McDonnell Douglas

McDonnell Douglas DC-10

D10 DC10 Out of Production

Emerging in the wide-body wave of the early 1970s, the DC-10 paired three General Electric CF6-50C2 engines in a distinctive trijet layout and first flew in 1970. It seats 270 in mixed classes and up to 380 all-economy, ranging about 10,010 km at speeds near 908 km/h. The big Douglas measures 55.50 metres long with a 50.40-metre wing and grosses as much as 263,085 kg, with a cavernous 149-cubic-metre hold. Early accidents dented its reputation before it settled into decades of dependable long-haul work; its KC-10 tanker cousin outlasted the airliners in military service. Air-traffic codes list it as DC10.

Dimensions

Length: 55,50 m
Wingspan: 50,40 m
Height: 17,70 m
Cabin Width: 5,72 m

Performance

Range: 10010 km
Cruise Speed: 908 km/h
Max Speed: 982 km/h
Service Ceiling: 12800 m
Category: long-haul

Capacity

Typical Seats: 270
Max Seats: 380
Cargo Volume: 149,00 m³
Size: wide-body

Engines

Count: 3
Type: Turbofan
Model: GE CF6-50C2

Airlines (1)

United States Air Force 3

Engine Profiles

GE Aerospace CF6 Pratt & Whitney JT9D

About McDonnell Douglas DC-10

Máy bay thân rộng ba động cơ biểu tượng của thập niên 1970-90. DC-10 gặp phải các tranh cãi an toàn thời kỳ đầu nhưng đã chứng minh là máy bay đường dài đáng tin cậy. Phiên bản tiếp nhiên liệu quân sự KC-10 vẫn đang phục vụ.

Frequently Asked Questions

The McDonnell Douglas DC-10 typically seated 250-380 passengers depending on variant and configuration. The DC-10-30, the most common intercontinental version, usually carried 270 passengers in a three-class layout. The cabin is 5.72 m wide with 2-4-3 or 2-5-2 seating arrangements in economy, offering a spacious wide-body experience.

The DC-10-30, the long-range variant, had a maximum range of approximately 10,010 km (5,405 nautical miles). The shorter-range DC-10-10 was limited to about 6,500 km. The DC-10-30 was powered by three General Electric CF6-50C2 engines — two underwing and one mounted in the base of the vertical tail. This tri-jet configuration provided redundancy for overwater operations before twin-engine ETOPS rules existed.

The DC-10 and L-1011 were direct competitors as wide-body tri-jets in the 1970s-1980s. The L-1011 was considered more technologically advanced with its autoland capability and S-duct center engine, but the DC-10 was more commercially successful with 446 deliveries versus the L-1011's 250. The DC-10 offered more variants and greater range in its intercontinental versions. The L-1011's exclusive reliance on Rolls-Royce engines proved a liability when Rolls-Royce went bankrupt in 1971.

The DC-10 is a tri-jet with two engines under the wings and a third engine mounted at the base of the vertical stabilizer, with a straight-through air intake. This is different from the L-1011, whose center engine uses an S-duct intake. The DC-10 has a wide-body fuselage, low-mounted wings, and a distinctive nose shape. The type is essentially retired from passenger service, so spotting one requires visiting cargo operations or museums.

The DC-10 gained a troubled safety reputation in the 1970s due to a series of accidents linked to its cargo door design. The most notable was Turkish Airlines Flight 981 in 1974, where a rear cargo door blew out over France, killing all 346 people on board. American Airlines Flight 191 in 1979, where an engine separated during takeoff in Chicago killing 273, led to the temporary grounding of all DC-10s. Despite these incidents, the DC-10 went on to have a long and productive career, and its improved successor, the MD-11, addressed many of the original design concerns.