my favorite plane As a kid(9) i was upgraded by the pilot to first class from Los Angeles to Chicago. My mom and I walked onto the plane and i turned left instead of right. The cockpit door was open and i just stood there staring at the Captain and controls. My eyes must have been bugging out and apparently my hearing stopped as everyone was talking....but i wasn't listening. Eventually found my way to my regular seat. Once at cruising altitude a flight attendant found me(I THOUGHT I WAS IN TROUBLE) said follow me. The Captain was sitting in a seat in first class with a cup of coffee and boy did i think i was in for it for real. He asked me to sit down, we were the only two in first class....gave me my wings and said enjoy the flight. He whispered something to the flight attendant......next thing i know...Coca-cola, Hamburger and fry followed by a hot fudge sundae and another Coke. That one moment taken by that pilot gave me a memory forever and I'm very grateful Thanks for listening folks Peace!
Love that story. I received kindness as a child from flight crews on a couple of occasions. Made my little day, made my parents grateful. Made us loyal to the airline and me a fan of civilian aviation. I don't know if people were just more gracious back then or what.
Simple gestures of kindness go such a long way. I’m touched by your story and I can’t help but wonder if we’ve lost those days forever the way the world is today. Thanks for sharing, your story is an inspiration.
Never flown, so I can't compare. Though, I do have a favorite car, a '74 Camaro. I'd rather drive that than any new car you throw at me. New cars offer almost zero feedback from the road, by comparison. It's like a condom on the car. Would you say that's a decent comparison?
Pantheragem although I share your love for older vehicles, you should really try a new one as well- you might be surprised at the agility, feedback, safety and fuel economy.
As an old, retired flight attendant from Continental Airlines (worked 1969-2010), the DC-10 was actually my personal favorite a/c to work on (along with the 707). Continental had its famous inflight lounge, "The Pub", located between first class and coach. It was the only part of the a/c whereby passengers were permitted to smoke standing up (back in the days when smoking was allowed). It had a Tiki Bar, leather couches, etc., very nice. I served many celebrities and stars back in the day...Lucille Ball, Doris Day, Fabian, Frankie Avalon, Bette Davis, Jackie Kennedy, etc., the list goes on and on. My favorite routes flying the DC-10 were the South Pacific routes....Los Angeles to Honolulu, 24-hr layover, HNL to Tahiti, 5-day layover, Tahiti to Sydney, 2-day layover, Sydney to Honolulu, 24-hr layover, Honolulu back to Los Angeles home base! Those were the days!
My dad had a mate who often took business trips to the US in the 80's. Whichever carrier his employer used had DC10's on the route. Mel, Syd, Hon, LA, though Mel-Syd was probably domestic in those days. It was during the infamous cargo door latch period, and he would wait until they reached cruising altitude and ask the flight attendant for a stiff drink to celebrate the door not blowing off! (He had a wicked sense of humour, so this could have been a joke).
Ah, Continental! How I miss that airline!! Having lived in NE Ohio, the wonderful people of Continental were our lifeline to the world. Best pilots, cabin crew, and ground staff in commercial aviation, and the best frequent traveler program EVER!
Flew Continental DC10 SYD/AKL/SYD wonderful Flight And Service 1630 everyday CO16 SYD/HNL/SFO flew over the Northern Suburbs of Sydney was a wonderful sight to see i remember those days the Golden Days of Flying ..Miss you Continental Airlines
I like that configuration, too. It really looks modern and sleek. It is indeed a shame that so many tragedies happened early on, the worst being the Ermenonville Air Disaster in 1974 (THY 981). Once all the problems were resolved (Like cargo doors that blew off inflight), the DC-10 turned out to be excellent. But I suspect those early tragedies, like those of the De Havilland Comet, soured people on it
During the summer, we get the FedEx DC-10 once daily in SLC. So far I've seen three this year. One was 45 years old, another 44 years old, and the last one 41 years old. One of them had flown for four different operators before coming to FedEx (too many for me to remember), and another started with SAS before moving to FedEx. I didn't look up the other aircraft. It's fun to see these old workhorses still working. Most of them were built while my dad was still in elementary school.
Good to see that one in british caladonian colours.i flew with them on the dc10 around 1974-75 from either marrakesh or casablanca to london.didnt enjoy the flight as much as i could have due to serious stomach problems!had a seat down the back near the toilets!
@@riliryrimaddyvia9630 i think they were originally Martin Air aircraft. The dutch airforce bought 3. Two were converted to air-tankers (KDC-10) with the passenger deck converted to 50% passenger and 50% cargo. They will still be in service for the next couple of years. The remaining DC10 was converted to 50% cargo 50% passenger. But that one has been scrapped in 2010(?)
Had the pleasure of flying a United DC-10 ORD-HNL-ORD in 1990. One of my favorite widebodies. Miss the DC-10. Still get to see FedEx MD-10s at ORD often.
My first flight ever in 1984, was on a DC-10-30 operated by World Airways from BWI-MCI-OAK and returned. The DC -10 was a great plane as I recall. Things were much different onboard back then. Smoking in the cabin was still allowed, and we got full meal service, twice, on our flight!
@@dewester5394. Oh yeah, you've added the word 'Please'. So much nicer, and much more likely to be seen as a request and not a demand. It's just a good tip for life that's all :)
A friend of mine flew DC-10's for Sun Country back in the late 90's. He was to ferry one on its last flight to Milwaukee from Minnesota, so called and asked me if I wanted to "ride along". Was just him, the FO, engineer, his two kids, and me on the flight. Other than that, the plane was empty of passengers and cargo and only enough fuel, plus contingencies. He firewalled the throttles (slowly) on takeoff and it felt like we lifted off the ground in just a few hundred feet (I'm sure it was far more). He then requested a "service ceiling" from ATC and it was granted. It's been so long, I can't remember our altitude, but it was an absolute thrill! I had to pay my own ticket back, but it was so well worth it! He would also bring me along to NATCO to fly the simulators as he was changing over to the 737 and I was able to keep the VCR recordings of those experiences. I'm just a 3rd class private pilot, but sure learned a lot during those years.
I was on a Continental Airlines DC10, early 1980's, from Guam to Bali, and it had two lounges... one in first class, and a large one for economy in the middle of the plane. Their 747 at the time even had a third lounge at the very rear.
My only flight on a DC-10 was from Minneapolis.St.Paul to Amsterdam with my friend in 2008. Normally an Airbus A330 was on the line. I higly remember the friendly cabin crew and a very good seat at the window behind the wing. So I was able to follow the process of flaps coming out. It was a beautiful moment to fly with this only McDonnel Douglas widebody on this lucky event. I am still in love with this type of aircraft, so a nice model on 1:200 scale is in my home. Warm greetings from the Netherlands by Arie Bert Versteeg;-P
I was assigned as a Maintenance Officer in the USAF with the 605th Aircraft Generation Squadron, McGuire AFB NJ. I got to fly on KC-10s all the time between 1998 and 2002. In terms of maintenance, they were easy as long as you weren't in a very austere location. They flew like a dream - quiet, smooth. I got to witness in-flight refueling with a pair of B-1s - this is an amazingly good airplane, with mission-capability rates similar to those of brand-new aircraft. The KC-10s will be flying for decades to come.
I flew in a SAS DC-10 in 1989 from Oslo to Chicago. I was 10 and very bored when a flight attendant invited me and my dad to the cockpit. We were half way over the Atlantic on our way home. Spent over an hour up there, sat in the pilot’s seat for a good while enjoying the view and the conversation between my dad and the pilots. My dad has a private pilots license so he carried the conversation. It is something that will never be able to be done again. I was very lucky to be able to experience that event in my life.
