This weekend marks ten years since the final commercial flights of the McDonnell Douglas DC-10 took place.
Between 20-24 February 2014, Biman Bangladesh Airlines flew a series of charter services out of Birmingham Airport in the UK to allow enthusiasts and fans of the classic tri-jet airliner to take one final flight before the airline flew the aircraft back to Bangladesh and retirement.
Biman at the time had become the last airline in the world still flying the DC-10 on passenger services, and its retirement meant it was no longer possible for the public to fly on the type.
Other airlines, once synonymous with the DC-10, had gradually gotten rid of their fleets through the 1990s and early 2000s.
Following Biman’s final flights, it left only cargo and military variant DC-10s still in operation.
Biman’s DC-10 Fleet and Fates
Mark Tang (GFDL 1.2 <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/old-licenses/fdl-1.2.html> or GFDL 1.2 <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/old-licenses/fdl-1.2.html>), via Wikimedia Commons
Biman Bangladesh took delivery of three DC-10s in 1983, replacing older Boeing 707s and featuring on the airline’s intercontinental schedules to Europe and Asia. They operated alongside Airbus A310s on principal routes.
Later, more DC-10s were added, bringing the total number flown to eight.
However, with the introduction of the Boeing 777-300ER in 2011 and -200 in 2014, the older tri-jets were retired. Today Biman also flied the Boeing 787-8 and -9 Dreamliner.
Biman’s DC-10 fleet and their fates are as follows:
S2-ACO (46993/263), DC-10-30, 1983-2014 – Scrapped 2015
S2-ACP (46995/275), DC-10-30, 1983-2013 – Scrapped 2016
S2-ACQ (47817/300), DC-10-30, 1983-2014 – Scrapped 2017
S2-ACR (48317/445), DC-10-30, 1988-2014 – Scrapped 2015
S2-ACS (46543/341), DC-10-30, 1999-2014 – Scrapped 2015
S2-ADA (46999/289), DC-10-30, 1993-1994 – To freighter conversion. Scrapped 2013
S2-ADB (47818/305), DC-10-30, 1993-1996 – To Caledonian Airways. Scrapped 2018
S2-ADN (46542/295), DC-10-30, 2000-2005 – Destroyed in landing accident, Chittagong 2005
Who Flies the DC-10 Today?
Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores from Perú, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Following Biman’s retirement of the world’s last passenger-carrying DC-10 aircraft, it left only cargo and military operators flying the type.
The US Air Force remained the largest operator, flying the KC-10A variant which operated in aerial refuelling and transport roles. However, these aircraft performed their final active duties in late 2023 and are currently being retired, with all expected to be grounded by late 2024.
FedEx were also a large operator of the type, with many converted into MD-10 standard with updated cockpits and avionics. However, these have also now been retired.
Other active airframes include one used by Project Orbis as a flying eye hospital.
Omega Air DC-10 (c) Phil Vabre
Omega Air has three active airframes, used as aerial refuelling platforms.
Infinimeme, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
10 Tanker Air Carrier flies four specially converted DC-10s which act as aerial firefighting platforms, capable of dropping thousands of litres of water or retardant on wildfires. They are based in New Mexico, but operate where the need arises.
Finally, TAB Cargo of Bolivia still has one active MD-10-30 freighter aircraft which can often be seen across South America and even in Miami on cargo flights.
Did you fly on the final Biman DC-10 flights ten years ago? What are your memories of the DC-10? Leave a comment below!
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9 comments
I flew them between Manchester and Newark, NJ many times when they flew with Continental. I was lucky enough to fly in both cabins. I loved the 2-4-2 layout in Economy. I also have a vague memory which may or may not be wrong, but I flew a connecting flight from Malaga to Madrid on Iberia DC10. The plane was eventuallybound for JFK.
Yes, I was on one of the Birmingham flights on 22 February.
A bit of extra excitement came when we had a rendezvous with a Beech 99 photoship (N899AE) chartered by some guys to take air to air footage of the DC-10. Good for Bangladesh Airlines for setting up the events.
I loved flying on the DC-10 and flew with AIR NEW ZEALAND, SWISSAIR and AMERICAN AIRLINES , .over the years, big roomy cockpit too. We have had the occasional USAF KC-10 in Perth, but not for a few hears now, sadly.
I too was on on one of the last flights out of Birmingham. I recall being able to wander around during the flight – visiting the galleys etc – I think they had Singapore Airlines titles on the cabinets – meeting the cabin crew who were great fun and the flight crew on flight deck at the end of the journey and being to walk around the plane on the tarmac both before and after the flight. And there was a great shop to buy the inevitable T-Shirt – which I still have – plus old flight manuals and other memorabilia. Great day and memories, sorry to see all their DC10s have been scrapped. There were plans to preserve the last one but no museum was interested so the only option was the scrapyard – very sad.
I had the honour of the last flight of the day and therefore the “last flight” for S2-ACR as a passenger.
The atmosphere was amazing mixed with delight on being on such a unique flight and a tinge of sadness that this beautiful airliner as a type would be confined to cargo usage.
We had a chance to walk around her while awaiting boarding so I got some amazing shots of the unusual aspects.
I interviewed the captain on his feelings and professional as always, was very polite and shared our enthusiasm. Like Stephen I managed to get so much memorabilia along with signed photos of the crew. And of Course the T-shirt and baseball cap.
I decided prior to flight to get my own bespoke T shirt made of “ACR” photographed some time before hand so had it as a print on board.
You can imagine how that went down!
For all those who shared this special day – we are proud, and if we’re still keen with aviation then its been a great decade since.
Fantastic memories Julian. Thanks for sharing!
Matt
I flew many sectors with Northwest Orient on DC-10-30 and -40 series, only ever got one DC-10-10 and that was AA from MIA-ORD. But flew plenty of others – Viasa, Swissair, Varig, United, KLM (And MD-11). Great aeroplane to fly on! Watching the BHX clip, its not just the DC-10s that have gone – no more Air Berlin, FlyBe or Virgin Trains either! And no Continental/United flights to BHX either.
I was booked on the final flight and travelled up from Sussex to Birmingham Airport to take photos of the earlier flights over the weekend too. With my birthday being on the 25th February, that was my birthday ‘treat’ for that year. Great memories that don’t seem like 10 years ago! Here are a few shots taken of the 3rd flight: https://www.flickr.com/photos/tim-beach/albums/72157642266696323/
Thanks for sharing Tim!