144-017 MCDONELL DOUGLAS MD-11

The McDonnell Douglas MD-11 is a three-engine, wide-body, mid- and long-range transport airliner in an American low-wing configuration. The drive is provided by three General Electric CF-6-80C2D or Pratt and Whitney PW4460 or Pratt and Whitney PW4462 engines. The flight of the prototype took place in 1990, and serial production continued until 2000. In total, 200 aircraft of this type were built. Unit cost of MD-11 was estimated at $ 132-148 million according to 1999 prices. The McDonnell Douglas MD-11 was developed as a very far-reaching development of the DC-10 aircraft. Compared to the original, it differs in the use of completely different engines, significantly changed sizes, especially the length of the fuselage, richer avionics or the use of winglets on the wings. Composite materials were also used on a large scale for the construction of the MD-11, thus reducing the weight of the machine, but also increasing its durability. However, despite collecting a package of orders from many airlines, research and development work led to the creation of an aircraft with a smaller than declared range and not ensuring the savings that the manufacturer provided. As a result of this, many potential customers withdrew their orders, and the MD-11 clearly lost in the 1990s with the designs of Boeing and Airbus as a long-range and medium-range passenger plane. However, several development versions of this aircraft were created, including: MD-11 (basic passenger version), MD-11C (passenger and transport version) or MD-11F (transport - cargo version). Of these versions, the transport versions have gained the most popularity in the markets.