Remember the replacement flight KLM got me in 02' Was to go on a 747 from DTW to AMS but a hurricane prevented me from going home. Got on a NWA dc10-30 which looked old. 80's interior with a cinema screen and knobs to select sounds. Compared to the system KLM had on the 747-400 at the time this DC10 was old. My parents still have the kodak picture somewhere
Flew on a many of DC 10's out of DFW. Enjoyed it every time. Very spacious, quite and outstanding pressurization system. It paved the way for wide body travel!
I flew on a Freddie Laker Airways SKYTRAIN DC-10 in 1980, LGW-LAX, and back. Going over we had an emergency stop in Winnipeg due to fod (a wrench) shorting out a generator in the engine, going back we had a 4 hour delay at LAX for another mechanical problem. It was my first trip to the US. I flew on quite a few of the AA DC-10's in the '80's.
Recently got to fly on a USAF KC-10 overseas, and it was a dream! You could tell that the aircraft was very responsive and the crew were so knowledgeable that they were quizzing each other on procedures and specifics for the entire flight minus the refueling part which was also super cool!
I have many fantastic memories of flying the DC-10 on American Airlines with my parents and grandparents (my dad is retired from AA). After AA Flight 191 crashed in Chicago my grandmother refused to fly on them. Luckily AA took the DC-10 markings off the plane so she did not realize they were DC-10 and we did not tell her!
I first flew as a passenger on a DC10 way back in 1974 with the now defunct french airline called UTA. It was the first wide body jet I've ever flown in and it seemed huge. I traveled from Singapore to Paris (Le Bourget) Airport with stops at Saigon and Karachi. The aircraft was virtually empty with very few passengers and many of those took advantage by sleeping across the middle row of seats. It was a very smooth flight all the way. On arrival at Paris we boarded a British Caledonian BAC 1-11 which was so very tiny in comparison for our final part of the journey to Gatwick Airport. Almost a month or so later news came in of the tragic accident over the Ermenonville Forest in France involving a cargo door which wasn't properly secured. It was a very smart looking aircraft.
I flew on an American Airlines DC-10 in June 1986 from Newark to Chicago and return. It was a truly flawless experience each way and the AA cabin crews were nothing less than superb.
I loved the DC-10. That was the first widebody jet I ever flew in 1999, to Hawaii. I just love the shape of the fuselage and the flight deck, with that middle turbofan going straight backwards, instead of through an S-duct like a L-1011 Tristar
Flew on the DC-10 (United) many, many times from the late 80's through he mid-90s. Fantastic plane and, hands down, one of the best wide body aircraft to ever take to the skies :)
I flew the Canadian Airlines (CP) DC-10 between Toronto and Tokyo (and return) a few times. It was always a superb flight. Later, Air Canada bought Canadian and replaced the DC-10 with the Airbus A340-300
I must have seen you at work! Poor me was a shunt truck driver for better part of 25 years at Dixie and 401! The day of the Air France went up to other runway to grab a coffee while on lunch. Three 747's lined up to go! Guess who got a talking to for being on lunch longer than I should have been! Was never late for work so was worth it!! Now seeing maybe 7 planes a day from him is strange. ☹️
My first flight to the USA was on a Laker DC10, I did many flights, on charter airlines, to Mediterranean resorts and, flew on the jumpseat a couple of times while I worked for FedEx. My last flight was as a on rev from MEM-AMS on a Northwest DC10 in 2006. Quite the experience! Just to point out that FedEx operate the MD10, which was a DC10 but now has the two man flightdeck of the MD11 making it so much easier for pilots to be duel rated! 😊
I flew on the DC-10 several times during the eighties and I really enjoyed it. I also loved the droning engine sound of this aircraft during takeoff...
Several times I flew on DC-10 aircraft as a passenger. The most memorable was my first flight on a DC-10 and only trip in first class on the type, from El Paso to Houston in the wee hours of the morning in 1974. This was a Continental flight back when they had the livery that preceded what this video showed, “The proud bird with the golden tail.” My siblings and I were just kids. We were excited to go on such a big plane. On the movie screen they showed cartoons and an ancient Dick Tracy serial that featured a flying wing aircraft. Breakfast was among the best I’ve had in the air.
I flew on a Northwest DC10 from SEA to HNL and HNL to LAX in 1999. On the first leg I was seated next to a guy who worked for McDonnell Douglas. He had helped install the hydraulics on that very plane when it was built.
still is after they fixed them in the 80s there safer them most modern aircraft certification wise and yes im looking at you Boeing it took how long for Douglas to fix the dc10s issues and its took over a year for the max to fix a sensor glitch that a pro programmer should have had fix in a month
Don Byrd Flew many times EWR to HNL in the 1990’s and early 2000’s. At the time the only non-stop from the east coast to Hawaii, great plane, great airline.
I refueled many KC-10’s during my time in the Air Force. Even got to fly in one during an “incentive flight” and watched a mid air refueling over Germany
At 9 I saw a Bcal DC-10 on final approach to Stansted. Most impressive machine I'd ever seen. Finally flew on one 28 years later, Biman's S2-ACR, the day before it retired in Feb. 2014. Thank you, Biman.
The last remaining L-1011 TriStar in service is the Stargazer air-launch mothership, operated by Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems (formerly Orbital ATK).
My most memorable flight ever was on a DC-10 in March of 1977. I believe it was American Airlines. The "Ocean to Ocean Service" flight from Logan Airport in Boston to San Francisco was incredible. It started with a great, and powerful take-off. The whole flight was very smooth. The service was phenomenal! Deli Food Service began 2 hours into the flight, served buffet style from the middle of the plane, lunch and an afternoon food service also followed. The presentation of the food, the variety of things to eat, and of course the taste was incredible. Views of my home state of Minnesota, the Rocky mountains, snow covered and absolutely beautiful, and the final flight line coming up the California coast on into San Francisco was a wonderful experience. The huge plane, comfortable and spacious seating made for a very special trip. It was the best plane to have flown coast to coast on, for the one and only time, over the country that I love!
Mum and I flew Auckland to Sydney on an Air New Zealand DC-10. Date was 14 Aug 1978. Got to go into cockpit as a treat and was awestruck by all the knobs and dials. I got to pull one of the knobs that apparently changed the direction of the plane towards Brisbane. The very friendly pilots had a great laugh over that. I suspect I pulled the cigarette lighter ;-)
Seems great but kind of sad that theres not much competition anymore . I know you will say competition is bad but its kind of good as if 1 company made a new plane example when airbus added new stuff to their A320 and boeing did not wanted to loose so they made the 737 max wait nvm how about when boeing made the 787 so airbus did not want to loose out so they made the A350
A350 doesn’t really compete with the 787-8/-9. Airbus made the 330neo for that, Boeing extended the 787 (-10) to compete with the a350-900 however the -1000 competes with the 777 hence the 777x to compete
Flew on 1985 from Mexico City to Acapulco. This DC10 being operated by Mexicana de Aviacion. I recall that Acapulco was a stop and from there would have flown to Chicago. I was a kid and was amazed by this plane.
I boarded the DC-10 in 1983 via Japan Airlines in Dec 1982 from Kuala Lumpur to Tokyo enroute to Los Angeles to further my studies at Memphis State University. It was my first overseas travel at that time and it was one the best memories with full of excitement. I had the 3-seater all to myself as the flight wasn't fully booked. From Tokyo, JAL flew me to Los Angeles via a Boeing 747. It wasn't fun anymore as the plane was rather crowded. From Los Angeles, I was flown to Memphis via Delta Airlines. I think it was the smaller Boeing 727 or perhaps a Lockheed Tristar.
We went on a DC-10 from London to Toronto in 1979 with Laker (after the Chicago crash). On the return flight in September we turned back 45 mins over the Atlantic (with a hydraulic leak) and made an emergency landing at Bangor...Didn't we have a lovely time, the day we went to Bangor...all for under a pound you know... (was released the same year). A new part had to be flown out and we were shipped out to nearby [hm]otels whilst we waited (it being an evening/overnight flight)...this was in the days you needed a Visa to enter the US and a lot of passengers didn't have one as they hadn't intended visiting the US.
