Southern skies friendly to air cargo: Memphis, Miami and Atlanta airports are world-class hubs.

As air freight becomes a more vital component in the logistics picture, more shippers are they're finding that the South is well-positioned to fill their cargo needs.

Within the region are three centerpieces for the Southeast's thriving air cargo activity:

* Memphis International, home of Federal Express's Superhub, is expected to top 2 million metric tons of cargo when final 1997 figures are tallied.

* Miami International, ranked third with 1.7 million metric tons handled in 1996, and third in international freight with 1.49 million tons. Miami is the center for Latin trade, and as the U.S. has stepped up negotiations for open-skies agreements with foreign markets, …