McDonnell Douglas MD-11

The McDonnell Douglas MD-11 is a wide-body, long-range trijet airliner developed as an advanced successor to the DC-10. It features a stretched fuselage, winglets, and updated avionics, along with a two-crew glass cockpit that eliminated the need for a flight engineer. The MD-11 first flew in 1990 and entered airline service the same year. Despite its technological improvements, the MD-11 struggled to meet its original range and fuel-efficiency guarantees, leading to disputes with launch customers and diminished sales. Production ended in 2000 after 200 aircraft were built. Boeing, which acquired McDonnell Douglas in 1997, continued supporting the type through its end of production. While most passenger operators have retired the MD-11, it found a strong second life as a freighter. FedEx Express and Lufthansa Cargo remain among the largest freight operators, valuing its large cargo capacity and three-engine reliability on long international routes.