I've been seeing the firefighting tankers fly over my house all summer, heading towards the wildfires in AZ and CA. They're easy to hear coming, the sound is pretty unique!
I worked as an Aircraft Servicemanfor a Company that owned 3 DC-10-30’s. Each Jet was powered with GE C F-6 engines that pushed 53,000 lbs of thrust. I personal loved the DC-10 and our held 301 passengers. The Aircraft was given a bad rap due ground handling errors that did not close the rear cargo door correctly, that caused accidents. A well engineered Aircraft and all the Pilots enjoyed them as well
The doors on the DC-10 are also motorized. They move up into the ceiling like on the L-1011. It seems Boeing and Airbus decided against this method. Maybe to save weight or complexity? But I think it was more elegant with retracting doors.
@@AA-tz2bm Oh wow, I never knew that. Guess that means I've never been on a 767, near as I can remember. Does Airbus have any that retract into the ceiling like DC-10, 767 etc.?
My first and only flight with a DC-10-30 was with United from Chicago to Denver after I had been bumped off of an overbooked Continental flight from Midway. About 30 of us passengers were sent over by Continental to United at O'hare via passenger vans. One of which only one passenger went in because he told the driver there were no more passengers behind him, so it left a bunch of us stranded at Midway until Continental got another van for the rest of us.. To top it off, when we all arrived at the United gate they had no clue who we were. Several pissed passengers went to the Continental counter and complained directly, things soon were worked out. But United could not guaranteed us a seat. So we all sat waiting to be booked as standby passengers. It was a relief as your name was called to the counter to get your ticket. We all managed to get on that United flight to Denver, on Dec 23 no less. We even got a box lunch served to us on that flight! I must say after several hours delay and shuffling between Midway and O'Hare, having that meal on United was the best thing ever. I still remember what the lunch box looked like with the mid 90's battleship gray United motif. It was a bumpy ride down into Stapleton Airport as was typical of landings there. But the DC-10 handled it gracefully.
I flew in a DC-10 back in 1992, on a holiday to Spain, operated by Schiphol-based Martinair. It was a very roomy aircraft, in my recollection and - as an aviation enthusiast - I had of course taken a picture of our ride prior to boarding. In 1993, Martinair faced a tragic landing-accident at Faro, Portugal and when I saw the remains of the aircraft that had crashed, something struck me as familiar. In the picture I saw in the paper was clearly the aircraft's registration: PH-MBN. I looked up the holiday photographs of the year before and there it was: the plane that had flown me to Spain the year before, was the same that had crashed at Faro. It was a strange moment, seeing the wreckage of an aircraft that only a year earlier had given me a lasting impression of comfort in air travel...
Great video!. Flew on a DC-10 only once, in February 1983 on a VIASA aircraft, from Caracas to Miami. Was lucky to get into the cockpit for 5, 10 minutes and see Port Au Prince (Haiti) from the air. I do get to see the MD-11s from FedEx very often at FLL.
I had flown on DC-10s multiple times in the past. My dad used to work for United Airlines. The most memorable was a red eye flight from California to Chicago about two weeks after the Sioux City crash. Needless to say I got no sleep on that flight and was the only time I was ever a bit nervous of flying. And you got to love the sound of those engines on take off!
I flew at the end of the 90s on a very special flight with the last remaining DC-10 of Condor. It was chartered by the German Tyre Brand Fulda to fly from Frankfrt/Main directly to Whitehorse/Canada. More than 300 Guest were on board, lots of equipment... We used the whole Runway to get airborn! After a comfortable flight we reached Whitehorse and the Chief Captain of Condor flew one loop around the small airport. I remember that we had a very early touch down followed by a hard braking. The Aircraft left Whitehorse to Seattle because of heavy snow forecast and the Captain asked if it could be allowed to fly very low over the Marshlake - it was allowed, the DC-10 flew very low: very impressive! After a week we flew back with a short stop for refueling in Fairbanks - with a special permission that all guests could remain on board. Then we went directly over the pole (I was in the cockpit in that moment!) back to Frankfurt/Main. It was my best flight experience ever!!
As an Finnair employee (now ex-) flew on a Finnair operated DC-10 a couple of times before the company long haul fleet was upgraded to MD-11. And flew also on DC-10s of VIASA, the bygone Venezuelan carrier. Good memories.
I flew in a Caledonian DC-10 London Gatwick to Houston in about 1984. One of the best flights i ever took. Up front they had about 5 ft space between seat rows and they carved meat on the trolley at dinner. Wonderful!
In 1981 when I was 7-years old my mother and older brother and I flew in a Western Airlines DC-10 from Honolulu to Los Angeles when we moved away from Hawaii to San Diego. Dad came weeks later on his Navy Destroyer DD-945 USS Hull. Today as Arizona burns with many large wildfires, I still get to see one of the fire-bomber DC-10's. I've seen it several times in the last few weeks and quite often flies right over our house as it cycles back-and-forth to Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport. I hate that we're burning up around here, but it's a treat to see the old DC-10's flying so close by in 2020!
Only once with Ward Air, 1987. They oversold the flight but bumped me up to first class because I was in Army uniform. Nicest first class service I'd ever experienced.
As a planespotter, I loved seeing a DC-10 taking off and they were one of the loudest when taking off back in the 80s and 90s when they were passenger jets, loved that middle engine design in the back too !! ..I remember the window in my bedroom use to rattle when one took off lol.. I live in Sydney and grew up under a very busy flightpath. I'm now 50, miss those days.
I did fly in a Continental DC-10 in 1998, identical to the you shown at the beginning of the video. It took 28 hours and a second DC-10 because the first one's APU wasn't working (according to the captain). A few minutes after I landed, I've been told about a drama that infolded a few hours before I arrived in the New Jersey : the crash of a Swissait MD-11. As of 2020, there's 31 DC-10s still in service, 25 with FedEx, 3 of them fly for 10 Tanker Air Carrier as firefighters, 1 for Project Orbis as you shown and 1 for Tab Cargo.The last one, spending all its civilian carrer with Martinair before donning the uniform is a DC-10-30 CF now flying for the Dutch Air Force as T-235. I spotted it once in FlightRadar 24., at night. It first flew on November 11, 1976. Indeed, FedEx flies the oldest one : the DC-10-10 N550FE (FE for FedEx and 550 because it was the n° 55 on the line) made its maiden flight on August 3, 1972… (MSN 46521)
I flew on DC-10’s with British Caledonian from London Gatwick to Kano in Nigeria and back on several occasions in the late ‘70s. I remember that they used to name their aircraft; one being called ‘Robert Burns The Scottish Bard’ and one other named ‘Sir Alexander Fleming The Scottish Challenger.’ Both were relatively new aircraft back then. I remember one time, when flying back to LGW from Kano, there was so much fog over London that we ended up being diverted to Manchester, as it was the closest open airport available. Eventually they ended up returning us to Gatwick by coach, but by then we had long since missed the last available connecting flight to Belfast. They put us up in The Copthorne Hotel near Gatwick, and we got a flight back to Belfast the following morning.
I did a internship at McDonnell Douglas from 88-90 in Long Beach Ca. I watched them build so many DC-10s and MD-11s. I was there when the MD-11 was still a mockup. Douglas planes were special they took a whole year to build from beginning to end. Unfortunately I never flown on a DC10 or MD11, I wish the Tri-hollers would make a comeback...😕
My only DC-10 experience is Finnair flight HEL-SEA in the 1980s, the routing was HEL-SEA-LAX that time. So exciting for a young guy, the first long haul flight & first widebody :) Finnair's speciality was a DC-10 with extra fuel tanks, so they could open a route to Tokyo via the longer polar route in 1983. At first Soviet Union didn't allow them to use the Siberian aircpace. Finnair also used DC-10 for the popular charter services to the Mediterranean, so you could spot their DC-10 in places like Rhodes and Palma de Mallorca
I was the captain on the last DC-10-30 for Continental. Landed flight #2 (from Australia) at Lax on Saturday April 23, 1983. Landed at 1530 and the chief pilot was at the GO. He said, guess what Jim, we went chapter 11, 30 minutes ago. Thanks Frank Lorenzo!
