McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30

The McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30 is the long-range international variant of the DC-10 tri-jet wide-body, designed to compete with the Boeing 747 on intercontinental routes. Introduced in 1972, the DC-10-30 featured more powerful General Electric CF6-50C engines (233 kN each), additional fuel capacity (137,770 liters), and an extended wingspan with increased wing area for better performance at high altitudes. The -30 could seat 250-380 passengers in typical three-class to high-density configurations, with a maximum range of 11,520 km (6,220 NM) allowing non-stop transatlantic and transpacific services. The tri-jet configuration offered excellent redundancy and payload flexibility, with two engines mounted under the wings and one in the tail. The DC-10-30 proved extremely popular with international carriers including KLM, Lufthansa, Air France, and Japan Airlines. A total of 163 DC-10-30s were built, making it the most common DC-10 variant. Many were later converted to freighters and continue operating cargo services today, valued for their large payload capacity of up to 81,720 kg and proven reliability on long-haul routes.