McDonnell Douglas MD-10
| DC-10/MD-10 | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| A DC-10-30 of Ariana Afghan Airlines in 1980. | |
| Role | Wide-body jet airliner |
| National origin | United States |
| Manufacturer | McDonnell Douglas |
| First flight | 29 August 1970 |
| Introduction | August 5, 1971 with American Airlines |
| Status | In service as cargo aircraft |
| Primary users |
FedEx Express |
| Produced | 1968–1988 |
| Number built |
|
| Variants | |
| Developed into | McDonnell Douglas MD-11 |
The McDonnell Douglas DC-10 is a three-engine wide-body jet airliner manufactured by McDonnell Douglas. It features two turbofan engines mounted on underwing pylons and a third engine at the base of the vertical stabilizer. The DC-10 has range for medium- to long-haul flights, capable of carrying a maximum of 380 passengers.
The DC-10 was intended as a successor to the McDonnell Douglas's DC-8 for long-range operations, using a wide-body layout to greatly increase the capacity of the aircraft. More powerful engines allowed it to be powered by three, the minimum allowed at that time for long overwater flights, which reduces maintenance costs relative to a four-engine design. Lockheed also saw this niche as an ideal place to reenter the commercial airliner market with their very similar L-1011 TriStar. Although the L-1011 was more technologically advanced, the DC-10 would go on to outsell the L-1011 by a significant margin, due to the L-1011's higher price and delayed entry in the market. The two designs split the market for sales, leaving both companies' commercial divisions unable to compete financially with Boeing and Airbus.
The DC-10 was noted for a poor safety record in early operations, especially a design flaw in the cargo doors. It gained a bad reputation, especially after the crash of American Airlines Flight 191, the deadliest in the United States, although this was due to incorrect maintenance. In spite of these early difficulties, the DC-10 ultimately accumulated a good safety record as design flaws were rectified and fleet hours increased, comparable to similar second-generation passenger jets as of 2008.
The initial DC-10-10 model was a "domestic" design with a typical range on the order of 3,800 miles (6,100 km) in a two-class layout. The -15 was a "hot and high" version with more powerful engines. The -30 and -40 models were the "international" versions with extended range of up to 6,220 miles (10,010 km) and a third main landing gear leg to support the higher takeoff weights this required. An even longer-ranged version for British Airways, the -50, was not built. The air-to-air refueling tanker versions, known as the KC-10 Extender, are based on the -30 models. Production of the DC-10 ended in 1989 with 386 delivered to airlines and 60 to the U.S. Air Force.
...
Wikipedia