McDonnell Douglas DC-10
The McDonnell Douglas DC-10 is a wide-body, long-range, three-engine jet airliner that was developed in the late 1960s as a response to growing airline demand for larger aircraft. It was one of the first jumbo jets, entering service shortly after the Boeing 747, and was known for its trijet configuration and versatility in both passenger and cargo roles.
âïļ Overview:
- Role: Long-haul wide-body airliner and freighter
- Manufacturer: McDonnell Douglas
- First flight: August 29, 1970
- Introduced: August 5, 1971 (with American Airlines)
- Production ended: 1989
- Total built: 386 aircraft
ð ïļ Key Specs (DC-10-30 â long-range version):
- Engines: 3 Ã General Electric CF6-50C turbofans (One under each wing, one in the tail)
- Cruise speed: Mach 0.82 (around 543 mph / 874 km/h)
- Range: ~6,600 nautical miles (12,220 km)
- Passenger capacity: 250â270 in 3-class, up to 380 in high-density layout
- Crew: 3 (pilot, co-pilot, flight engineer)
- Length: 55.5 m (182 ft)
- Wingspan: 50.4 m (165 ft)
- MTOW: ~263,000 kg (580,000 lb)
ð Design Features:
- Trijet configuration â allowed for extended overwater routes before ETOPS rules
- Wide-body fuselage â twin aisles, large cargo capacity
- Advanced for its time â digital autopilot, CAT III landing capability
- Sturdy landing gear â designed for shorter runways
- Freighter-friendly design â became a popular cargo aircraft later in life
ð§ģ Variants:
ðŦ Notable Operators:
- Passenger Airlines (former): American, United, Delta, Continental, Northwest, KLM, Swissair, Japan Airlines, British Caledonian, Turkish Airlines
- Cargo Airlines: FedEx Express, UPS (retired), Western Global, Lufthansa Cargo (retired)
- Military: U.S. Air Force operated the KC-10 Extender (aerial refueling tanker based on the DC-10-30)
â Strengths:
- High capacity for both passengers and cargo
- Strong performance on long-haul routes
- Excellent cargo conversion potential
- Proven, reliable engines (esp. GE CF6)
â Weaknesses:
- Early reliability issues and accidents in the 1970s hurt its reputation
- Required a three-person cockpit crew (flight engineer)
- Trijet design became outdated with the rise of twin-engine widebodies like the 777 and A330
- Maintenance-intensive compared to newer jets
ðŠĶ Legacy:
- Retired from most passenger airlines by the early 2010s
- FedEx Express was the last major cargo operator, retiring the last DC-10F in 2023
- The KC-10 Extender is still in limited use with the U.S. Air Force
- Its successor, the MD-11, improved on its performance but entered service as trijets were going out of style
The DC-10âs career was long, complex, and impactful. Despite its rough start, it earned a reputation for strength and reliability, especially in cargo and military roles. It was one of the aircraft that defined wide-body intercontinental flying in the 1970s and '80s.
| Variant | Notes |
|---|---|
| DC-10-10 | Domestic version, shorter range |
| DC-10-15 | Hot-and-high performance (mostly for Mexico-based airlines) |
| DC-10-30 | Long-range international version (most produced) |
| DC-10-40 | For Northwest; used Pratt & Whitney engines |
| DC-10-30F | Factory-built freighter |
| MRO | Location | McDonnell Douglas DC-10 Services |
|---|
A list of parts on the McDonnell Douglas DC-10 is coming soon. Please check back again next week.