Finnair MD-11 OH-LGA (48449/455) Del. 12/07/1990
Finnair was the first airline to take delivery of an MD-11 (OH-LGA) pictured above. The aircraft operated it's first revenue flight on December 20, 1990 when the aircraft flew between Helsinki, Finland and Tenerife in the Canary Islands.
(Michael J. Carter Collection)
Delta MD-11 N806DE (48477/511) Del. 11/20/1992
Delta Airlines was the second airline to take delivery of the MD-11, and commence operations in December 1990. The first two aircraft (LN 453 and 454) the airline operated, were leased from Mitsui & Company having originally been destined for Air Europe. Both aircraft (N891DE and N892DE) were GE powered (Delta orderd their MD-11s with the PW 4460 engines) and served with Delta until December 1993. Delta experienced long-range performance problems with the MD-11 but solved this short fall by installing two auxiliary fuel tanks in the aft cargo hold thus providing an additional 3,948 gallons.
(Photo By Michael J. Carter)
FedEx MD-11F N601FE (48401/447) Del. 06/27/1991 'Christy'
FedEx was the first airline to order the MD-11F Freighter. During delivery ceremonies in Long Beach on May 29th, 1991, FedEx recieved its first MD-11F (N601FE pictured above) with the aircraft offically being delivered to the airline one month later on June 27th. The aircraft was the prototype MD-11 (N111MD) the first of five flight test aircraft. FedEx has become the largest MD-11 operator (Not to mention the largest DC-10 operator) in the world.
(Photo By Michael J. Carter)
