Why The MD-11 Was More Successful As A Cargo Aircraft
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- Опубликовано: 8 сен 2024
- The trijet McDonnell Douglas MD-11 took its maiden flight a little over 31 years ago. However, the aircraft is only active with four airlines these days- all of them cargo operators. Despite once being flown by a handful of passenger airlines around the world, the jet no longer takes on a passenger role. So why was the MD-11 more successful as a cargo aircraft?
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MD-11 Finnair • Finnair MD-11 Gate Arr...
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MD-11 FedEx • FedEx MD-11 [N587FE] T...
MD11 A380 lufthansa • Lufthansa MD11F A380 L...
UPS MD-11 • UPS N278UP MD-11 Landi...
A340 Virgin Atlantic • Virgin Atlantic A340 S...
747F Kalitta AIr • 【4K】カリッタエア Boeing 747...
777 Delta • Delta Air Lines 777-20...
A350 Lufthansa cargo loading • Die Beladung des A350-900
MD-11 Shaded Drawing by Norebbo.com
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CORRECTION - 00:58 - The Airbus A340 was produced over 19 years. - TB
I find that hard to believe.
@@glenfordburrell9228 1991-2011
I was about to say this!! I don't see how 375 enormous aircraft can be seen as unpopular though
@@adsheff Boeing still has over 2000 unfulfilled orders for various variants of the 737 for example, so in comparison, 375 orders delivered would be considered unpopular. Another example, the Airbus A380 is very popular in terms of recognition and how beloepved it is by travelers, posts of people's journey's on it seen all over social media however, only 253 total were ordered (a majority from Emirates), falling short of sales targets and thus the program was technically considered a financial failure, which is why Airbus is ending production of the type.
@@L33tSkE3t 737 is on a totally different scale. I'm not saying that it's not less success, just that it's not unsuccessful.
I'm a ramp agent for UPS and I love working the MD-11's. Never fails to give me chills when all three engines turn and face you when marshalling it in.
I know what you mean. i loaded UPS Next Day Air many years ago. I got that same feeling marshaling the DC-8s.
Love those planes, UPS keeps them looking so good.
I think this is such a beautiful and unique plane, especially with its three engines. It makes me so happy to see them still fly these days.
Not as beautiful as the Lockheed L-1011.
@@Claro1993 I prefer the MD11 ngl
@@Claro1993 But the L-1011 had a awful ride in even mild turbulence and horable Air Handling.
... its* engines (it's = it is)
@@ghinckley68 ... horrible* air* handling* ...
The MD-11 is a very interesting plane of its era, its quite surprising how many are still in service today
How many MD-11's will ultimately outlive the 777-200's and 777-200ER's they were competing against 25 years ago!
texasabbott I don’t know 🤔 your right!
I drove to LAX to drop somone off the other day and it was nice to the MD-11s ready and waiting on the tarmac 😁✈️✈️
@@sovetski8893 Cool!!
@@sovetski8893 Apron*
Simply put: The MD-11 was built at the end of an era. The MD-11 is a freakin truck of an airplane. Overbuilt in many ways, (especially in comparison with the A300's they operate beside in the UPS fleet) the maintenance actions are simpler and faster to repair than similar actions on a smaller Airbus.
I'll just use the loading system for the main deck as an example. On the A300, there are about 1000 pieces of very light sets of rollers/stops/locks that must be removed and reinstalled in the exact same position at the end of a 5/10 year inspection. On the MD-11, said rollers come out in 10 foot sections. Heavy, but easy to keep track of, and virtually indestructible compared to the Airbus counterparts. In the cargo bays, the rollers don't get removed during C4 checks, because the rollers are built into the floor frame.
The other big advantage to the MD-11 is overseas operations. MD-11's are NOT! subject to "ETOPS" (Extended Twin-engine OPeration) restrictions, that require aircraft to stay within 30 minutes of a large enough airport in the case of an engine failure. ETOPS 180 (180 minutes away) certification and maintenance is expensive, but allows direct trans-Atlantic flights, whereas those rules don't apply to the MD-11, since it has 2 engines.
I'm tired, and rambling, let's see if the video makes any conclusions that I did.
My first, and last flight on a MD-11, was the Farewell flight of KLM. These 3 flights were done for the MD-11 enthusiasts in 2014 organized by KLM. I still am very grateful for this opportunity. The MD-11, together with another Douglas plane, the DC-3 are the most beautiful planes ever build.
