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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
96-221
FARNBOROUGH, England, Sept. 4, 1996 -- Plans for a new high capacity, long range three-engine jetliner for the 21st century were unveiled here today by McDonnell Douglas Corp. at the Farnborough International Air Show.
The aircraft, designated the MD-XX, is planned in two initial models -- a 375-seat stretch version to accommodate growing world air traffic and a long range variant to meet airline demands for greater non-stop capability. Both will use a newly developed, highly efficient wing with increased span and total area.
McDonnell Douglas expects to begin offering the aircraft to airlines later this year, with a formal launch anticipated in early 1997.
The stretch version of the MD-XX will have the same or greater range than the MD-11, while carrying 25 percent more passengers and baggage. The aircraft will seat 375 passengers in typical three-class arrangement. With all-economy seating, it will carry up to 515 passengers. The long range model is being designed to fly 20 percent farther than the MD-11, with a full load of 309 passengers and baggage. The MD-11 typically carries 298 passengers, with a maximum range of more than 7,000 nautical miles (8,050 statute miles or 12,950 km).
Details of the new aircraft were disclosed today by Walt Orlowski, MD-XX program vice president-general manager for the Douglas Aircraft division of McDonnell Douglas. He introduced the MD-XX as a new member of the company's family of long range, wide cabin trijets that includes more than 550 MD-11s and DC-10s now in service.
MD-XX capabilities ride on an advanced design wing with a span of 213 feet (64.9 m), and total area of 5,200 square feet (483.1 sq m). A patented supercritical air foil shape will make it the most aerodynamically efficient wing in the airline industry, Orlowski said.
The MD-XX design has evolved in intensive studies started last April by Douglas President Mike Sears.
The decision to develop two variants of the new aircraft responds to discussions with potential airline customers, Orlowski said. To meet future traffic growth, the carriers are demanding aircraft with more passenger capacity and also want more range capability than current jetliners.
The MD-XX will be a wide cabin luxury airliner. The stretch model will be 233.8 feet (71.2 m) long, 32 feet (9.7 m) more than the long range version, which has the same fuselage length as the MD-11. Design studies include plans for using lower deck space for a sky lounge or for sleeping compartments or airborne offices for business travelers.
For pilots, the new aircraft will feature the McDonnell Douglas advanced common flightdeck now being developed for the new MD-95transport and other McDonnell Douglas commercial aircraft. In the MD-XX, it will offer complete operational commonality with today's MD-11 cockpit.
All flight, navigation and systems information will be presented to the two-person crew on six large liquid crystal display screens. Automatic system controllers doing much of the routine of flight will reduce crew workload. Fly-by-wire systems will drive flight control surfaces and engines. Power for the MD-XX will be provided by three advanced high bypass ratio turbofan engines operating in the 65,000 pounds thrust range. With the new wing, they will give the aircraft exceptional takeoff performance and the ability to climb quickly to an altitude of 35,000 feet, where it will cruise efficiently at a speed of about Mach 0.85.
Orlowski said discussions are under way with all three major engine manufacturers -- General Electric, Pratt & Whitney and Rolls-Royce -- about using their powerplants on the aircraft.
The MD-XX is being designed not just to meet, but to beat, the most stringent environmental regulations. With expected noise levels a cumulative 20 decibels below current limits, it will be the quietest airliner in its class.
Program plans aim at gaining permission from the McDonnell Douglas board of directors to make formal MD-XX offers to airlines later this year, Orlowski said. A 44-month development schedule would lead to first deliveries before the end of the year 2000 if orders needed for formal launch of the program are booked early in 1997, he said.
