Today, Lufthansa Cargo’s last MD-11F landed at Frankfurt Airport for the final time. Flight LH8161 from New York-JFK touched down at 12:03 p.m. ahead of schedule on local runway 07R, marking the end of service with Lufthansa Cargo after over 23 years.
On Sunday (October 17, 2021), Lufthansa Cargo announced the end of an era with the landing of the carrier’s last MD-11F at Frankfurt Airport for the final time after more than 23 years of service. Flight LH8161 from New York-JFK touched down ahead of schedule on local runway 07R at 12:03 p.m., where it was greeted by a traditional water arch from the Frankfurt Airport Fire Brigade. The aircraft, registration D-ALCC, is also the last MD-11F registered in Europe and will now be sold to a U.S. cargo airline.
In Sunday’s announcement, Deutsche Lufthansa’s Chairman of the Executive Board and CEO of Lufthansa Cargo, Dorothea von Boxberg, said,
“We are very grateful to our MD-11F fleet for over two decades of loyal service. We know that this particular aircraft has an incredible number of fans, throughout our colleagues at Lufthansa as well as among aviation enthusiasts worldwide. The decisive factor for the introduction of the MD-11F at Lufthansa Cargo in the late nineties was its significantly better fuel efficiency compared to the widebody freighter previously used. In the future, we will rely on the twin-engine Boeing 777F for the same reason.”
Lufthansa Cargo's Last MD-11 Freighter Arrives in Frankfurt on Sunday, October 17, 2021 - Courtesy Lufthansa Cargo/Mynewsdesk
Lufthansa Cargo took delivery of their first two MD-11 freighters in June 1998, former registrations D-ALCA and D-ALCB, followed by a third aircraft (D-ALCC) in August of the same year. In total, Lufthansa Cargo operated 19 MD-11s, including the last aircraft manufactured, former registration D-ALCN, serial number 48806, which was delivered on January 25, 2001. The company also received the last MD-11 delivered on February 22, 2001 (former registration D-ALCM, serial number 48805).
The MD-11F is 61.4 meters long, a wingspan of 51.7 meters and a height of up to 18 meters, and offers a cargo capacity of up to 94.7 tons, divided into 26 main deck positions and up to 14 more on the lower deck. Lufthansa Cargo’s MD-11Fs were powered by three General Electric CF6-80C2D1F engines, each with 273,57 kN standard thrust. The aircraft’s MTOW is 285.99 metric tons, resulting in a range of 7,242 kilometers (3,910 nautical miles).
Lufthansa Cargo has been gradually replacing their MD-11Fs with twin-engine Boeing 777 freighters since November 2013. The B777 freighters offer lower emissions and a reduced noise footprint.
Photo Gallery of Lufthansa Cargo's Last MD-11 Freighter, Registration D-ALCC - Courtesy Lufthansa Cargo/Mynewsdesk
With revenue of €2.8 billion and 6.5 billion revenue ton-kilometers in 2020, Lufthansa Cargo is one of the world’s leading air freight companies, employing approximately 4,400 team members worldwide. The cargo carrier serves around 300 destinations in over 100 countries with a dedicated fleet of freighters, as well as belly-hold cargo capacity of passenger aircraft operated by Lufthansa German Airlines, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Eurowings Discover and SunExpress. Lufthansa Cargo also operates an extensive road feeder service network. Lufthansa Cargo is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Deutsche Lufthansa AG and is the Group’s logistics specialist.
Source: Lufthansa Cargo/Mynewsdesk