Ah, nice. I had been hoping to somehow get on one of their last flights, but I missed my chance!
Along with the 707 it's the plane most regret never getting a chance to experience.
@@imonymous same! I wish I got to fly on a dc-8 and a 707. 🥺
@@kona702
👍
can it fly with the middle engine disabled to save fuel?
@@cyclopsvision6370 I believe they can be ferried with one engine inoperative, but without passengers or cargo. That's taking off with one engine out, I'm guessing you're thinking shutting the #2 down for cruise. That actually would be less efficient, as with an engine shut down it wouldn't be able to fly as high or fast, and would end up burning more fuel. Jets burn significantly less fuel at high altitude, so they want to use all their engines to fly as high as possible. Due to this, if an aircraft has an engine failure on a long flight, often they can't make their destination without running out of fuel and have to land somewhere closer. The only situation where shutting down engines can save fuel is if needing to fly for a long duration - time aloft being more important than distance flown - and at relatively low altitude, such as loitering or patrolling. The only case I've seen of this is submarine-hunter patrol planes, such as the (now retired) Navy P-3 four-engine turboprops, which would often shut down two of their engines towards the end of a flight as they burned off their fuel and were light enough to do so.
I use to fly Swissair and Varig MD-11. That was about 20 years ago. Nice memories :-)
I have a model Varig MD-11!
I like the look of DC-10s and MD-11s. I worked on DC-10s and remember adding oil to the number 2 engine. That was a little sketchy since I wasn't used to heights. Had to open the service platform and crank the fan cowl open. Pretty cool setup.
When adding oil to a DC-10 or MD-11you don’t open the Engine Cowl. Oil servicing is done with a pump and overflow bottle from a hatch on the lower belly.
I crawled up in there once. It belonged to United and they we’re getting rid of them. I remember it being old and greasy, like a lot of airplanes. I think I would have liked to spend more time with the DC 10 but it didn’t work out.
@@mendodsoregonbackroads6632 Are you sure? United Airlines didn't operate the MD 11, or maybe you got it confused with what the MD 11 was developed from, the dc 10, which united airlines did operate.
@@reactive435 I was referring to the DC-10.
Any mechs with experience on MD-11s? What are the major gripes would you say. I'm going to get my Gen Fams this Monday. I'm working for a company called WGA they are trying to compete with UPS and FedEx. I worked on them at a small MRO facility in San Antonio TX VTSA.
This has always been my favorite plane! I was lucky to make my first international trip in 1998 on a VASP MD-11 from my city in Brazil, Salvador, straight to Miami. Even today I remember the details and how I couldn't sleep as excited as I was. Long live the MD-11!
Were you the only passenger in that flight or did you have any flight buddy?
I flew on many MD-11s operated by American Airlines, Delta, World Airways and KLM in and out of the US to Europe, Japan and Korea. It was one of my favorite aircraft and I was saddened to see it go away as a passenger variant. Shame that it didn't produce what was promised as a passenger carrier. Still a gorgeous aircraft.
I do like the MD11, but of the tri-jets, I prefer the L1011.
Me too!
My son in law, former exec with Delta used to refer to the L1011 as "a hunk of junk."
Right on, they made a restaurant out of one at Suseong lake, Daegu City. My dad (former navigator for PLL LOT) identified it right away from a distance hah.
@@firstcav46 Yeah and Super-80s were a much better choice (laughs as I recall being stuck at O'Hare for a full day trying to get a connecting flight to FLA with my parents as a kid - two broke down, the other ones were overbooked as a result. We stayed in Chicago, it was windy and cold but still nice).
@@the_kombinator Your comment makes no sense. 1. they are talking about tri-jets 2. nobody said MD's are better 3. you had some delays when you were a kid and that is an argument vs. an exec who has to deal with aviation daily ?
The MD-11 is such a beauty…
I absolutely LOVE the cockpit windows & winglets.
AND the 3 engines of course!!!
Such a beautiful aircraft. Especially the wings and large windows. I’m so glad KLM had them in their fleet
Lots of hours as a passenger in those MD11 passenger jets of KLM.
