UPS Orders B747-8s
 

FYI:

UPS orders up to 28 Boeing 747-8 freighters | Airframes content from ATWOnline

More details here:
Boeing?s struggling 747 jumbo snags a lifeline from UPS order | The Seattle Times
Those of us on the program have known something was in the works with UPS for some time - but it's the sort of thing that we're not allowed to repeat (at least not without getting in trouble :rolleyes:)

tdracer,

There have been several articles about this announcement but I didn't see one saying if these -8s were straight additions to the total fleet or if there'd be some current airplanes parked as the -8s came on line.

Any idea on that ?

If you read the Seattle Times article I linked, it says it's expansion - they're going to move some of their existing 747F to domestic service and operate the new -8F internationally. Six of their existing 747-400F are relatively new - they picked them up when Boeing offered the last 747-400 production slots at fire sale prices after the -8 was launched.
However I see they also have a couple 747BCF - it wouldn't exactly surprise me if those got parked was the 747-8F came on line. I just retired from Boeing so I can no longer check the hour/cycle numbers but those BCF's tended to be rather high time and their operating economics are not as good as the pure freighters.

Another Seattle Times article today said they expect some MD-11 international routes to go to the 748.

Where is the MD-11 still hauling passengers?

I bet they got a very good deal on the them, I would not be surprised to see other major cargo companies going the same way, if the price is right to replace their larger aircraft (MD10/11 etc).

I don't think there are any current 747-8F white tails - Air Bridge took them after the original buyers backed out (presumably at really good prices). Intercontinentals are a different story - there are several white tails for operators who went belly up before taking delivery. A few are parked in the desert, at least one is still parked at Paine but will be heading to storage before the end of the year.
There is minimal 'customization' of freighters - so transferring buyers is not a big deal (assuming you can find a buyer) - passenger models not so much...

The 4-engined 747 (-8) is a dying breed, globalization is at a standstill and it's future is uncertain, so UPS probably got a hell of a deal.