The grounding of the McDonnell Douglas MD-11 fleet is expected to last until the end of the year, following the tragic incident of UPS Flight 2976 that crashed shortly after takeoff, killing the three on board and a further 11 bystanders on the ground.
Testing has been undertaken following the incident earlier this month. Currently, Boeing (which assumed responsibility given their merger with McDonnell Douglas), works towards an inspection criteria that is satisfactory to please the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Grounded MD-11
The Federal Aviation Administration took necessary steps to ground the MD-11 following the incident in Louisville. This primarily affects UPS and FedEx, both cargo carriers that have extensive global operations with aircraft. At this time, UPS is leasing several other aircraft to fill the void, while FedEx leverages other opportunities and use of spare aircraft. Together, these two airlines have more than 50 MD-11s in their fleet.
The grounding of these air cargo workhorses will likely handicap the two airlines longer than expected, and with cargo demand expected to grow in the lead-up to Christmas and into the new year, it will put pressure on the two airlines’ operations.
In a report by Aero Crew News, FedEx has allegedly cancelled all scheduled MD-11F flights through December, and pilots have been told their schedules have been removed, and to expect that in January their trips could be all reserve lines (on call).
Pilots May Be Furloughed
Grounding such a large number of aircraft could see pilots furloughed for a short time as the carriers manage such a high number of planes, with the cargo carriers being kept on the ground. Boeing is currently undertaking ‘invasive’ inspections on the airline fleets, and it is expected that some repair and replacement parts will be required, as suggested by pdocaster Nik Fialka.
Extensive work to understand and investigate the root causes of the tragic UPS flight continues to be a high priority of the National Transportation Safety Board ( NTSB), which is leading the investigation, and has confirmed to Reuters that many parts have been relocated back to their lab to further understand how the aircraft had such a tragic end.
UPS Flight 2976 was a scheduled flight from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport (SDF) to Honolulu Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL). The aircraft suffered separation of its left engine during takeoff, which resulted in a takeoff roll, crashing into an industrial area at the end of the runway at 5:13 pm on November 4.
FedEx Expects MD-11 Fleet To Return Soon Due To Quick Inspections
A vote of confidence in the McDonnell Douglas MD-11F.
Why Did Boeing Merge With McDonnell Douglas
Boeing merged with McDonnell Douglas in August 1997, at a cost of around $13 billion at the time. This saw the merger of two of the world’s largest aerospace companies in that era. Throughout the 1900’s Boeing was the world’s largest planemaker, and saw widespread success with the 737, 747, 757, and 767 models of aircraft. Airbus was also making headwinds, with the A300, A320, A330, and A340 family of aircraft; however trailed behind the continued dominance of Boeing.
McDonnell Douglas was struggling to keep up with commercial market demands and relied heavily on its defense and space contracts. This saw McDnell Douglas slip behind Airbus and Boeing. At the same time, US Military budget cuts saw less demand for military aircraft, so the future of the aerospace manufacturer was in jeopardy.
Boeing was looking for ways to grow its presence in the military market, given that it was a more stable source of income and could offer long-term revenue less vulnerable to international markets. This was particularly important following a recession in the early 1990s. The merger eventually saw Boeing gain some of the largest and most lucrative defence contracts that which included the F-15 Eagle and F/A-18 Hornet.
While many consider that the merger with McDonnell Douglas catapulted Boeing to become one of the world’s largest military aircraft providers, it also bruised its reputation with the belief that it led to more cost-efficient solutions and outsourcing to drive down costs. This was further exacerbated by quality control issues with the 737 MAX and 787 Dreamliner.
