flaps 9

MD-11 has winglets

TonyC

Excellent answer if the question was, "How does one tell the difference between an MD-11 and an MD-10?" The question was, however, "How does one tell the difference between an MD-10 and a DC-10?"








- The truth only hurts if it should -

FDXFLYR

From a distance: The MD-10 is a DC-10 without the FE panel in the right rear window.

Up close: The lettering MD-10 on the nose.

Pilotpip

The panel is still there, but the instruments are gone right?. I could have sworn that when you walk into the aircraft, the seat and table are still there, but the instruments are removed but it's been a while and I could be wrong. From the outside, I can't tell the difference until I'm up close, see the MD-10 on the nose or when I open the fuel panel (the outflow valves are on the other side).

Quick question for the guys here that regularly fly from STL. What's the adversion to having 40.0 onboard regardless of conditions? We get calls for uplifts all the time when it's below this magic number (even if we uplift to 39.0). For the longest time the mechanics were letting us make 40 the minimum load but Memphis axed this and we are now back to getting a frantic call 30 minutes before you guys block.

FDXFLYR

No, the entire FE instrument panel is gone--you can see out the right rear cockpit window in an MD-10. If you look at a DC-10 from its right side you see the back of the FE instrument panel. Not so in the MD-10, you can see all the way through and out the opposite window. The FE seat and table is there but the panel is gone.

pnh2atl

Are they done converting the DC-10s into MD-10s? Was it just a cockpit mod or did they do anything to improve performance? Are the MD-10s domestic or international?

MD11driver

Not quite done with the conversions...

No performance improvement...same engines, same airframe...

Mostly domestic, but MD-10's go to Puerto Rico and South America...no Europe or Far East...

Sleepyflyer

Once in a while the MD10-30 goes to Paris on Saturday.

flaps 9

I knew I was missing something when I answered that. It seemed too easy. Lesson learned, read the question first

TonyC

From the cockpit door, the MD-10 cockpit looks, at first glance, and to the uninitiated, like an MD-11 cockpit. If you know what to look for (throttles, flap handles, displays, switches, etc.) you can tell one from the other, but it's not from the seats or panels aft of the pilots. The observer seats are identical to the MD-11 (even though the part numbers are not the same, and are not interchangeable (long story, but I know from experience)) and the panels are identical to the MD-11 until you open the doors. Take a closer look inside an MD-11 the next time you get a chance, and you'll see what I mean.


Look for the antenna on top of the fuselage. That's the clue that is visible from the greatest distance. If the antenna is located above the wing root, it's an MD-11 or MD-10. If the antenna is located above the main upper deck cargo door, or roughly above the large FedEx logo on the side of the fuselage, it's a DC-10.



I can venture a guess here... Memphis likes to use NQA (Navy Memphis) as an alternate when the weather in Memphis is good, because they can add just a splash of fuel and be legal. Most of us don't think that's prudent, for a number of reasons. For starters, NQA is under the approach paths of southern arrivals into Memphis, and a diversion into NQA will upset MEM arrivals. Furthermore, when arrivals start to get stretched 30 or more miles to the north and south, you can use your Alternate fuel just flying a single approach in to MEM. While I'm confident that they can handle a whole herd of semi-trucks in their truck driving school (it's better lit than the runway), I'm not so confident they can handle more than one airplane on the ground at a time. I think there's a better chance I'd be going to LIT or BNA than landing at NQA. Consequently, I always carry extra gas to MEM.







- The truth only hurts if it should -