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Watchlisted aircraftBoeing 747-400 Dreamlifter

Dreamlifter N780BA: a cargo design with a hinged rear fuselage

N780BA was reported near Ashley, Michigan. Plane Alert DB includes it in the community list's "Distinctive aircraft" category.

Nearl CrewsObserved Published

Map of Boeing 747-400 Dreamlifter N780BA's recorded track near Ashley, Michigan: 9 positions over 2 minutes, about 20 miles.
Saved positions of Boeing 747-400 Dreamlifter N780BA near Ashley, Michigan, drawn from a short archived excerpt. The line breaks at gaps over 45 seconds, at source changes and at rejected positions. The path measures about 20 miles (17.5 nautical miles) along the plotted segments. Archive timestamps do not establish exact message freshness. USGS topographic background shows roads, water and place names where available. It is a current reference map, not imagery from the flight date. Map data sources

A Dreamlifter flight was recorded near Ashley, Michigan, on September 6, 2026. The aircraft database identifies the aircraft as Boeing 747-400 Dreamlifter N780BA. Its type has a hinged rear fuselage that opens to let outsized cargo enter from behind.

The Dreamlifter began with the 747-400 design and was modified to carry large aircraft structures. Boeing describes its cargo as including huge fuselage sections. Plane Alert DB lists N780BA in its "Distinctive aircraft" category; that list entry does not show who was aboard.

About the Boeing 747-400 Dreamlifter

  • Boeing describes it as carrying large composite structures, including huge fuselage sections for the 787.
  • The Boeing 747-400LCF, known as the Dreamlifter, began with the 747-400 design and was modified to carry large 787 structures between Boeing’s suppliers and final-assembly sites.
  • The Dreamlifter’s most striking engineering choice is its hinged rear fuselage, which opens to let outsized cargo enter from behind.

Other Boeing 747-400 Dreamlifter stories

Representative Boeing Dreamlifter on an airport apron, showing its enlarged cargo fuselage.
Representative Boeing Dreamlifter photo. Image source and license

Recorded data for N780BA

Observation
Observed to
Event typeUnusual aircraft
Recorded sourceADS-B, ICAO address
Post date
Last revised
Aircraft
Aircraft typeBOEING 747-400LCF Dreamlifter
Type designatorBLCF
Tail number (registration)N780BA
CallsignGTI4531
ICAO addressAA90A0

Measurements

Displayed measurements may be rounded.

Saved reading at .
Ground speed514.8 kn
Archived altitude; reference not retained35,000 ft
Last archived label at . Archive labels are carried between saved positions.
CallsignGTI4531
Watchlist association
SourcePlane Alert DB
CategoryDistinctive aircraft
Pinned source version6f7a19044a8dc9ed1c5687c8d26650df7296321e
AttributionAircraft association/category: Plane Alert DB / SDR-Enthusiasts and contributors.
LicencesOpen Database License 1.0; Database Contents License 1.0
ScopeSource association only; not verified current ownership, operator, historical association or presence of any person aboard.
Record details

Public event ID: 1f5c496c-2a72-4869-9c08-8ac1e8d032fb.

Record revision: 3.

Evidence version: f8451f3c690e913070bf525957ba76c553c35e2fd61a983edcb61cf4c690ac86.

More about N780BA

Other Boeing 747-400 Dreamlifter stories

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