Entering a KLM jet after work abroad gives you that almost home feeling
I worked at McDonnell Douglas in Long Beach (in the computer complex) in the late 70's when they were producing the DC-10s, and I was always amazed when a brand new one would taxi out to the runway and take off for a maiden test flight. I couldn't imagine being a test pilot, but was in awe of their skill and courage. I flew on them many times and it was always a pleasure.
Worked at MDC in LGB as Flight Dispatcher Flight Test Production from 1987 to 2002 bldg 15. Dispatched many of the Aircraft built there. First flights were a crew of 3, two Pilots and a Test Engineer for 3 hours out over the ocean in an area called W291 then touch and goes at Palmdale then back to LGB. To bad they didn't make the 2 engine version. Was turned down by McDonnell Jr.
Yes, but the wings were built in Toronto Canada, brought in by train in special flatcars. Airframes were built at a different location and had to be trucked over city streets at night with traffic lights lifted out of the way. And the hangar was so old, the tail section above the center engine had to be added after rollout. Not a very efficient way of assembly, but then all those dudes are running Boeing now.
Flew in an Alitalia MD-11 in December 1992. The most powerful take off I have ever experienced! Felt like a rocket! A huge plane for the short flight from Rome to Milan.
Proud to be a loadmaster on this iconic jet!
Do you know any Mechs for this jet, what do they say are the biggest gripes that they have?
I got to fly on an MD-11 only once. I was headed home in about 2004 and gave up my seat on a B767 to get the voucher. So the next available flight was on a Delta MD-11 in First Class! Only about an hour flight (Atlanta to Orlando), but still, it was a wonderful experience.
Must have been before 2004 as the last DL MD-11 flight was on Jan 1st, 2004.
Flew the MD11 from LTU, one of the smoothest flights ever. A real beauty... those were the days
I flew the MD-11 at least twenty times with KLM, flight 606 (SFO-AMS) and 605 (AMS-SFO). Loved that plane!
I was an employee of McDonnell Douglas in Toronto and got a pre certification tour of an MD11 on the ground in 1989. Pretty cool.
I flew on one in June 2013 from AMS-YYZ with KLM, PH-KCE "Audrey Hepburn". In fact, that flight comprises two of my early flight videos on my channel.
As I live in Toronto, I do still see the MD-11 flying in and out of Pearson on a fairly regular frequency with three cargo airlines; FedEx, UPS, and Lufthansa Cargo.
KLM MD-11 was my absolute no.#1 passenger aircraft. As a passenger that was most comfortable on the AMS-YYZ/YYZ-AMS route. Loved it. Missed it.
I believe Lufthansa has decommissioned its MD11F fleet very recently sadly... but the bird is still strong with UPS and FEDX. This is my favourite aircraft design and I will always remember being a kid in the 80’s and early and seeing this engine tail all over airports. Never flew on one as a passenger sadly but great to see them still flying !
Lufthansa sold there md 11fs to UPS, possibly fedex express
I love the MD-11. I've had the pleasure of working on that incredible aircraft for 10 years and I was lucky enough to be on 33 flights.
One of my favorite looking aircraft of all time. I use to fly on these when Delta had them for their Atlanta to Tokyo route. It was a great wide cabin plane with plenty of space and just looked amazing!
I loved the MD-11 to fly in, and it is one of the nicest plane to look at still. Thanks for that video 👍🏽
I've ridden in the jumpseat on them. They are really cool planes. Tons of power.
Probably why they make great cargo planes as well..that extra engine helps when carrying large loads. Especially for take-offs.
Like all Douglas-built planes, the MD-11 is rugged and durable, and with even minimal maintenance will outlast similar planes made at the same time. Combine that with its voracious cargo capacity (it can carry more capacity in cargo than it can in passengers) and you've got a winning combination for the likes of UPS and FedEx. Great video, Simple Team!
F-15 EAGLE ❤❤❤
Flew as first officer on the MD-11 for a year and a half, and seven years with FedEx. I absolutely loved the the jet. I liked the fact that you had to not only a pilot to fly her but an aviator, especially in the landing phase. The jet offered little room for error particularly in a high cross wind environment
.
As witnessed in the Sydney landing youtube Alan. They just look elegant, and when they take off light, they just rocket straight up, looks like 45 deg sometimes. But likely not! Interestingly, when you see them climbing out of Honolulu, they really, really lift off at a very low angle of attack, usually bound for Sydney and no doubt heavily laden and lots of fuel for the long haul. Those three engines earning their keep, right there.
