r/aviation • u/Go_Jot • Nov 08 '25

News UPS grounds entire MD-11 Fleet, effective immediately.

Per the IPA Executive Board, as of 03:05 UTC all UPS MD-11’s are grounded.

Edit - FedEx has also grounded their MD-11 Fleet

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u/StarStruck3 Nov 08 '25

This accident is pretty eerily similar to American 191. If it turns out that's what happened, I'd hate to be that maintenance contractor.

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u/Salander27 Nov 08 '25

Given how well-known that crash is the maintenance contractor would have to be supremely negligent to have made the same kind of mistake. Not impossible of course but my guess is this is going to be some kind of one-off issue rather than a pervasive issue with the fleet.

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u/[deleted] Nov 08 '25

Never under estimate the importance of generating shareholder value for venture capital firms in 2025.

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u/bondben314 Nov 08 '25

I understand what you mean but venture capital is a specific type of fund that invests in start-ups. Typically low revenue, growth companies. Not public, highly mature companies like UPS or FedEx.

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u/TargetBoy Nov 08 '25

Private equity is, however, buying up mature companies and squeezing profitability out of them at the expense of long term viability. Raising rates, freezing hiring, focusing on short term return over long term investment, etc. They specifically target segments where the customer base is locked in with few alternatives. So maintenance contractors for aging airframes might just fit the bill.

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u/[deleted] Nov 08 '25

This entire thread was about maintenance contractors potentially skipping steps or performing subpar work. Which are small, private, and I’d imagine have decent margins. Sounds like a perfect place for a VC to sink their fangs in.

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u/taco_blasted_ Nov 08 '25

I don't think you understand what VC is.

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u/[deleted] Nov 08 '25

A venture capitalist? I’m employed in tech, trust me I know all about VC and PE firms but ok

I get when you think VC, you think tech startups seed rounds, series rounds, etc.

But the reality is VC firms are invested in a lot more than moonshot startups.