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3 sheet vintage advertisement for the McDonnell Douglas DC-10 wide-body airliner, featuring the slogan "The world is only a DC-10 away". This tri-jet aircraft was a significant development in commercial aviation, competing with the Boeing 747 and Lockheed L-1011 in the medium to long-range market.
The McDonnell Douglas DC-10 Aircraft
Design: The DC-10 is an American three-engine wide-body jet, characterized by its two underwing engines and a third engine mounted at the base of the vertical stabilizer. It was designed to be smaller than the 747 but capable of long-haul flights from shorter runways.
History: The aircraft first flew in August 1970 and entered commercial service with American Airlines in August 1971. The most common variant produced was the long-range DC-10-30.
Reputation and Safety: The DC-10 faced several highly publicized accidents in its early years, notably the 1974 Turkish Airlines Flight 981 crash and the 1979 American Airlines Flight 191 crash, which led to design improvements and a temporary grounding by the FAA. Despite its early reputation, after modifications were made, it achieved a safety record comparable to other aircraft of its era over its long service life.
Current Status: The last commercial passenger flight of a DC-10 was in 2014 with Biman Bangladesh Airlines. However, many DC-10s are still in service today as dedicated cargo freighters (especially with FedEx), military aerial refueling tankers (the KC-10 Extender for the U.S. Air Force), and as aerial firefighting tankers. |
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