F
Finally, the series 63 would have incorporated the same fuselage as the
DC-10-61 as well as all the larger wing of the -62.
After high-profile accidents in the 1970s, such as Turkish Airlines Flight 981 and
American Airlines Flight 191, the trijet's reputation was seriously damaged by
doubts regarding its structural integrity.
For these reasons, and due to a downturn in the airline industry, all work on the
Super 60 was stopped.
In 1981, a Continental DC-10-10 (registration number N68048) was leased to conduct more
research, particularly the effects the newly designed winglets would have on aircraft
performance.
Different types of winglets were tested during that time in conjunction with NASA.
McDonnell Douglas was again planning new DC-10 versions that could incorporate
winglets and more efficient engines developed at the time by Pratt & Whitney (PW2037)
and Rolls-Royce (RB.211-535F4).
The manufacturer finally rationalized all these studies under the MD-EEE (Ecology-
Economy-Efficiency) designation, that was later modified to the MD-100 following some
more changes. The MD-100 was proposed in two versions: the Series 10, having an
airframe shorter by 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) compared to the DC-10 and seating up to 270
passengers in a mixed-class configuration; and the Series 20, incorporating a fuselage
stretch of 20 ft 6 in (6.25 m) over the DC-10 and able to seat up to 333 passengers in the
same kind of configuration as the Series 10.
Both versions could be powered by the same engine families as the actual MD-11 plus
the RB.211-600. However, the situation for the manufacturer, and the airline industry in
general, did not look bright. No new DC-10 orders were received, and many among the
observers and customers doubted that the manufacturer would be operating much
longer.
Thus, the Board of Directors decided in November 1983 to once again cease all work on
the projected new trijet.
MD 11
July 2017
www.alliance-airways.net
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