It is just unfortunate that the MD-11 was outcompeted by the 777, because the MD-11 is far more beautiful.
Has nothing to do with the video but ok up to you
@@aviationphu9603 If you have nothing to contribute, don’t reply.
It looks angry as heck, probably because of the big side windows. Same as the DC-10 and C-17 Globemaster III (Also an MD plane at 1st)
@@Kalvinjj The maddogs lineup 😍
@@marianostarosiliz Yep, that one inherited the face all the way back from the DC-8
I used to love to fly with the Finnair MD11 along with their B757s, Its what got me in to aviation in the first place!
Yes, I had a Flight from Chicago O'Hare to Atlanta Hartsfield International many years ago. I had a seat over the wings and was amazed at the wing's flight surface control action. When they say full flaps, you could definitely see what they were talking about.
I flew the MD-11 on many occasions, it is a beautiful aircraft, and in my opinion, I'm thrilled it will continue to fly as a cargo aircraft!
Flew on a Laker Dc-10 LAX to Gatwick and back again 2 months later in 1979. That was right after the pylon bolt issue. I think it is a beautiful design.
I did a internship at McDonnell Douglas in the late 80s when the MD-11s were starting production. We were able to see the whole process from start to finish. Douglas airplanes were special they took a whole year to complete, great memories and it is a wonderful thing to see these planes still in service...
That's awesome are you an A/C engineer or Mechanic? I'm a mechanic and I've worked on MD-11s at a MRO facility in SA TX. But now I'm starting work for a company called WGA and I want to know what are the main gripes for this aircraft?
I flew the MD11 pax once from FRA-KIX with JAL back in 1999 . They had rather nice tropical bird decals on the winglets as I remember .
The MD-11 is my favorite aircraft of all time - Second is the 727. I did get the opportunity to see the KC-10 extender which was a beauty!!!
I’ve flown both commercial (American & Hawaiian) and jumpseat when I worked for FedEx. The window next to the jumpseat was HUGE....a picture window at 40,000 ft! Miss those big jets.
I flew Swiss MD-11 ATL-Zurich in the 90's loved it, when they opened power for Take-off you got a kick in the seat, very smooth flights
I miss flying on them. I used to take an AA MD-11 every Sunday ORD-DFW, could not believe how fast it was, especially it was a repo flight used mostly by Nonrevs so it was nice and light
I flew on the MD-11 non-stop from Frankfurt to Los Angeles. It was about a 12 hour flight. Great experience.
I see the UPS and FEDEX MD-11s daily here in HNL. Nice sight to see something other than a twinjet these days. A three holer, at that.
I used to fly a Delta Airline MD11 from Portland Oregon to Nagoya Japan. It was my preferred way to get to Japan and beyond. I loved that plane. Business class on that flight was better than first class on a few competitors. Such and smooth plane with that thick body and it was great in turbulence.
Have flown MD 11 from Johannesburg to Europe many years ago but cannot remember which airline; a great aircraft. If I remember also the galley was somewhere below the passenger deck and there was a lift (elevator) to get food and drinks to the passengers. Happy memories !!
I worked as an F/A with Wardair Canada in the 80’s and they flew DC-10-30’s. I loved the Aircraft. The seating was 301/1 class/ all economy.
Wardair flew from Canada to Florida/Caribbean/Hawaii and Europe
My father was Sales Manager of Swissair and we travel several times from Sao Paulo to Switzerland. Very confortable, powerfull and fast in my opinion. My favorite plane along to MD80.
This is by far my favorite aircraft to fly in my simulator. Such a gift to fly and the power, wow. Mach .92 cruise
In the 80s, KLM Amsterdam - Panama via Curaçao. Loved that flight because of the seating arrangement (only 2 classes) where a little compartment with right behind first but before the wings. The DC10 and MD11 were my absolute favourites in those days mainly because their quietness.
Md-11 is an awesome airplane ever built my favorite wide-body jet... the only airplane with the biggest cockpit windows. In existence
Had the pleasure of flying this plane for Gemini back in 2003-2009 and worked for a contractor who repossessed the last 5 MD11's from Varig after their BK in 2009.
I flew on a Air NZ DC10 in the mid 70s. I was only 8 years old. But remembered it as an adventure. The plane seemed absolutely huge inside. And very quiet.
