Derived metrics
Computed by aircraft.fyi from the core specification — see how we calculate these.
How big is it, really?
The McDonnell Douglas MD-11's wingspan, against things you already know the size of.
The numbers
| Length | 61.62 m |
|---|---|
| Wingspan | 51.66 m |
| Height | 17.60 m |
| MTOW | 286,000 kg |
| Range (pax) | 12,455 km |
| Typical seats | 293 (3-class) |
| Engines | 3 × GE CF6-80C2 or PW4460 |
| First flight | 10 January 1990 |
| Built | 200 |
Put the MD-11 next to something
Last verified: 2026-07-14 · Spot an error? business@luck.fyi
What makes it different
The MD-11 was the DC-10 perfected — stretched, wingletted, glass-cockpit, two crew instead of three, with the third engine still buried in the tail. It was also the aircraft that killed its maker: it missed its range guarantees at launch, airlines defected to the 777, and only 200 were built before Boeing absorbed McDonnell Douglas in 1997.
Then the second act. That capacious fuselage and huge payload made it a superb freighter, and for two decades the MD-11F was the backbone of FedEx, UPS and Lufthansa Cargo. Pilots respected it and feared it a little — small tail surfaces made it famously demanding to land.
The passenger version bowed out with KLM in 2014; the freighters are now on final approach too, with FedEx and UPS retirement dates set this decade. When the last one stops, the trijet era ends with it.
McDonnell Douglas MD-11 — the short answers
How fast is the McDonnell Douglas MD-11?
How far can the McDonnell Douglas MD-11 fly?
How many people does the McDonnell Douglas MD-11 carry?
Is the McDonnell Douglas MD-11 still in production?
How big is the McDonnell Douglas MD-11?
The McDonnell Douglas MD-11 line
MD-11
MD-11F
Who flies the McDonnell Douglas MD-11
The top 3 operators by fleet size, of ≈6 worldwide — the rest are aggregated below. Counts marked ≈ are approximate, verified 2026-07-14.
5XUPS AirlinesThe largest remaining fleet — retirement announced.≈40→ FXFedEx ExpressRetiring through the late 2020s.≈25→