The Douglas DC-10 is a three engines wide body jet airliner. It has the capability for medium to long haul flights and could carry a maximum of 380 passengers in a 1 class configuration. In 1989 the DC-10 production line finally ended with 386 deliveries. 60 of which where delivered to the United States Air Force (USAF) as air to air refuelling tankers called KC-10s. The Royal Netherlands Air Force converted four DC-10-30s into KDC-10s for refuelling, passengers and cargo operations, they also had a very unique glass display cockpit.
Design The DC-10 has an unusual design compared to most wide body aircraft such as the Boeing 747 or the Airbus A330, it has three turbofan engines instead of the usual two or four, one on each wing attached to a pylon and one located through the vertical stabilizer at the rear of the aircraft. Sometimes this is interpreted as the third engine when in fact it is the second. The cockpit thrust leavers go from left to right meaning that the rear engine will be located in the middle. MD-10 Upgrade In 1996 Boeing launched the MD-10 upgrade which would include a new flat screen cockpit display very similar to the MD-11 display. This was called a AFC, Advanced Common Flight deck. The original flight deck included three crew members, two pilots and one flight engineer with an analogue display. This was reduced to just two pilots in the AFC cockpit. Aircraft Series DC-10-10 This was the first version produced between 1970 and 1981. A total of 122 where built with GE CF6-6 engines. DC-10-10CF
The -10CF is a convertible freighter version, eight where produced for Continental Airliners and United Airlines. DC-10-20 This was a proposed idea which did not happen. It was to have extra fuel tanks and extensions on each wing tip. This was later renamed the -40 with some slight design changes. DC-10-30 This was the most common model that was produced it was also a longer range version with CF6-50 turbofan engines. DC-10-30CF 27 convertible freighter versions where produced. DC-10-30ER ER stands for extended range. This version had a higher take off weight as well as an extra fuel tank in the rear of the cargo hold. DC-10-30AF The DC-10-30AF also known as the F is an all freighter version. Production started in 1984 with a total of 10 being built. DC-10-40 Was fitted with Pratt & Whitney JT9D engines. This version also included a higher maximum take off weight (MTOW) compared to the previous versions. DC-10 Twin This was a proposed small version with two engines but was never created. The picture below shows you what the DC-10 twin would have looked like. Current Main Operators
Specifications
Historic Large Operators
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Purpose: Wide body Jet Airliner
First Flight: August 29th 1970 Introduction: August 5th 1971 with American Airlines Status: In Service as a Cargo Aicraft, last passenger flight was Biman Bangladesh Airlines in 2013. Produced: 1968-1988 Airframes Built: DC-10 386 & KC-10 60 Developed Into: McDonnell Douglas MD-11 Accidents and Incidents Up to May 2013 the DC-10 had been involved in 52 incidents.
Deliveries 1971-13 | 1972-52 | 1973-57 | 1974-48 | 1975-42 | 1976-19 | 1977-14 | 1978-18 | 1979-36 | 1980-40 | 1981-25 | 1982-11 | 1983-12 | 1984-10 | 1985-11 | 1986-17 | 1987-10 | 1988-10 | 1989-1 | Total 446 DC-10 Timeline 1968 First orders from American Airlines and United Airlines 1970 29th August - First flight of the DC-10-10 1971 29th July - Series 10 type certified by the FAA 5th August - Entered service with American Airlines 1972 27th October - Series 40 type certified by the FAA 1998 December - Final DC-10 rolled off the production line 1989 July - Final DC-10 delivered to Nigerian Airways Displayed Aircraft Front Section of a Monarch DC-10 G-DMCA at Manchester Airport Viewing Park. Ex Ghana Airways DC-10-30 9G-ANB as a restaurant in Accra, Ghana.
Promotional Film
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