Took a redeye flight on a DC10 from LAX to Chicago O'Hare. I had a whole center row of seats near the back to myself, which, with the armrests in the upright position, made for a decent bed, made all the more comfortable with a couple of pillows and a blanket supplied by a friendly cabin attendant. Although I've flown numerous times since, that was my only experience on a wide body jet.
On a trip from Australia to the UK in 1975, flying Thai International, I flew from Melbourne to Sydney on a DC9 (TAA "Whispering T-Jet"), then from Sydney to Bangkok on a DC10, finally from Bangkok to London on a DC8. This was around the time that the DC10 started to get a bad reputation due to a series of accidents and crashes. My experience of the DC10 was how comfortable and quiet it was to fly in. The takeoff was particularly impressive. I've never experienced such acceleration before or since. The DC8, in comparison, seemed to take ages to claw its way into the sky.
Flew on a NW DC-10 in June 1995 from HNL to DFW. Loved it! I’m glad that I was able to fly it before they left passenger service. I was able to fly on N741DA, a Delta L-1011 on the same trip (LAX to HNL).
Flown with it as “redcap” or on board loading coordinator of the full cargo version. Often a sleep in front of the net during flight, but loved the view of the seat behind the captain. The big window reached from your hip to above your head. Amazing views. Never forget the “headlight” greetings of on coming traffic in the corridor between irak/iran.
Flew on a Laker Airways DC-10, the "Canterbury Belle" G-BBSZ from New York to London in July of 1978. I'll never forget it. We took off after a delay, flew out over the ocean for an hour or so, then the plane turned around and we landed again. Kinda scary to look out the window and see the runway lined with dozens of fire engines and emergency vehicles!
I flew on an Air New Zealand DC10 in 1977 from memory, returning from a holiday in the US, I believe the flight was a direct flight from LAX to AKL. They called it the "Big 10" in those days, and the cabin had a really nice teal green interior. Those were the days when flying on Air NZ was a special experience, full service meals and not so run of the mill as it is these days. For kids they had a little logbook you could fill out every time you flew with the airline. I flew on both the DC8 and DC10 at different times. Those are special memories for a young boy who was always looked forward to getting on board one of those amazing machines.
My family flew on a DC-10 to San Diego in 1980. Since the 1979 crash of American Airlines 191, a DC-10, was fresh in our memories, we were rather apprehensive during the whole flight. Also, I was scheduled to fly on a DC-10 from San Francisco to Chicago in 1990, but that aircraft had some mechanical problem, so I and all other passengers on that flight were transferred to a Boeing 747. I was quite relieved at the change.
I Flew on a DC-10-30 from London Gatwick to Miami international airport in 1980 with Laker Airways. Lovely spacious plane and had a visit to the cockpit amazing times
my favorite plane As a kid(9) i was upgraded by the pilot to first class from Los Angeles to Chicago. My mom and I walked onto the plane and i turned left instead of right. The cockpit door was open and i just stood there staring at the Captain and controls. My eyes must have been bugging out and apparently my hearing stopped as everyone was talking....but i wasn't listening. Eventually found my way to my regular seat. Once at cruising altitude a flight attendant found me(I THOUGHT I WAS IN TROUBLE) said follow me. The Captain was sitting in a seat in first class with a cup of coffee and boy did i think i was in for it for real. He asked me to sit down, we were the only two in first class....gave me my wings and said enjoy the flight. He whispered something to the flight attendant......next thing i know...Coca-cola, Hamburger and fry followed by a hot fudge sundae and another Coke. That one moment taken by that pilot gave me a memory forever and I'm very grateful Thanks for listening folks Peace!
Love that story. I received kindness as a child from flight crews on a couple of occasions. Made my little day, made my parents grateful. Made us loyal to the airline and me a fan of civilian aviation. I don't know if people were just more gracious back then or what.
@@RasheedKhan-he6xx thanks and i agree....i will never forget. Peace
Fortunately for you, the captain was NOT Peter Graves!
What airline?
Simple gestures of kindness go such a long way. I’m touched by your story and I can’t help but wonder if we’ve lost those days forever the way the world is today. Thanks for sharing, your story is an inspiration.
I flew the "10" for 7 years for FEDEX. Best plane I ever flew, extremely stable, great to hand fly.
Do you still fly the DC-10? If not, what plane do you now fly and how much better was the DC-10?
Never flown, so I can't compare. Though, I do have a favorite car, a '74 Camaro. I'd rather drive that than any new car you throw at me. New cars offer almost zero feedback from the road, by comparison. It's like a condom on the car. Would you say that's a decent comparison?
Yes, I would say so. You can’t beat an old manual, analogue car.
@@aviationlba747 Absolutely.
Pantheragem although I share your love for older vehicles, you should really try a new one as well- you might be surprised at the agility, feedback, safety and fuel economy.
As an old, retired flight attendant from Continental Airlines (worked 1969-2010), the DC-10 was actually my personal favorite a/c to work on (along with the 707). Continental had its famous inflight lounge, "The Pub", located between first class and coach. It was the only part of the a/c whereby passengers were permitted to smoke standing up (back in the days when smoking was allowed). It had a Tiki Bar, leather couches, etc., very nice. I served many celebrities and stars back in the day...Lucille Ball, Doris Day, Fabian, Frankie Avalon, Bette Davis, Jackie Kennedy, etc., the list goes on and on. My favorite routes flying the DC-10 were the South Pacific routes....Los Angeles to Honolulu, 24-hr layover, HNL to Tahiti, 5-day layover, Tahiti to Sydney, 2-day layover, Sydney to Honolulu, 24-hr layover, Honolulu back to Los Angeles home base! Those were the days!
What fantastic memories you must have! That certainly was a different time in air travel!
My dad had a mate who often took business trips to the US in the 80's. Whichever carrier his employer used had DC10's on the route. Mel, Syd, Hon, LA, though Mel-Syd was probably domestic in those days.
It was during the infamous cargo door latch period, and he would wait until they reached cruising altitude and ask the flight attendant for a stiff drink to celebrate the door not blowing off! (He had a wicked sense of humour, so this could have been a joke).
You are an example of a life well lived. ♡
Ah, Continental! How I miss that airline!! Having lived in NE Ohio, the wonderful people of Continental were our lifeline to the world. Best pilots, cabin crew, and ground staff in commercial aviation, and the best frequent traveler program EVER!
Flew Continental DC10
SYD/AKL/SYD wonderful Flight
And Service 1630 everyday CO16 SYD/HNL/SFO flew over the Northern Suburbs of Sydney was a wonderful sight to see i remember those days the Golden Days of Flying ..Miss you Continental Airlines
The DC 10 engine over the tail section is so cool looking. It’s a real shame this plane had so many tragedies early on.
That's the only reason i still like dc 10 planes
I like that configuration, too. It really looks modern and sleek. It is indeed a shame that so many tragedies happened early on, the worst being the Ermenonville Air Disaster in 1974 (THY 981). Once all the problems were resolved (Like cargo doors that blew off inflight), the DC-10 turned out to be excellent.
But I suspect those early tragedies, like those of the De Havilland Comet, soured people on it
That feature was responsible for many deaths.
@@ih302Primarily due to human error. The triple engine configuration itself had nothing to do with accidents.
@@SauI_Goodman United 232.....
Flew the DC-10 (-10 and -30) for Emery Worldwide as a Co-Pilot. She was a sweet flying airplane!
Wish i was a pilot. Am sure its supercool to fly. I somehow thought i saw here and there some bits on DC10 not being safe. Was that true?
rinsedpie Yeh because they rushed the process building and designing the plane. It did have a better safety record than other planes though.
