McDonnell Douglas DC-10 (N306FE)

Incredible this record breaking hero of a DC-10 is still reliably delivering packages to this day. She better end up in a museum once she retires.

Alex .. that suggestion has already been made to FDX (signed by numerous folks). Without specifically saying so, FDX is probably not going to authorize it to be put in a museum or even simply put on display. The agency that should try to save it for a museum is MD because they built the DC-10 that refused to crash despite everything it endured. But they don't own it, and FDX has no interest in "memorializing" the aircraft that was used in a mass murder attempt by one of the people they had employed. As i said, the FDX folks did not specifically SAY that, but it was an unspoken mannerism. And, truth be told, WHY would they want to resurrect the story and have it live on and on and on, etc.? So don't hold your breath waiting to see this one in a museum. In fact, had it not been for Covid, "John" (this jet) would have already been in the boneyard -- it was scheduled to go there before the Covid thing occured and it got a reprieve when folks began mailing more packages because they were stuck at home.

hate to differ on the DC-10 story -- The L1011 was three time the reliability of the 10. taking off from runway 32R when its left engine detached, causing loss of control, and it crashed less than a mile (1.6 km) from the end of the runway. The fan blade severed all three hydrolic systems on the 10 and left the DC-10 uncontrollable.

Politics at Royals Royce and Locheed killed the development of the L1011

Hi, Jeff. I'm not too clear on what you are talking about. John and Alex are referring to the attempt by Auburn Calloway to murder the three flight deck crewmen who were flying this DC-10 to San Jose with the intention of crashing this one into Fed Ex HQ in Memphis. There was no L-1011 involved in the situation. Alex's comment that it should end up in a museum is 100% accurate. No DC-10 ever executed the maneuvers this one did during the horrificly bloody battle in the cockpit as Calloway used a claw hammer to smash the skulls of the pilot, copilot and flight engineer. As he continued trying to slaughter them and take control of this jet, this DC-10 - which had just departed Memphis with a full load of fuel and a full load of cargo - went into a dive so severe that the analog speed recording instrument pegged at its max reading while the jet continued to dive faster and faster, and almost broke the sound barrier during its dive. And when the critically injured pilot, paralyzed and blind on one side of his body, pulled it out of its dive, the wings bent. Then it flew inverted - with a full fuel load and full of cargo. And then it did barrel rolls. Basically, this DC-10 endured maneuvers that it was never ever designed - or expected - to perform ... and yet it stayed together. Had it destructed, it would have come down on the citizens of Tennessee. When it was examined later by MD engineers, they were beyond astonished that it had not broken apart. That's what Alex was referring to; he means that this DC-10 should be in a museum much the same as Sully's AWE Airbus is now in a museum. There was no L-1011 involved in this gruesome hijack attempt. This Dc-10 stayed together and brought Mr Calloway back to face trial -- and he is serving life in prison right at this moment. Alex is correct. This DC-10 should NEVER be sent to the boneyard, but unfortunately, as I said above, FDX is not interested in preserving it when its revenue service days come to an end.

I was referencing the May 25, 1979 crash -- yes it is old news

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Airlines_Flight_191