NIGERIAN MILITARY JET CRASHES IN NIGER. (PHOTO).
UPS has announced that its fleet of McDonnell Douglas MD-11 planes, grounded after a deadly crash in November, is unlikely to return to service during the peak holiday season. In an internal memo to employees, UPS Airlines president Bill Moore said inspections and potential repairs are expected to take several months, far longer than the initial estimate of a few weeks, as the company works to comply with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) guidelines.
The grounding follows a fiery crash on November 4 in Louisville, Kentucky, in which an MD-11 lost its left engine during takeoff, killing 14 people and injuring at least 23. In response, cargo carriers immediately grounded their MD-11 fleets ahead of an FAA directive. Moore noted that Boeing’s ongoing evaluation indicates that the inspections and repairs will be more extensive than previously expected.
UPS said it will implement contingency plans to maintain deliveries during the holiday season while prioritizing safety. The 109 remaining MD-11s, which average more than 30 years old, are used exclusively for cargo and account for roughly 9% of UPS’s fleet and 4% of FedEx’s fleet. Boeing, which has overseen the MD-11 since merging with McDonnell Douglas in 1997, is working to provide operators with technical guidance and instructions to meet FAA requirements. The FAA confirmed that Boeing will develop procedures for inspections and any corrective actions, subject to FAA approval.
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