About This File
FS2002 ProjectAI JAL Japan Airlines NC McDonnell Douglas MD-11. As DC-10 production was winding down, McDonnell Douglas began studying potential replacements. Originally, designers focused on merely stretching the airframe. As plans became more ambitious, the new design became known as the MD-100, the MD-XXX, and finally the MD-11. Although the MD-11 was essentially just a stretched DC-10, the new design featured many improvements, including winglets for improved aerodynamics, a redesigned tail assembly, a more advanced flight deck featuring an electronic flight instrument system allowing a reduction to two flight crew, and more powerful engines. Four variants were developed, the MD-11P passenger model, MD-11F freighter, MD-11 Combi combined passenger/cargo model, and the MD-11CF convertible model. The program faced repeated difficulties in the late 1980s and early 1990s owing to airline failures and mergers that resulted in the cancellation of many orders. However, 200 were completed by the time production closed in 2001. The MD-11's first flight occured in 1990.