Commercial cargo aircraft, what's the most efficient?

[John Boyle]

I'd like to see a 737 landing on an ice runway.

By that I mean a runway which is actualy nothing more than a crude runway, bulldozed on top of a glacier! That would rip a 737 apart!
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The 737 is approved for operating on gravel strips. The Canadians have been doing it for years up in their Northern territories....and I think an airline in Alaska also operated off gravel. There is an STC for the gravel mod kit and it was available from the factory..at least for -200 models.

[Bmused55]

The 737 is approved for operating on gravel strips. The Canadians have been doing it for years up in their Northern territories....and I think an airline in Alaska also operated off gravel. There is an STC for the gravel mod kit and it was available from the factory..at least for -200 models.

Thats gravel. I am more than aware of the 737's capabilities. Such models had a special vortex fence on the engines cowlings leading edge to help prevent the intake of gravel into the engines. The Nose gear also had a special deflector.

What I am talking about is a runway that is not on Terra firma. It is merely a strip of semi level ice bulldozed or in some cases hand dug with shovels on top of an ice glacier in the antarctic or arctic.

Such a runways in incredibly rough. I have only ever known props to use them.

Its possible a 737-200 could land on it, but I don't think it could stop in time due to the speed.

[Hand87_5]

I don't which one is the best (because it mainly rely on which criteria) but I know the one I like the most: MD11-F .
It seems that's it one of the favorite type of the cargo operator as well.

By the way , didn't MDD (ooops sorry Boeing) have some project to convert the C17 into a freighter?

[Bmused55]

I don't which one is the best (because it mainly rely on which criteria) but I know the one I like the most: MD11-F .
It seems that's it one of the favorite type of the cargo operator as well.

By the way , didn't MDD (ooops sorry Boeing) have some project to convert the C17 into a freighter?

The MD-11 is indeed a favourite with the Freight Haulers. Fed Ex don't seem to be able to get enough of them. It may be a failure as a pax aicraft but it makes a heck of a cargo plane.