What airline you flew?
Art Vlom he literally said it in the comment
I flew on her a lot as a passenger. LOVED IT!!
12 years in the left seat of the DC-10. Best airplane I ever flew, including the B-747. Many fond memories.
MRK303 12 years! That’s awesome!
Wait you flew not 1 but 2 legendary planes? That’s so cool!
I used to be a flight attendant and worked this plane MANY times from EWR-AMS and PHL-AMS. It was like a tank in the air. Great plane.
chasenip2 - I probably worked with you! The Hague, Philly, then The Golden Tulip or Caransa Hotel?
During the summer, we get the FedEx DC-10 once daily in SLC. So far I've seen three this year. One was 45 years old, another 44 years old, and the last one 41 years old. One of them had flown for four different operators before coming to FedEx (too many for me to remember), and another started with SAS before moving to FedEx. I didn't look up the other aircraft. It's fun to see these old workhorses still working. Most of them were built while my dad was still in elementary school.
FedEx's oldest one made its first flight in August 1972. It was the 55th DC-10 made. It's th N550FE.
I live in the flight path for inbound flights to SLC, and I love when I see the FedEx DC10, big boys.
The Dutch airforce still has a KDC-10 in operation which was converted from a passenger DC-10
There was a photo of it in this video.
Was it from KLM?
Good to see that one in british caladonian colours.i flew with them on the dc10 around 1974-75 from either marrakesh or casablanca to london.didnt enjoy the flight as much as i could have due to serious stomach problems!had a seat down the back near the toilets!
@@riliryrimaddyvia9630 i think they were originally Martin Air aircraft. The dutch airforce bought 3. Two were converted to air-tankers (KDC-10) with the passenger deck converted to 50% passenger and 50% cargo. They will still be in service for the next couple of years.
The remaining DC10 was converted to 50% cargo 50% passenger. But that one has been scrapped in 2010(?)
@@jaakomaes9283 I'm pretty sure their called combi
Had the pleasure of flying a United DC-10 ORD-HNL-ORD in 1990. One of my favorite widebodies. Miss the DC-10. Still get to see FedEx MD-10s at ORD often.
It must be the N307FE, line number 412, MSN 48291, a MD-10-30F that made its first flight on January 30, 1986.
julosx accurate
L1011 is so much better
Not true ... the 1011 was ahead of its time but that led to many reliability issues.
The L1011 almost made Rolls Royce go bankrupt and disappear forever
What amazed me about the DC-10 I flew on was its fantastic acceleration when taking off. More than any other plane I've flown on.
I was lucky to have flown on the Bangladesh airlines flight in birmingham.i would have loved a longer flight across the Atlantic.💗
They made a great video of the last flights that they did if you haven't seen it.
I did this flight above the Atlantic, back and forth.
You are lucky you survived!! Worst aircraft ever
That means you have their certificate as well right?
@@baskan3272 actually because of the problems in the beginning it ended up being a very safe plane.
My first flight ever in 1984, was on a DC-10-30 operated by World Airways from BWI-MCI-OAK and returned. The DC -10 was a great plane as I recall. Things were much different onboard back then. Smoking in the cabin was still allowed, and we got full meal service, twice, on our flight!
Little fact: Almost all Orbis pilots are FedEx pilots aswell 💪🏻
And it's not actually a DC-10 :) FedEx upgraded it to the MD-11 cockpit so it's classed as the "MD-10"
Matt Tyndorf yeah it’s been upgraded but it’s still the same airframe.
@@PixelmechanicYYZ it’s still a DC-10
Please do this type of video with the McDonnell Douglas MD-11!
Last MD-11 in passenger service has retired.
@@moremoneyfordreadnoughts1100 That is very true. It's just that I like how this channel goes into detail and that'd be great for a video.
Just a life tip. You're far more likely to get what you want by asking politely instead of seeming so demanding like that.
@@theboardshorts Trust me I'm asking in the nicest way possible haha. If they cannot then that's more than fine.
@@dewester5394. Oh yeah, you've added the word 'Please'. So much nicer, and much more likely to be seen as a request and not a demand. It's just a good tip for life that's all :)
A friend of mine flew DC-10's for Sun Country back in the late 90's. He was to ferry one on its last flight to Milwaukee from Minnesota, so called and asked me if I wanted to "ride along". Was just him, the FO, engineer, his two kids, and me on the flight.
Other than that, the plane was empty of passengers and cargo and only enough fuel, plus contingencies. He firewalled the throttles (slowly) on takeoff and it felt like we lifted off the ground in just a few hundred feet (I'm sure it was far more). He then requested a "service ceiling" from ATC and it was granted. It's been so long, I can't remember our altitude, but it was an absolute thrill! I had to pay my own ticket back, but it was so well worth it!
He would also bring me along to NATCO to fly the simulators as he was changing over to the 737 and I was able to keep the VCR recordings of those experiences. I'm just a 3rd class private pilot, but sure learned a lot during those years.
I was on a Continental Airlines DC10, early 1980's, from Guam to Bali, and it had two lounges... one in first class, and a large one for economy in the middle of the plane. Their 747 at the time even had a third lounge at the very rear.
Flew from Mexico City to Cancun with Aeromexico in 1982, Love the sound of the engines
My only flight on a DC-10 was from Minneapolis.St.Paul to Amsterdam with my friend in 2008. Normally an Airbus A330 was on the line. I higly remember the friendly cabin crew and a very good seat at the window behind the wing. So I was able to follow the process of flaps coming out. It was a beautiful moment to fly with this only McDonnel Douglas widebody on this lucky event.
I am still in love with this type of aircraft, so a nice model on 1:200 scale is in my home. Warm greetings from the Netherlands by Arie Bert Versteeg;-P
I can remember as a kid when my late granddad brought me a DC-10 kit in 1:72 scale !
That must have been a MD-11
@@MrJimheeren Notrhwest Airlines did not have the MD-11 in their fleet. Greetings from Arie Bert.
My first flight ever was on a Finnair DC 10-30 OH-LHA "Iso-Antti" from Helsinki to JFK.
To Helsinki from LAX to Helsinki with Finnair. We even got to visit the cockpit.
Hope They're preserved
I've flown with the DC-10 in 1994 from Newark to Los Angeles
hey Fangzahn, just wanted to say you make fantastic content, and I really miss your videos!
@@airtimetv3922 Thank you very much!
I was assigned as a Maintenance Officer in the USAF with the 605th Aircraft Generation Squadron, McGuire AFB NJ. I got to fly on KC-10s all the time between 1998 and 2002. In terms of maintenance, they were easy as long as you weren't in a very austere location. They flew like a dream - quiet, smooth. I got to witness in-flight refueling with a pair of B-1s - this is an amazingly good airplane, with mission-capability rates similar to those of brand-new aircraft. The KC-10s will be flying for decades to come.
I flew in a SAS DC-10 in 1989 from Oslo to Chicago. I was 10 and very bored when a flight attendant invited me and my dad to the cockpit. We were half way over the Atlantic on our way home. Spent over an hour up there, sat in the pilot’s seat for a good while enjoying the view and the conversation between my dad and the pilots. My dad has a private pilots license so he carried the conversation. It is something that will never be able to be done again. I was very lucky to be able to experience that event in my life.
Remember the replacement flight KLM got me in 02'
Was to go on a 747 from DTW to AMS but a hurricane prevented me from going home.
Got on a NWA dc10-30 which looked old. 80's interior with a cinema screen and knobs to select sounds.
Compared to the system KLM had on the 747-400 at the time this DC10 was old.
My parents still have the kodak picture somewhere
Flew on a many of DC 10's out of DFW. Enjoyed it every time. Very spacious, quite and outstanding pressurization system. It paved the way for wide body travel!
