Mid-Summer Spotting Part #2 A Recent Look at the Freighter Traffic at Chicago O’Hare Airport.
We continue our look into a recent spotting trip to Chicago O’Hare International Airport with a closer look at pure freighter traffic. The downturn in traffic on the passenger side has been very evident since the Covid-19 Pandemic began, but that has not affected air freight in the least, with current demand often exceeding capacity.
O’Hare has always been an important and busy cargo hub, and has seen an increase in traffic with passenger aircraft being pressed into service as freighters carrying cargo in their belly holds. On any given day you will see a wide variety of freighters including numerous Boeing 747’s from Atlas Air and a variety of Boeing 767’s operating by ATSG Holdings for Amazon.
The demand for air freight even brings out more exotic visitors including a Volga Dnepr IL-76TD-90VD which carried a payload of medical supplies. Air freight has been, continues to be, and will be another vital component of the daily traffic into and out of O’Hare.
In our third and final article we will take a look at the more common narrow body and regional aircraft types that frequent O’Hare, along with several special color schemes. Until next time, “Blue Skies To All!”
