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Old 3rd Feb 2010, 22:52
  #461 (permalink)  
SK8TRBOI
 
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No Michael Schumacher Needed...

Valvanuz,

I disagree. It does not take someone with Michael Schumacher-like skills (to continue with the analogy) to land a MD-11.

Safely landing the MD-11 is, like everything else, a matter of training and remaining current. Nothing more.

A similar situation existed in the GA fleet with the Mitsubishi MU-2 - another famously 'finicky' airplane with a very bad accident history (far, far worse than the DC10/MD11 family) - at one point, congress wanted the d#&n thing grounded because its (MU-2) record - and reputation - were so bad.

But, aside from a few quirks and an unusually high (for GA aircraft) wing-loading, there was nothing inherently dangerous about the MU-2...just as there is nothing inherently dangerous about the MD-11. It turned out to be a matter of training.

Since the FAA instituted a structured, type-specific training protocol for the MU-2 - with regular checks - its accident rate is now among the best in the GA/Business fleet. You'll find a good summary here > Mitsubishi MU-2 | FLYING Magazine

So no - no 'special skill' to fly the MD-11, one doesn't need to be Chuck Yeager to land one safely every time. You just need "strict attention to proper technique and a stable approach."
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