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Swissair has used the DC-10 as the backbone of their long haul international network for some considerable time and will from 1991 begin replacing them with Pratt & Whitney powered MD-11s.
Profile – McDonnell Douglas DC-10 Part I
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McDonnell Douglas DC-10 Part I
Although plagued by terrible accidents and the resulting adverse publicity, the McDonnell Douglas DC-10 was, in fact, the result of greater concentrated design work and engineering effort than any of the company’s previous aircraft.
It grew from the same requirements put forward in June 1966 by American Airlines which also resulted in Lockheed’s L1011 Tristar. These stipulated a new transport aircraft which would offer the same passenger appeal as the Boeing 747 tailored to suit US domestic air routes and airports. The machine had to have the ability to use smaller airports, such as New York’s La Guardia Airport, and be able to carry 250 passengers to the West Coast.
After studying various twin engine proposals, both Lockheed and Douglas settled on aircraft powered by three engines. The Douglas Commercial No. 10 had two engines attached to pylons under the wings with its third powerplant installed at the base of its tail fin. In order to obtain good high speed cruising performance, the DC-10’s low set wings were swept at 35 degrees and for maximum efficiency the aerofoil shape, thickness and incidence varied from root to tip. Because of the short takeoff requirement, body length had to be limited and so the crosssection of the fuselage needed to be widened in order to have the capacity to carry the required number of passengers plus luggage. Various body sizes were considered as also was a figure ‘8’ configuration which consisted of DC-8 fuselages superimposed one above the other or spread side by side. Finally, a diameter of 19ft 9ins (6. 02m) was selected.
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