I saw these 'planes in EDDF a few times and even better in real life than the PMDG one.

http://airnation.net/hangar/threads/lufthansa-cargo-starts-retiring-md-11fs.6398/

Aye, the poor MD-11 doesn't get much love with airline CEOs and FDs out in the real world :(

 

To be honest though, I think the MD-11 'profitibility profile' has proven to be so narrow, that very few operators are able to turn a profit with it.   The issue seems to be that there is always an alternative aircraft that can do what the MD-11 can do, mission-wise, at lower cost.

 

For passenger transport, that is primarily the A330 and 777, and for Cargo, the 777F.       I think some MD-11 users are potentially drawn in by lower / attractive acquisition packages, as compared to other aircraft.    This is why we see smaller cargo operators (especially in the emerging markets) aquiring MD-11s, and often not lasting long!

 

Passenger wise, I think it's been proven that it's never the right choice - are there even any passenger operating MD-11s in service any more (by the end of this year?)

 

Cargo; well in mass use, where maintenance costs can be brought down, due to scale (eg.. FEDEX, UPS) then the MD-11 is probably a fair proposition, but I bet even FEDEX and UPS will retire their MD-11 fleet by the end of this decade; and go the A330F or 777F route.

 

For an aircraft that only really hit the skies (commercially) in 1991, it's sad that by 2000 the MD-11 was hugely out of favour and being disposed of by so many airlines.    I think there is no doubting that it has been a commercial failure. :(

 

Good job we can give the PMDG MD-11 some love in FSX!

For us freight dogs. Who gives a hoot about "Commercial" service! Long live the Mighty Dog.

On the bright side, their are replacing it with the 777F. but to see the aircraft for real, well that was a treat.

I never have my camera with me when I need it.

Topic title is misleading. The article reads " Lufthansa Cargo plans to phase out two of its MD-11s next year" . Most other MD-11's in the fleet were the last ones to come of the production line ( last one in 2001 ) and will see more years of service. The ones that are being phased out ( converted and build for another carrier) are non standard to the LH build aircraft and are more expensive to operate/maintain.

 

b rdgs Dick

I agree with Dick. He´s right. They have only plans for phase out the two ex Alitalia MD-11 (D-ALCR and D-ALCS) for now.

 

http://www.aviationweek.com/Article.aspx?id=/article-xml/avd_08_27_2013_p04-01-610126.xml

FedEx or UPS will be pick them up, plenty of life left in the MD11F and DC10 conversions

As always, Dave, well articulated post. You more or less covered everything about this beautiful looking aircraft. I feel sad for its demise. Thanks to PMDG we can keep her in our thoughts.

Here is a good site regarding MD11's. http://md-eleven.net/Latest-News still not sure what all the doom& gloom is about, sure it's getting old but it still has plenty of life left in it. Many cargo operators don't want to fork out for a brand new 777F/A330F. Take a look at the classic 747's they worked as the main cargo freighters well past pax life.

ON another note though, it is interesting to see that DLHC is apparently going to get 2 777Fs... so where we reduce our operations with the MD11, we can pick up with the PMDG 777F-X...

 

 

Cool...

 

Sad to see those two being phased out, have seen them at EDDF a few times now, but there are others in the fleet that won't be retired from service so soon...

 

A

I noticed a FedEx Md11 comes into KBOS around 6:15am  now.

Although they may be acquired by other operators, I always consider that MD 11s look best with Lufthansa livery. Moving on..

Aye, the poor MD-11 doesn't get much love with airline CEOs and FDs out in the real world :(

 

To be honest though, I think the MD-11 'profitibility profile' has proven to be so narrow, that very few operators are able to turn a profit with it. The issue seems to be that there is always an alternative aircraft that can do what the MD-11 can do, mission-wise, at lower cost.

 

For passenger transport, that is primarily the A330 and 777, and for Cargo, the 777F. I think some MD-11 users are potentially drawn in by lower / attractive acquisition packages, as compared to other aircraft. This is why we see smaller cargo operators (especially in the emerging markets) aquiring MD-11s, and often not lasting long!

 

Passenger wise, I think it's been proven that it's never the right choice - are there even any passenger operating MD-11s in service any more (by the end of this year?)

 

Cargo; well in mass use, where maintenance costs can be brought down, due to scale (eg.. FEDEX, UPS) then the MD-11 is probably a fair proposition, but I bet even FEDEX and UPS will retire their MD-11 fleet by the end of this decade; and go the A330F or 777F route.

 

For an aircraft that only really hit the skies (commercially) in 1991, it's sad that by 2000 the MD-11 was hugely out of favour and being disposed of by so many airlines. I think there is no doubting that it has been a commercial failure. :(

 

Good job we can give the PMDG MD-11 some love in FSX!

FS9 as well... Didn't see it at the time but the MD-11 was a great choice for PMDG. Ironically in the FS world it's low FS9 sales is what prompted PMDG to drop FS9 development. So it has historically gotten little love on all fronts.

 

The 717 is in worse shape both virtually and in the real world... Is there any airliner that tops how badly the 717 has been received? In the virtual world nothing tops it's failure in appeal. Every other airliner has been done in some kind of detail in FS (FS2k2, FS9, FSX, etc).

Here's another nice MD-11 link:

 

http://www.airfleets.net/listing/md11-1.htm

FS9 as well... Didn't see it at the time but the MD-11 was a great choice for PMDG. Ironically in the FS world it's low FS9 sales is what prompted PMDG to drop FS9 development. So it has historically gotten little love on all fronts.

 

The 717 is in worse shape both virtually and in the real world... Is there any airliner that tops how badly the 717 has been received? In the virtual world nothing tops it's failure in appeal. Every other airliner has been done in some kind of detail in FS (FS2k2, FS9, FSX, etc).

 

Yes good point Dillon.    I have the MD-11 FS9 version too, and clocked up more time in it in FS9 than in any other aircraft (the LDS767 being a close second!).  

 

I'd love to see a high end 717 for FS, but yes what a hugely unpopular aircraft in the real world! ..... I belive it's avionics are very closely related to that in the MD-11 (being that the 717 is another 'inherited' aircraft from the MD acquisition)... I believe the 717 has the same 'Profile' mode, and MCP as the MD-11.    Would be an interesting plane in FS. :smile: