Fred Ex's New Old DC/MD-10's

[MajorOverhaul]

Just took a tour of facility that is doing the MD-10 mod for Fed Ex. What a nice job they are doing.

They literaly cout out the whole fwd E&E bay. Realy amazing. Through MD-11 guts back in.

Lots of work for those folks in Palmdale. They can use it. :p

[criticalmass]

I guess an old Diesel-ten driver would find the new glass cockpit and lack of the F/E panel obscuring the F/O's view out to the right and rearwards a real eye-opener! (That F/E panel in the DC-10 sure took up some room!)

Don't know if the MD-10F flight deck is exactly the same as an MD-11 but it's gotta be close. The Fedex boys should enjoy flying the rejuvenated three-holers for quite a while. Then again, an MD airframe always was a solidly-constructed piece of hardware.

Nice first solo, Major and welcome to Pprune - one of the most under-estimated resources on the 'net for pilots of all descriptions.

[ 10 August 2001: Message edited by: criticalmass ]

[Georgeablelovehowindia]

From the September issue of Aircraft Illustrated: "Fed Ex falters. FedEx is reportedly planning to cut short its Boeing MD-10 conversion programme and delay Airbus A300 and Boeing MD-11 freighter delivery plans, due to a weak US economy and a perceived falling demand for express services.
FedEx Express will not complete the last 29 of the planned 118 MD-10 conversions with the airframes likely to be used as spares sources. The operator has also cancelled its orders for the Ayres Loadmaster feeder freighter, a potentially killer blow to the fledgling project."

[MajorOverhaul]

..oh yes MD-11 parts plug right in. Really doing a number, thay are all getting C checked as well. I said D check em'! Thay have them torn to the keel. It about a 28 week caper. :cool:

[Diesel8]

Criticalmass: Should that not have been DC airframe?

(Ex DC driver)

[criticalmass]

Diesel8,

The formal takeover of Douglas by McDonnell occurred on 28th April 1967 but design work on an aircraft designated DC-10 had begun in 1965. It was nothing like the DC-10 we know today, being conceived as a direct competitor to the B747.

The DC-10 we know rolled out as a prototype on 17th July 1970 but since the initial concept seems to have predated the McDonnell takeover of Douglas, it retained the DC designation.

Technically, I think you are right to refer to it as a DC airframe, and DC airframes were built to last.