I flew on a Freddie Laker Airways SKYTRAIN DC-10 in 1980, LGW-LAX, and back. Going over we had an emergency stop in Winnipeg due to fod (a wrench) shorting out a generator in the engine, going back we had a 4 hour delay at LAX for another mechanical problem. It was my first trip to the US. I flew on quite a few of the AA DC-10's in the '80's.
Recently got to fly on a USAF KC-10 overseas, and it was a dream! You could tell that the aircraft was very responsive and the crew were so knowledgeable that they were quizzing each other on procedures and specifics for the entire flight minus the refueling part which was also super cool!
First flight in a DC-10-10 was with Laker airways, Alicante to Gatwick 1975, also British Caledonian DC10-30 GTW to HKG in 1983.
Laker “Skytrain” London Gatwick to Miami
£75 one way & was fantastic
I have many fantastic memories of flying the DC-10 on American Airlines with my parents and grandparents (my dad is retired from AA). After AA Flight 191 crashed in Chicago my grandmother refused to fly on them. Luckily AA took the DC-10 markings off the plane so she did not realize they were DC-10 and we did not tell her!
Amira willighagen
I first flew as a passenger on a DC10 way back in 1974 with the now defunct french airline called UTA. It was the first wide body jet I've ever flown in and it seemed huge. I traveled from Singapore to Paris (Le Bourget) Airport with stops at Saigon and Karachi. The aircraft was virtually empty with very few passengers and many of those took advantage by sleeping across the middle row of seats. It was a very smooth flight all the way. On arrival at Paris we boarded a British Caledonian BAC 1-11 which was so very tiny in comparison for our final part of the journey to Gatwick Airport. Almost a month or so later news came in of the tragic accident over the Ermenonville Forest in France involving a cargo door which wasn't properly secured. It was a very smart looking aircraft.
I flew on an American Airlines DC-10 in June 1986 from Newark to Chicago and return. It was a truly flawless experience each way and the AA cabin crews were nothing less than superb.
I loved the DC-10. That was the first widebody jet I ever flew in 1999, to Hawaii. I just love the shape of the fuselage and the flight deck, with that middle turbofan going straight backwards, instead of through an S-duct like a L-1011 Tristar
As a kid, I flew many times on Varig's DC-10s and loved every minute of it. The DC-10 is my favorite aircraft after the 747.
I still remember boarding an Iberia DC 10 flying to San Juan PuertoRico in Madrid as a 7 year old boy in 1979. I was overwhelmed by the size of it.
i am a l10-11 guy but i have a big heart for the dc10 i worked on the l10-11 back in 70s 80s miss both of them airplanes
Flew on the DC-10 (United) many, many times from the late 80's through he mid-90s. Fantastic plane and, hands down, one of the best wide body aircraft to ever take to the skies :)
I flew the Canadian Airlines (CP) DC-10 between Toronto and Tokyo (and return) a few times. It was always a superb flight. Later, Air Canada bought Canadian and replaced the DC-10 with the Airbus A340-300
I must have seen you at work! Poor me was a shunt truck driver for better part of 25 years at Dixie and 401! The day of the Air France went up to other runway to grab a coffee while on lunch. Three 747's lined up to go! Guess who got a talking to for being on lunch longer than I should have been! Was never late for work so was worth it!! Now seeing maybe 7 planes a day from him is strange. ☹️
@@genedrakes686 Very close indeed. Kitchener here
@@anthonyevans6796 My no 747 streak broken a hour ago! Was in a high turn with light blue tail more KAL than KLM !
My first flight to the USA was on a Laker DC10, I did many flights, on charter airlines, to Mediterranean resorts and, flew on the jumpseat a couple of times while I worked for FedEx. My last flight was as a on rev from MEM-AMS on a Northwest DC10 in 2006. Quite the experience! Just to point out that FedEx operate the MD10, which was a DC10 but now has the two man flightdeck of the MD11 making it so much easier for pilots to be duel rated! 😊
@@christophercook723 not in 1980 lol showing my age 😂
@@christophercook723 en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laker_Airways
I flew on the DC-10 several times during the eighties and I really enjoyed it. I also loved the droning engine sound of this aircraft during takeoff...
Flew dc10 with national airlines many times down to miami from London in the late 70s early 80s my first jet and widebody
I flew on the Freddie Laker DC10s a few times.
Staircase Detective - Me too! My family and I used to fly every summer from Toronto to Gatwick aboard Laker.
Several times I flew on DC-10 aircraft as a passenger. The most memorable was my first flight on a DC-10 and only trip in first class on the type, from El Paso to Houston in the wee hours of the morning in 1974. This was a Continental flight back when they had the livery that preceded what this video showed, “The proud bird with the golden tail.” My siblings and I were just kids. We were excited to go on such a big plane. On the movie screen they showed cartoons and an ancient Dick Tracy serial that featured a flying wing aircraft. Breakfast was among the best I’ve had in the air.
I flew on a Northwest DC10 from SEA to HNL and HNL to LAX in 1999. On the first leg I was seated next to a guy who worked for McDonnell Douglas. He had helped install the hydraulics on that very plane when it was built.
Last time I was this early this plane was still safe.
lol
_Grabs Popcorn just in case_
still is after they fixed them in the 80s there safer them most modern aircraft certification wise and yes im looking at you Boeing it took how long for Douglas to fix the dc10s issues and its took over a year for the max to fix a sensor glitch that a pro programmer should have had fix in a month
Continental DC 10 is still my favorite plane, it was great.
Don Byrd Flew many times EWR to HNL in the 1990’s and early 2000’s. At the time the only non-stop from the east coast to Hawaii, great plane, great airline.
There was one I flew on that had a Lounge, with a full service bar.
Proud to say that my company donated the DC-10 for Orbis, as we retired them from our fleet. And our sister company is Ten Tanker.
My dad was a flight engineer for Biman's DC-10-30. These planes have a special place in my heart!
In 1977, I flew on a Lufthansa DC-10 from Tehran, Iran to Frankfort and Munich, West Germany and then to Chicago.
I refueled many KC-10’s during my time in the Air Force. Even got to fly in one during an “incentive flight” and watched a mid air refueling over Germany
At 9 I saw a Bcal DC-10 on final approach to Stansted. Most impressive machine I'd ever seen. Finally flew on one 28 years later, Biman's S2-ACR, the day before it retired in Feb. 2014. Thank you, Biman.
I used to work on the 10-10 and the 10-30 with mytravel airways. Loved them (the 10-10 had the lower deck galley) great fun to fly on.
I got a better question: Is the L-1011 still flying?? That was my favorite plane of all time!
The last remaining L-1011 TriStar in service is the Stargazer air-launch mothership, operated by Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems (formerly Orbital ATK).
@@doremy123 ... Thanks 👍😊
Flew on NWA’s throughout my childhood.
Loved their livery.
Same here - LGW to MSP and back again was a regular trip for me with NWA back in the early 2000's.
David Milne MSP-PHX
I miss NWA, flew their DC9s and DC10s from EWR - SAT
My most memorable flight ever was on a DC-10 in March of 1977. I believe it was American Airlines. The "Ocean to Ocean Service" flight from Logan Airport in Boston to San Francisco was incredible. It started with a great, and powerful take-off. The whole flight was very smooth. The service was phenomenal! Deli Food Service began 2 hours into the flight, served buffet style from the middle of the plane, lunch and an afternoon food service also followed. The presentation of the food, the variety of things to eat, and of course the taste was incredible. Views of my home state of Minnesota, the Rocky mountains, snow covered and absolutely beautiful, and the final flight line coming up the California coast on into San Francisco was a wonderful experience. The huge plane, comfortable and spacious seating made for a very special trip. It was the best plane to have flown coast to coast on, for the one and only time, over the country that I love!