I flew with the amazing MD-11
from amsterdam to Vancouver in 2011 and from Vancouver to Amsterdam with KLM
One of my favorite aircraft’s….
I got it just in time before to retired !
I love the MD-11 and DC-10 use to fly them on Northwest Orient from ANC to MSP. Always smooth as glass.
I flew on Thai Airways MD11 from Bangkok-Dhaka-Bangkok in early 2000.
Yup, traveled on one 4 times with KLM. YVR to AMS and back. Loved these birds!
I've flown the MD-11 across the Atlantic with KLM, nice memories!
I always enjoyed my flights, as a passenger, on the MD-11. A great aircraft!
Man I wish you guys would cover personal and business class aircraft on this channel!
Great video - I never flew on the MD-11, but have been fascinated by it for years Its one of a kind! I've studied the aircraft's systems in extreme detail and love the plane. My dream is to fly one but unfortunately I doubt time is in my favor.
Such a beautiful aircraft, I really miss the Lufthansa Cargo MD-11 at VCP here in Brazil. ✈️
Despite passenger versions of the md 11 no longer flying, I am glad to see the cargo versions of them still flying today.
Always love seeing the trijets fly over at work
My uncle actually used to be an MD-11 First Officer with American Airlines, and now he’s rated on the 777, he even gave me his MD-11 flight manual when I was younger
On top of that I see lots of MD-11s from UPS at DFW Airport everyday whenever I visit, I used to not like the plane, but it actually grew well on me, better than the DC-10 which took even longer to grow on me, especially after hearing about American flight 191 and United flight 232
My favorite aircraft. I stood next to one when I worked in airport ops and it's been my favorite ever since.
i work for UPS and work around these things every day. not my favorite jet to load cuz for such a large beast its loading decks are unpowered so we have to manually push everything.
I flew regularly on the MD-11 and it was a comfortable plane for passengers. It loaded and unloaded quickly for a big twin-aisle plane and the seating configuration was more user-friendly than that of the 747 (which had too many seats in the center rows). And it was very reliable. The reason the MD-11 went out of production was that Boeing took over McDonnell Douglas and didn't want the MD-11 to compete with its heritage planes. The MD-11 still had interested customers when the assembly line was closed.
This is only a fraction of the reasons. The MD-11 is one of very few aircraft able to hold heavy pallets on its main deck. The A330 and A340 cannot. That reduces its competition. Operating 3 engines is also more economical than operating 4, so DC-8s, 707s and older 747s are made obsolete by this. On the other hand, 777s, the only real competitors, are expensive. For cargo, it’s not just the size that matters. Availability matters too. Cargo carriers aren’t limited to flying to/from their home countries, unlike most passenger carriers. Fifth freedom flights are the norm in cargo operations, so having a large fleet spread throughout the globe is key to getting the contracts.
The MD-11F was eating a good portion of the 744F’s lunch in 1996-97. Just look at the sales numbers during those years. It’s no wonder Boeing discontinued offering the MD-11 and the 744F’s orders surged thereafter.
He got the efficiency argument very wrong. The reason higher engine count can still work with cargo isn't because of lower sortie rate, it's because freighters typically fly a lot heavier than passenger aircraft. More engines = more cargo per flight, meaning fewer flights to move a given amount. When you operate closer to the load limit, the cost per kg decreases (efficiency increases) and once you cross the limit of a 2 engine airframe you need an entire extra trip.
Flew the MD11 once with KLM 😍 best flight ever with the best aircraft ever!!!
My very first flight ever was on an MD-11. From GRU (São Paulo) to ZRH (Zurich) with a stop in REC (Recife) operated by VASP.
I didn't get to fly but instead got onboard these unique trijets while they were under maintenance over 3 years ago. It was a real privilege to get onboard unique jets like these, and even watched as the CF6-80C2s roared on the ground alebit not at full throttle.
I often flew as a passenger on Delta MD 11s from its Portland OR Asia hub. They were comfortable, got off the ground quickly, but almost every landing was a hard landing.
My first ever flight was on an MD 11 belonging to TAP. Porto to Sao Paulo. March 1993. Great looking aircraft.
FInally a video dedicated to this beauty!!!! 😍
I Fly on MD-11 Swiss air in 1997 NY GVA (SR111) was my best flight experience with half of the passengers and amazing service and comfort
Not only did I fly on passenger MD11s but I flew on FedEx MD11's pre 9/11, it was a fantastic way to fly!
