Originally Posted by
LAS1997
It seems a shame to see such an amazing aircraft retire. Surely it could be converted into a freighter? Just think how much more cargo she could take compared to a MD11 / 747. Perhaps even a military version? How many more troops she could accomodate compared to an A330 or 767.
It simply does not pencil out well as a purely cargo aircraft, plus getting cargo on/off the upper deck would be a problem without a huge investment in GSE.
The one way it might work would be as a combi style aircraft - cargo on the main deck and SLF up stairs. Problem is, after a few cargo-fire related crashes the regulations for a combi have become so restrictive I doubt we'll ever see a new combi-style aircraft certified.