Mum and I flew Auckland to Sydney on an Air New Zealand DC-10. Date was 14 Aug 1978. Got to go into cockpit as a treat and was awestruck by all the knobs and dials. I got to pull one of the knobs that apparently changed the direction of the plane towards Brisbane. The very friendly pilots had a great laugh over that. I suspect I pulled the cigarette lighter ;-)
Yea with cargo airlines and tankers
Thats why my package was
"Lost while transporting"
@@nikolaszisoudis8408 Yea as it got sucked into the engine while they were playing catch
KC 10 tanker
Seems great but kind of sad that theres not much competition anymore .
I know you will say competition is bad but its kind of good as if 1 company made a new plane example when airbus added new stuff to their A320 and boeing did not wanted to loose so they made the 737 max wait nvm how about when boeing made the 787 so airbus did not want to loose out so they made the A350
Fantastic point
@@thomasdaniels6824 Thanks
If anything competition is great and pushes companies to innovate and do better.
A350 doesn’t really compete with the 787-8/-9. Airbus made the 330neo for that, Boeing extended the 787 (-10) to compete with the a350-900 however the -1000 competes with the 777 hence the 777x to compete
Your understanding of free market economics is more microscopic than my penis.
I did flown 8 times on DC-10( Biman Bangladesh Airlines ) from NYC to DAC.
Flight was really good 😌 and smooth as silk.
Flew on 1985 from Mexico City to Acapulco. This DC10 being operated by Mexicana de Aviacion. I recall that Acapulco was a stop and from there would have flown to Chicago. I was a kid and was amazed by this plane.
Hope we will be able to see more planes flying soon
While I haven't flown on the DC-10, I have flown in a MD-11
I boarded the DC-10 in 1983 via Japan Airlines in Dec 1982 from Kuala Lumpur to Tokyo enroute to Los Angeles to further my studies at Memphis State University. It was my first overseas travel at that time and it was one the best memories with full of excitement. I had the 3-seater all to myself as the flight wasn't fully booked. From Tokyo, JAL flew me to Los Angeles via a Boeing 747. It wasn't fun anymore as the plane was rather crowded. From Los Angeles, I was flown to Memphis via Delta Airlines. I think it was the smaller Boeing 727 or perhaps a Lockheed Tristar.
Flew on Laker Airways from Manchester to Orlando in 1981 on a DC 10. Great flight with a budget airline pioneer.
Sadly it is not here or we may see Laker vs Easyjet :)
We went on a DC-10 from London to Toronto in 1979 with Laker (after the Chicago crash).
On the return flight in September we turned back 45 mins over the Atlantic (with a hydraulic leak) and made an emergency landing at Bangor...Didn't we have a lovely time, the day we went to Bangor...all for under a pound you know... (was released the same year).
A new part had to be flown out and we were shipped out to nearby [hm]otels whilst we waited (it being an evening/overnight flight)...this was in the days you needed a Visa to enter the US and a lot of passengers didn't have one as they hadn't intended visiting the US.
I've been seeing the firefighting tankers fly over my house all summer, heading towards the wildfires in AZ and CA. They're easy to hear coming, the sound is pretty unique!
Wow, just wow. These air craft that remain in service really remind me of by gone times.
I worked as an Aircraft Servicemanfor a Company that owned 3 DC-10-30’s. Each Jet was powered with GE C F-6 engines that pushed 53,000 lbs of thrust.
I personal loved the DC-10 and our held 301 passengers. The Aircraft was given a bad rap due ground handling errors that did not close the rear cargo door correctly, that caused accidents. A well engineered Aircraft and all the Pilots enjoyed them as well
My favorite aircraft! My mom is a flight attendant for American Airlines and she always loved working on them when they were still in service
You can't talk about the DC-10 without mentioning the L-1011, i flew lots of L-1011 trips and it had cooler electrically operated passenger doors.
There will never be another crash of the L-1011. What was that movie with Ernest Borgnine?
Flew TWA lots growning up.. Lots of L1011's LOVE that plane!
The doors on the DC-10 are also motorized. They move up into the ceiling like on the L-1011. It seems Boeing and Airbus decided against this method. Maybe to save weight or complexity? But I think it was more elegant with retracting doors.
Marcus Damberger the 767 doors move up into the ceiling
@@AA-tz2bm Oh wow, I never knew that. Guess that means I've never been on a 767, near as I can remember. Does Airbus have any that retract into the ceiling like DC-10, 767 etc.?
Well, at least Orbis is the last passenger DC-10 operator though.
Ziolin Camba imagine eye surgery in progress then clear air turbulence hit it.
What on earth do you mean?
The Orbis DC-10 isn’t a passenger aircraft... it’s a flying hospital. It’s called the ‘Flying Eye Hospital.’
Not correct. RNLAF T-235 flies, and still does so in passenger configuration.
Orbis Intl./N22OAU is not truly in passenger configuration.
@@thrustasymcomp9145 Surgery is of course only performed on the ground. It's a mobile clinic.
My first and only flight with a DC-10-30 was with United from Chicago to Denver after I had been bumped off of an overbooked Continental flight from Midway. About 30 of us passengers were sent over by Continental to United at O'hare via passenger vans. One of which only one passenger went in because he told the driver there were no more passengers behind him, so it left a bunch of us stranded at Midway until Continental got another van for the rest of us.. To top it off, when we all arrived at the United gate they had no clue who we were. Several pissed passengers went to the Continental counter and complained directly, things soon were worked out. But United could not guaranteed us a seat. So we all sat waiting to be booked as standby passengers. It was a relief as your name was called to the counter to get your ticket. We all managed to get on that United flight to Denver, on Dec 23 no less. We even got a box lunch served to us on that flight! I must say after several hours delay and shuffling between Midway and O'Hare, having that meal on United was the best thing ever. I still remember what the lunch box looked like with the mid 90's battleship gray United motif. It was a bumpy ride down into Stapleton Airport as was typical of landings there. But the DC-10 handled it gracefully.
I flew in a DC-10 back in 1992, on a holiday to Spain, operated by Schiphol-based Martinair. It was a very roomy aircraft, in my recollection and - as an aviation enthusiast - I had of course taken a picture of our ride prior to boarding. In 1993, Martinair faced a tragic landing-accident at Faro, Portugal and when I saw the remains of the aircraft that had crashed, something struck me as familiar. In the picture I saw in the paper was clearly the aircraft's registration: PH-MBN. I looked up the holiday photographs of the year before and there it was: the plane that had flown me to Spain the year before, was the same that had crashed at Faro. It was a strange moment, seeing the wreckage of an aircraft that only a year earlier had given me a lasting impression of comfort in air travel...
1:31 Don't believe that's correct...
I know that TAB Cargo from Bolivia still operates the DC-10.
Yeah
It passes over by home every day 35,000 feet though but still.
That's true, and also KF cargo flies one
@@pladimirvutin7463 Not anymore.
True. It's actually the DC 10-30F, CP-2791, MSN 48312, n° 442 on the line. First flight in 1988.
Great plane!
Great video!. Flew on a DC-10 only once, in February 1983 on a VIASA aircraft, from Caracas to Miami. Was lucky to get into the cockpit for 5, 10 minutes and see Port Au Prince (Haiti) from the air. I do get to see the MD-11s from FedEx very often at FLL.
I had flown on DC-10s multiple times in the past. My dad used to work for United Airlines. The most memorable was a red eye flight from California to Chicago about two weeks after the Sioux City crash. Needless to say I got no sleep on that flight and was the only time I was ever a bit nervous of flying. And you got to love the sound of those engines on take off!
The answer is yes because one flies to MKE for fed ex semi regularly
I wasn't sure, but if it's a contractor, it's very plausible.
Yeah
I love your thumbnail because there was a Finnair dc 10 and I Iove Finnair
I flew at the end of the 90s on a very special flight with the last remaining DC-10 of Condor. It was chartered by the German Tyre Brand Fulda to fly from Frankfrt/Main directly to Whitehorse/Canada. More than 300 Guest were on board, lots of equipment... We used the whole Runway to get airborn! After a comfortable flight we reached Whitehorse and the Chief Captain of Condor flew one loop around the small airport. I remember that we had a very early touch down followed by a hard braking.
