[ Competition | 777 vs.A330 | 777 vs. MD-11 ]

777 Versus the MD-11

BOEING 777-200 POWERED BY PRATT & WHITNEY PW4000

MCDONNELL DOUGLAS MD-11 POWERED BY PRATT & WHITNEY PW4000

Although the McDonnell Douglas MD-11 is an older design largely based on the older still Douglas DC-10, it has recieved many updates and still competes effectively with the 777 in several market segments, especially the air cargo freighter market. Although the 777 is also able to carry containerized or palletized cargo on its main deck, the MD-11's pallet capability on both decks is greater. Further, when operating in a combi configuration with both passengers and cargo on the main deck, the MD-11 still retains greater cargo capacity after passengers and baggage have been loaded. These features have made the MD-11 the sole new medium air freighter of choice to overnight delivery operator FedEx. The cargo advantages of the MD-11 and its predecessor DC-10, with which it share its fuselage barrel, can be seen in FedEx's acquisition of used DC-10's for remanufacture into McDonnell Douglas' updated MD-10 configuration, which in many ways is similar to the MD-11.

Despite this cargo advantage, the MD-11 suffers in comparison to both the 777 and the Airbus 330/340 on several counts. Although some operators may see the MD-11's trijet configuration as the best safety/economy compromise between the twinjet 777/A330 and the four-engined A340, the trijet offers neither the economy nor the range of its competitiors. In addition, the MD-11's flight control system, while highly automated, is not as advanced as that installed in either the 777 or the Airbus jets. Its display's are cathode ray tubed rather than displayed on liquid crystal displays and it does not use a full fly by wire system. The MD-11's passenger capacity is also considerably lower then the 777.

The MD-11 was the first to market in its market segment and as a result, captured many early orders. However, with the introduction of the A330/340 and then the 777, the MD-11 has gradually been losing market share as a passenger jet. Even early buyers American Airlines and Delta Airlines have plans to sell their fairly new MD-11 fleets for freighter conversion and replaced them with orders for the 777. This declining market share along with the Boeing Company's impending merger with the McDonnell Douglas Corporation lead to an uncertain future for the MD-11. The MD-11, however still remains popular as a passenger jet with foreign carriers Japan Airlines, China Airlines, Swissair, Varig Brazil, and EVA Air (Taiwan).