That is actually very interesting
Flew on the MD-11 when it was with KLM and American. Great plane
The MD-11 has a very loud interior due to wind noise more so than the DC-10. The flight deck is about the quietest place on the aircraft. Passenger cabin noise was the main complaint from passengers. That is a very big reason why the people haulers sold them to the box haulers.
In 1997 I flew on Virgin Atlantic from Cincinnati to Gatwick, and back to Boston on MD-11s. Although I flew many times on DC-10s and 747s these were my only flights on MD-11s. I remember being excited and very pleased with the experience.
I had a round trip from AMS to SFO on a KLM MD11. The return flight was fully booked and having stand by tickets I was offered a folding chair in the aft galley, what an experience! Unthinkable nawadays!
Unthinkable? It still happens. Jump seats are still used.
@@afcgeo882 It was not a jump seat but a real aluminium folding chair! Moreover placed in front of the rearest right door. Cheers
@@d8889 What?! 😆 Where did they even get one?!
@@afcgeo882 No idea at all! And it was not just one but two of them. I was flying with my brother. I've seen those chairs used by crew members in the rear galley from time to time, when they take some rest eating or reading during intercontinental flights
I flew on the MD-11 2 times with KLM from Oranjestad to Amsterdam. I flew on the DC-10 once, but I was still a baby :)
I never flew on an MD-11 but I got to fly on a few DC-10s back in the day.
I traveled on VARIG MD-11's my first trip to Brazil (from JFK) February 2001. I was impressed how spacious it was inside and how smooth the flights were.
My first flight was JFK to Brazil on a Varig DC-10 in the late 70’s. I remember the hot towels before dinner service at 10pm I was starving kid.
@@appleiphone69 the amenity kit had Hermes' Eau de Orange Vert. I still use this perfume to this day
I was at LGB airport for first flight of the MD-11. I always liked the configuration.
Only flew once on the MD11 of Martinair from Amsterdam to New York! So sad to see them becoming rare, it is a beautiful aircraft type.
I flew on one in 93 when I was in the military on my way to Korea. It was an American Airlines flight from DFW to Japan. I was amazed at the intense sound and thrust of the engines as we took off from DFW. I was even more amazed that we flew non stop for 12hrs. I will never forget that experience.
In 2007 I had a flight aboard a KLM MD-11 from Panama to Amsterdam.
Was really good, I liked the plane.
I got to fly on an MD-11 World Airways charter when I was in the Air Force. Also got to fly on an ATA L-1011. Both were great.
I had the fortune of flying Malaysia Airlines DC 10, Philippine Airlines DC 10 Combi and United MD 11. It’s top speed was the highest of most commercial aircraft I think. Good memories!
I flew the MD11 by Swiss air very often. I used Swiss air because of the MD11, it was my favourite aircraft.
Flew on KLM's MD-11 From San Francisco to Amsterdam - even had a chance to use its in flight phone service to call my friend. Was a lovely experience, the galley layout was intriguing - it was also interesting that we took off from the standard length runway at SFO which was 1R - most take off from 28R or 28L which are always used for heavy and large aircraft - not sure if the 3 engines afford it high thrust capabilities or if we happen to be light on that particular day. It's sight will be forever missed!
The best Aviation related RUclips Channel, as a professional in this field I had learned and still learning a lot from Simple Flying, i wanna thank all the team for the great efforts on daily basis.
Thanks for the feedback! - TB
Such a beautiful aircraft! One of my top 5 favorite of all time!
The most beautiful plane ever. I flew it on Varig and Vasp
Have flown MD11 as a passenger a couple of times. Since it was an upgrade of the DC10, was very comfortable and actually quiet. Enjoyed the aircraft
Sadly I never had the chance of flying on the type. I was working as a flight attendant for a charter carrier which used the L-1011 and PRAYED the carrier would buy the MD-11 but we were forced to shut down by the FAA during the whole Valuejet incident. I still would love to fly on this beauty!
I was fortunate enough to fly one of KLM's farewell flights with the MD-11. Very happy to have flown her, even if it wasn't normal service.
My favorite plane ever. Absolutely stunning to look at. I got to fly on one with Delta as a kid in the '90s. I just remember the three engines on it and then as I got older I realized it had to be an md-11 as it was a domestic flight connecting in Atlanta.