The Aircraft left Whitehorse to Seattle because of heavy snow forecast and the Captain asked if it could be allowed to fly very low over the Marshlake - it was allowed, the DC-10 flew very low: very impressive!
After a week we flew back with a short stop for refueling in Fairbanks - with a special permission that all guests could remain on board. Then we went directly over the pole (I was in the cockpit in that moment!) back to Frankfurt/Main. It was my best flight experience ever!!
As an Finnair employee (now ex-) flew on a Finnair operated DC-10 a couple of times before the company long haul fleet was upgraded to MD-11. And flew also on DC-10s of VIASA, the bygone Venezuelan carrier. Good memories.
Wut about TAB Cargo
2 MD-10s in that fleet.
Trijets should return to the skies 😖
i have said that all along rock on
I'm sorry but now a days airlines want 2 engines and also the only reason its a trijet because of ETOPS
@@riliryrimaddyvia9630 They are also very inefficient
Yea ll jets are
@@riliryrimaddyvia9630 whats etops?
I flew in a Caledonian DC-10 London Gatwick to Houston in about 1984. One of the best flights i ever took. Up front they had about 5 ft space between seat rows and they carved meat on the trolley at dinner. Wonderful!
In 1981 when I was 7-years old my mother and older brother and I flew in a Western Airlines DC-10 from Honolulu to Los Angeles when we moved away from Hawaii to San Diego. Dad came weeks later on his Navy Destroyer DD-945 USS Hull. Today as Arizona burns with many large wildfires, I still get to see one of the fire-bomber DC-10's. I've seen it several times in the last few weeks and quite often flies right over our house as it cycles back-and-forth to Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport. I hate that we're burning up around here, but it's a treat to see the old DC-10's flying so close by in 2020!
Only once with Ward Air, 1987. They oversold the flight but bumped me up to first class because I was in Army uniform. Nicest first class service I'd ever experienced.
As a planespotter, I loved seeing a DC-10 taking off and they were one of the loudest when taking off back in the 80s and 90s when they were passenger jets, loved that middle engine design in the back too !! ..I remember the window in my bedroom use to rattle when one took off lol.. I live in Sydney and grew up under a very busy flightpath. I'm now 50, miss those days.
I did fly in a Continental DC-10 in 1998, identical to the you shown at the beginning of the video. It took 28 hours and a second DC-10 because the first one's APU wasn't working (according to the captain). A few minutes after I landed, I've been told about a drama that infolded a few hours before I arrived in the New Jersey : the crash of a Swissait MD-11.
As of 2020, there's 31 DC-10s still in service, 25 with FedEx, 3 of them fly for 10 Tanker Air Carrier as firefighters, 1 for Project Orbis as you shown and 1 for Tab Cargo.The last one, spending all its civilian carrer with Martinair before donning the uniform is a DC-10-30 CF now flying for the Dutch Air Force as T-235. I spotted it once in FlightRadar 24., at night. It first flew on November 11, 1976.
Indeed, FedEx flies the oldest one : the DC-10-10 N550FE (FE for FedEx and 550 because it was the n° 55 on the line) made its maiden flight on August 3, 1972… (MSN 46521)
I flew on DC-10’s with British Caledonian from London Gatwick to Kano in Nigeria and back on several occasions in the late ‘70s. I remember that they used to name their aircraft; one being called ‘Robert Burns The Scottish Bard’ and one other named ‘Sir Alexander Fleming The Scottish Challenger.’ Both were relatively new aircraft back then. I remember one time, when flying back to LGW from Kano, there was so much fog over London that we ended up being diverted to Manchester, as it was the closest open airport available. Eventually they ended up returning us to Gatwick by coach, but by then we had long since missed the last available connecting flight to Belfast. They put us up in The Copthorne Hotel near Gatwick, and we got a flight back to Belfast the following morning.
I did a internship at McDonnell Douglas from 88-90 in Long Beach Ca. I watched them build so many DC-10s and MD-11s. I was there when the MD-11 was still a mockup. Douglas planes were special they took a whole year to build from beginning to end. Unfortunately I never flown on a DC10 or MD11, I wish the Tri-hollers would make a comeback...😕
My only DC-10 experience is Finnair flight HEL-SEA in the 1980s, the routing was HEL-SEA-LAX that time. So exciting for a young guy, the first long haul flight & first widebody :)
Finnair's speciality was a DC-10 with extra fuel tanks, so they could open a route to Tokyo via the longer polar route in 1983. At first Soviet Union didn't allow them to use the Siberian aircpace. Finnair also used DC-10 for the popular charter services to the Mediterranean, so you could spot their DC-10 in places like Rhodes and Palma de Mallorca
I was the captain on the last DC-10-30 for Continental. Landed flight #2 (from Australia) at Lax on Saturday April 23, 1983. Landed at 1530 and the chief pilot was at the GO. He said, guess what Jim, we went chapter 11, 30 minutes ago. Thanks Frank Lorenzo!
Took a redeye flight on a DC10 from LAX to Chicago O'Hare. I had a whole center row of seats near the back to myself, which, with the armrests in the upright position, made for a decent bed, made all the more comfortable with a couple of pillows and a blanket supplied by a friendly cabin attendant. Although I've flown numerous times since, that was my only experience on a wide body jet.
On a trip from Australia to the UK in 1975, flying Thai International, I flew from Melbourne to Sydney on a DC9 (TAA "Whispering T-Jet"), then from Sydney to Bangkok on a DC10, finally from Bangkok to London on a DC8. This was around the time that the DC10 started to get a bad reputation due to a series of accidents and crashes.
My experience of the DC10 was how comfortable and quiet it was to fly in. The takeoff was particularly impressive. I've never experienced such acceleration before or since. The DC8, in comparison, seemed to take ages to claw its way into the sky.
Flew on a NW DC-10 in June 1995 from HNL to DFW. Loved it! I’m glad that I was able to fly it before they left passenger service. I was able to fly on N741DA, a Delta L-1011 on the same trip (LAX to HNL).
Flown with it as “redcap” or on board loading coordinator of the full cargo version. Often a sleep in front of the net during flight, but loved the view of the seat behind the captain. The big window reached from your hip to above your head. Amazing views. Never forget the “headlight” greetings of on coming traffic in the corridor between irak/iran.
Flew on a Laker Airways DC-10, the "Canterbury Belle" G-BBSZ from New York to London in July of 1978. I'll never forget it. We took off after a delay, flew out over the ocean for an hour or so, then the plane turned around and we landed again. Kinda scary to look out the window and see the runway lined with dozens of fire engines and emergency vehicles!
I flew on an Air New Zealand DC10 in 1977 from memory, returning from a holiday in the US, I believe the flight was a direct flight from LAX to AKL. They called it the "Big 10" in those days, and the cabin had a really nice teal green interior. Those were the days when flying on Air NZ was a special experience, full service meals and not so run of the mill as it is these days. For kids they had a little logbook you could fill out every time you flew with the airline. I flew on both the DC8 and DC10 at different times. Those are special memories for a young boy who was always looked forward to getting on board one of those amazing machines.
My family flew on a DC-10 to San Diego in 1980. Since the 1979 crash of American Airlines 191, a DC-10, was fresh in our memories, we were rather apprehensive during the whole flight. Also, I was scheduled to fly on a DC-10 from San Francisco to Chicago in 1990, but that aircraft had some mechanical problem, so I and all other passengers on that flight were transferred to a Boeing 747. I was quite relieved at the change.
I Flew on a DC-10-30 from London Gatwick to Miami international airport in 1980 with Laker Airways. Lovely spacious plane and had a visit to the cockpit amazing times
Flew a Northwest Airlines DC-10 from Detroit to Paris and back in 2001. Great flights!! Smooth as silk!!!