Earlier this month, Fed Ex retired the last MD-10-10F in its fleet, and also the last in operation in the world.
The last aircraft, registration N562FE, was transferred on June 04th from Memphis, the main base of Fed Ex, to Victorville, a famous aircraft cemetery where it will be stored and soon after dismantled by the airline.
The aircraft's final flight was between Memphis and San Juan, Puerto Rico, carrying cargo. Soon after, the plane was prepared to be quickly sent to retirement, fulfilling a last flight of three hours and eight minutes.
The plane has 43 years of operation, and before carrying cargo, it operated on American and Hawaiian Airlines carrying engers with registration N126AA. The plane belonged to Fed Ex itself, which acquired it already used in 2003.
The aircraft underwent avionics upgrades in 2005. These were offered by Boeing itself, to modernize the cockpit of these aircraft and extend their period of use.
Fed Ex continues to use the MD-10, but in the MD-10-30 version.
The MD-10 has served as a freighter for the company since at least the 1980s, when it still bore the DC-10 designation. This was only changed to the MD-10 after a series of upgrades by Boeing for the DC-10, including a Glass Cockpit with digital screens, in place of the analogue instruments.
FedEx revealed that it would withdraw its five Boeing MD-10 Series 10 planes before the end of 2021, and 13 MD-10 Series 30 planes in 2021 and 2022. at FedEx currently.
The MD-10 and A310 planes that are being retired lately will be directly replaced by the new 767F and 777F, which the company should receive by 2023.
The average age of the FedEx MD-10 aircraft fleet is currently 40,1 years. They are well used.
