End of an era: Onboard the Final Commerical Passenger Flight of the MD-11

[flee 5]

The era of widebody tri-jet commercial passenger service came to a close this weekend. Early Sunday morning KLM flight 672 touched down at Amsterdam’s Schipol airport, the final landing of the MD-11 type in scheduled operation. And with that landing – as well as the retirement earlier this year of Biman Bangladesh Airlines’ final DC-10 – the widebody tri-jet is history. KLM operated the flight from Montreal to Amsterdam as regular scheduled service so it was not only aviation junkies on board, though that group was certainly well represented amongst the passengers.

 

Full report: http://airwaysnews.com/blog/2014/10/26/klm-md11-final-flight-trip-report/

[Radzi 2]

The MD-11 was the successor to the DC-10. For both to be retired from passenger service in the same year means the MD-11 is the least successful of the two.

[zamim 0]

Well, I flew DC10-30 for almost 15 years and enjoyed every minute of it especially during test flight when we did all sort of tests including stall

[flee 5]

Both the DC-10 and MD-11 suffered because of the early crashes of the DC-10. Furthermore, it had competition from the L-1011. So, if you have competition, your product must be first class. Crashes dent passenger and airline confidence. That is why the DC-10 failed to achieve the commercial success it should have.

 

Later on, the Boeing 767 and Airbus A300/A330 made the DC-10 and MD-11 uncompetitive as they cost more to buy and operate.

[KK Lee 5]

Both the DC-10 and MD-11 suffered because of the early crashes of the DC-10. Furthermore, it had competition from the L-1011. So, if you have competition, your product must be first class. Crashes dent passenger and airline confidence. That is why the DC-10 failed to achieve the commercial success it should have.

 

Later on, the Boeing 767 and Airbus A300/A330 made the DC-10 and MD-11 uncompetitive as they cost more to buy and operate.

 

L-1011 fared worst than DC-10, ceased production years ahead of DC-10. DC-10 was sandwiched between 742, A300 and 762 and was uncompetitive in regional and inter-continental. MD-11 was MD half hearted approach to counter 777.

[Kenneth Chong WT 0]

And I'll never get to fly in a tri-engine plane...😢...so sad...farewell MD11...you will be missed...

[BC Tam 2]

And I'll never get to fly in a tri-engine plane......so sad...

Cheer up, vast majority of birds flying nowadays are technically tri-engined

[alberttky 0]

And I'll never get to fly in a tri-engine plane......so sad...farewell MD11...you will be missed...

Falcon 7X.

[S V Choong 4]

For tri-jets, I have only been on the MH DC-10-30. Didn't have much luck with the MD-11 before she was gone.

 

Should have also tried the 727 too...