Exploring the Magic of the MD-11

What is it with the MD-11? Why is this aircraft so popular among pilots and plane spotters? What makes the MD-11 so special? High time for an investigation.

MD-Eleven gave me a Seventh Heaven

My quest begins with the Dutch Aviation Photographers Group, which has no fewer than 6,000 plane-loving members, who share photos and aircraft expertise with one another. The group is headed by Andres, whom I asked what the MD-11 means to him.

[tweet text=”MD-Eleven gave me a Seventh Heaven”]

Saving the elegant lady

Another group that I knew could tell me more about the magic of the MD-11 was the “Save The Last PAX McDonnell Douglas MD-11 Group”. Founder Barry Schuuring shares his sentiments in this Facebook group, calling on KLM and fellow MD-11 aficionados to help him save the elegant lady in the Netherlands, instead of phasing her out. Over the phone, Barry describes his love for the MD-11 as follows:

“From DC-10 to MD-11, even as a little kid I was crazy about these triple-engine ladies with their elegant lines. I’ll be sure to shed a tear when I bid them farewell on 11 November. Love has a code: MD-11.”

Most Devoted 11

Because we won’t be able to keep the MD-11 in the Netherlands, I decided to set up a campaign surrounding the MD-11. This resulted in a platform where we’re trying to find the “Most Devoted 11” – i.e. the biggest fans of the MD-11. There’s an MD-11 quiz and an interactive timeline, where fans can share photos, stories and videos, all of which will help keep the rich MD-11 history alive.

Tickets for farewell flights

There are various prizes to be won, but the biggest prize is definitely a ticket for one of the three MD-11 Farewell Flights on 11 November.

Tickets for these flights were available for EUR 111, but only to those with the fastest fingers, because they were all sold out within 3.5 minutes of going on sale at 11:11 on 16 September!

“MD-S11ie”

Because I’m so intensively involved in the campaign, I can’t help getting infected with the MD-11 virus. As I go in search of photos to illustrate my story, I pass the PH-KCB “Maria Montessori” and can’t resist taking an “MD-S11ie” (an MD-Selfie; 11 = “elf” in Dutch).

Which briefly goes viral in the group.

Farewell MD-11

A beautiful lady with a superb service record will be leaving us on 25 October. KLM is the last airline using the MD-11 as a passenger jetliner. Fortunately, we still have the photos. And there’s a book for the fans, Farewell MD-11, written in Dutch by Charley Valette, an MD-11 pilot with a lot of love for this elegant lady.

Thanks to everyone who helped us organise the MD-11 Farewell festivities. Time to set our sites on KLM’s centenary and a new future with the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

What’s your memory from the MD-11? Share them with us on our interactive timeline. You’ll also get a chance to test your knowledge in our special MD-11 quiz with great prices, like an MD-11 flight simulator session. 6 prizes will be given each day and at the end of the campaign, one person is able to win two return tickets to the Farewell flight here in Amsterdam. Have a look at: http://klmf.ly/1t3lETx.