It’ll be a shame when N304FE is gone by 2021. The McDonnell Douglas MD-10-30F (aka plain and simple DC-10) has been flying since 1978 and has been with FedEx since 1984. We photographed this living legend on July 14, 2019 while plane spotting at Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ).
For full-size, high resolution versions for any of the photos in the image gallery, simply click on the individual pictures. See below for more detailed information on N304FE, the McDonnell Douglas MD-10-30F model in general and the airline.
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N304FE
N304FE performed its first flight way back on July 12, 1978. The McDonnell Douglas DC10-30CF was first delivered to ONA (Overseas National Airways) on September 8, 1978 as N1035F. However, that airline ceased operations the following week.
Between 1978 and when this MD-10-30F joined up with FedEx on May 4, 1984, it was a free agent, flying for five different airlines that are mostly all long gone. It started with Seaboard World Airlines and ended with Spantax. Along the way, the DC-10 also served Loftleider, Garuda and Air Florida. With Spantax, it was registered EC-DSF. Otherwise, it kept the N1035F tag until joining FedEx.
Despite its longevity, the airplane has really only one serious blemish on its safety record. On February 13, 2012, the aircraft was flying from Portland, Oregon to Oakland, California. The takeoff was rejected after the left side engine stalled. The issue was a low pressure turbine that had seized.
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McDonnell Douglas MD-10-30F
The first McDonnell Douglas DC-10 (MD-10-30F) took its first flight on August 29, 1970 and entered service with American Airlines on August 5, 1971. This model of aircraft was last produced in 1988. A total of 446 were manufactured.
The MD-10-30F is 52 metres or 171 feet in length with a wingspan of 50 metres or 165 feet. At the tail, the airplane stands 18 metres or 58 feet in height. A large aircraft, it was quite smaller than the early Boeing 747-100 from the same era. The 747-100 was 61 feet longer with a wingspan that was 31 feet wider and a tail height that five feet higher. The flight range for the DC-10 is 10,622 kilometres.
FedEx
FedEx commenced operations in 1973 and is headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee. The cargo airline has a main fleet of nearly 660 aircraft flying to over 375 destinations worldwide. The most numerous in the fleet is the Boeing 757-200SF while the largest is the Boeing 777F.