MD-11

8k2q1gfcz9s5d4

Why are they being phased out as a passenger plane? most MD-11s I see on fight tracker are cargo planes.

Danbo!

Fuel efficiency I'd say, A330 or similar would burn less fuel. Important in keeping pax fares down whereas cargo isn't quite as competitive

Blue Punto

KLM are the only airline that still operate them on sched services
These mostly go to Montreal or Toronto with the odd one to Las Vegas

World Airways Have just retired one of their all passenger aircraft this week leaving 3 I think in the fleet 2 cargo/1 pax( I could be corrected on this though)These are used for charter stuff

Bacically the days of the 3 holer were numbered when other 2 engine aircraft became available that had better range and fuel saving costs

They make a good cargo aircraft like their older brother the DC-10

Having flown on the MD-11 earlier this year to Montreal I have to admit I really enjoyed it.
Its a little bit more noisey down the back because your basically sitting under an engine but that just adds to the fact you know your flying.

I might even try to get another before KLM retire the last one due in Oct 2014 (2 years earlier than expected)

PH-KCA MD-11 KLM by niallsaviation, on Flickr

PH-MCR by niallsaviation, on Flickr

PH-KCA by niallsaviation, on Flickr

Razor44

even lufthansa cargo or starting to retire there md11 freighter. think they are being replaced with a330s? or 777

Mister R

I remember almost having to make a trip to Vancouver and KLM were using the MD-11 at the time on that route, was going to book with them for that reason. Never happened so never was on one, unless when I was a kid and was unaware of course

L1011

Fuel efficiency is pretty much the be all and end all on long-distance routes. For planes where no depreciation and low ownership costs are more important due to low utilisation you get much older craft hanging around - e.g. Delta are only retiring their final DC-9s (not MD-8x/9x, actual DC-9-50s) by the end of this year.

billy few mates

Nice to see the MCDU on the centre pedistal being used as a drinks holder....! :mad:

Cosmo Kramer

When KLM retire their MD-11s will that be the end of commercial passenger tri-jets - or are there other tr-jet aircraft types still out there?

EchoIndia

Cosmo Kramer wrote: »

When KLM retire their MD-11s will that be the end of commercial passenger tri-jets - or are there other tr-jet aircraft types still out there?

Still some 727s on the go, mostly in the US and Latin/South America, plus some Yak-42s in Russia, I'd say.

Mister R

Airbus have filed the odd tri-jet patents in the last 3-4 years but I doubt anything will come of them. But you never know, the tri-jet might make a comeback.

weisses

Someone got an idea what Northwest was using in 2001 md11 or DC10 ? Flew AMS-MIA

EchoIndia

weisses wrote: »

Someone got an idea what Northwest was using in 2001 md11 or DC10 ? Flew AMS-MIA

http://www.airliners.net/search/photo.search?aircraft_genericsearch=&airlinesearch=%3A%28%22northwest+airlines%22+OR+%22%28northwest+airlines%29%22%29&countrysearch=Netherlands&specialsearch=&daterange=&keywords=2001&range=&sort_order=photo_id+desc&page_limit=15&thumbnails=

Strumms

The aircraft suffered from delivery as it failed to deliver on the performance as advertised so in a way it didn't live up to to the billing which affected sales. The subsequent replacements the MD-XX and the MD-12 never got to production as the company were just being embraced by financial problems. Since then Airbus & Boeing have developed more effieient aircraft so as it stands the MD is an outdated machine. However despite this I'd wager on them being around for many years to come as freighters. A very capable and flexible aircraft for the cargo carriers.

L1011

Mister R wrote: »

Airbus have filed the odd tri-jet patents in the last 3-4 years but I doubt anything will come of them. But you never know, the tri-jet might make a comeback.

I'd say that if they could do it, regulations wise, we'd be seeing single-engined units these days rather than ever going back to three. Unfortunately. Maintenance costs and time go up hugely with every extra engine.

Trijets were for the most part a way of working around prohibitions on twins flying long distances over water - engine tech moved on enough to mean they didn't need 4 engines anymore but 2 wasn't allowed.

roundymac

EchoIndia wrote: »

Still some 727s on the go, mostly in the US and Latin/South America, plus some Yak-42s in Russia, I'd say.

Plus the TU-154.

newcavanman

Of course KLM are the only airline in the world to operate every model of airliner built by McDonnell Douglas

donkey balls

The MD11 is a far more efficient aircraft than a B747 F for express freighter ops but even now,Some freighter operators are going down the twin engine route like the 777F that holds 2 main deck positions more than the MD11 and has a greater range with the same payload as the B747F.
The B717 has the same cockpit layout as the MD11 bar the 3rd throttle lever and size for walking around:p.

Razor44

newcavanman wrote: »

Of course KLM are the only airline in the world to operate every model of airliner built by McDonnell Douglas

i never knew that

john boye

Saw one of the KLM MD-11s (Audrey Hepburn?) taking off from SFO last February, they're some sight in the metal

newcavanman

Razor44 wrote: »

i never knew that

Its because of the DC-5. it was if you like, a high wing nose wheel version of the. DC-3. Only a handful ever built, around 1940/41 . KLM had ordered some but because tge Netherland were occupied thet were delivered to the Dutch east Indies,modern day Indonesia

ohigg84

weisses wrote: »

Someone got an idea what Northwest was using in 2001 md11 or DC10 ? Flew AMS-MIA

Northwest never flew the MD-11! It was probably a DC-10-30/ER, they were still using them to AMS, and the A330s were only starting to enter the Northwest fleet!

merisi

Once ETOPS was adopted the days of the older tri-jets were numbered. Secondhand tri-jets are probably quite cheap to acquire so there'll be a few years left in MD-11 freighters yet, probably in Africa and South America once they start being phased out in other regions.

There are plenty of Soviet-era tri-jets - Tu-154M, Yak-40, Yak-42 - in service in former Eastern bloc countries, former Soviet Asian republics and other clients. Most are being replaced with Western types now.

I doubt I'll ever fly on an MD-11 now, but at least I flew on a TriStar when Aer Lingus ran one on flights to the US back in the '90s.

Strumms

FedEx will operate their MD11 into DUB this weekend. FX5220 inbound on Saturday night / Sunday morning from CDG and back to STN on Monday as FX5201