocean Shipping. The operation is based in Shanghai and is a DFW regular.
^One of my favorite shots of this day, I managed to catch the China Cargo 747-400ERF just over the "piano keys" of 18R while a Korean Air Cargo 747-400BCF taxis up Taxiway E for 18L.
^This Korean Air Cargo 747 with the tail number HL7606 was built and delivered in July 1989 as a regular passenger 747-400. The date of construction makes this one of the very earliest 747-400s built as the first ones didn't reach airline customers until 1989 after delays in the program. It was then sold to Air India in 2002 and got the tail number VT-EVJ and was christened "[I]Fatehpur Sikri[/I]" after a historic city in India. In August 2006 Air India sold it back to Korean Air who had it converted by TAECO Xiamen in China to the 747-400BCF configuration.
Looking at the original file, you can see someone looking out of the fourth upper deck window. Maybe whoever it was was amused by the surprisingly large afternoon crowd enjoying the warm afternoon at Founders Plaza!
^Nice nose shot of a US Airways Airbus A320 on short final- this aircraft, N651AW, was built and delivered in July 1998 to America West and repainted post-merger in US Airways colors in 2006.
^Right after lunch the UPS ramp is a hive of activity. Just in this picture alone there is a DC-8-71F, two MD-11Fs and an A300-600F heading out. What you can't see in this picture are two more UPS aircraft on the ramp off frame to the right- another A300-600F and a 767-300F as well.
^The heat haze really messed with this shot, but I like it anyway as I like EVA Air's colors. This MD-11F, tail number B-16110, was built and delivered as a dedicated freighter from the start in July 1998 to EVA Air Cargo. This contrasts with UPS's MD-11Fs which were all acquired second hand and composed nearly entirely (if not fully so) of former passenger MD-11s converted to freighter configuration.
^Here's a UPS Airbus A300-600F in the current colors just over the "piano keys" of 18R as an American MD-82 prepares for departure on 18L. This freighter, N141UP, was built and delivered to UPS in November 2001.
^Last shot of the day and my favorite of the bunch, this is the same UPS A300-600F (N141UP) taxiing in to its parking spot on the UPS ramp. I was hoping to capture the background completely blurred by the heat haze from the day and the A300's engines. If you look closely at the nose, you can see the reflection of the nose gear, the right wing and wingtip fence, and a UPS 767-300F.
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