United Parcel Service Receives First Boeing 767 Freighter

LOUISVILLE, KY, Oct. 16, 1995 - The first Boeing 767 Freighter arrived at the international hub of United Parcel Service (UPS) here today to begin revenue service.

Boeing signed over its first-ever 767 Freighter to UPS in Seattle last week. Today, some 1,200 UPS employees and guests here staged a celebration complete with brass band, barbershop quartets and a ceremonial washing down to officially welcome the shining brown-and-white jet to its new home town.

The big jet represents the result of two companies working together in new ways, officials said.

As the launch customer, UPS joined Boeing to design and build the freighter version of the 767-300ER long-range passenger jet using techniques of open sharing of information and early involvement of the customer that Boeing pioneered on the all-new 777 wide-body twinjet introduced earlier this year.

"The 767 Freighter is exactly the plane we need to continue our success in one of the world's most competitive businesses," said UPS Airlines President and COO Tom Weidemeyer. "We know it is because we helped create it. Working side-by-side with Boeing, we made sure the features and performance are there to give us the reliability, versatility, and clean and quiet operation we require."

Boeing President Phil Condit said: "The 767 Freighter has been a huge win for Boeing from the start. Working with UPS we produced a better airplane -- one that delivers the maximum revenue-generating value to the customer. We're delivering it on time and ready for service. And in the process, we've shown we can apply many of the new business practices we developed for the all-new 777 on derivative airplanes as well."

UPS ordered 30 of the all-cargo jets in February 1993, and secured options for 30 more. The purchase was the largest single order for all-cargo aircraft ever received by Boeing.

UPS selected General Electric CF6-80C2 engines for the airplane. The GE engines are equipped with a new combustor that burns cleaner and lowers emissions. The engines also run more quietly and will help UPS become the first airline to meet 1999's more stringent Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Stage 3 noise standards three years early -- at the end of 1996.

The 767 Freighter shares a common type rating with the 757 Freighter, already a mainstay of the UPS fleet. The carrier flies nearly 60 of the standard-body Boeing twinjets and has another 70 on order. Their common type rating means the two planes share many of the same parts and procedures -- and so can be operated together with high efficiency.

"Commonality with the 757 Freighter is just one advantage the 767 Freighter holds over its competition," said John Quinlivan, Boeing director of 747/767 Derivatives. "The 767 Freighter offers flexible payload and range capabilities to meet UPS's current and future needs. It also has terrific operational economics."

The 767 Freighter is designed to accept 11,990 cubic feet in cargo containers on its main deck, plus 3,282 cubic feet of cargo in lower holds. It features a large cargo door on the main deck of the forward fuselage, a single crew entry door and a freighter interior. In UPS configuration, the 767 Freighter can carry 55 tons of revenue payload 3,000 nautical miles, or 45 tons as far as 4,000 nautical miles. Its basic maximum takeoff weight is 408,000 pounds. Boeing offers another version capable of taking off at up to 412,000 pounds and carrying 59 tons of revenue payload 3,000 nautical miles.

This first UPS 767 Freighter entered production at the Boeing wide-body factory in Everett, Wash., in January 1995. It rolled out in May and entered flight testing in June. It received U.S. Federal Aviation Administration certification Oct. 4.