American Airlines MD11 at Narita New Tokyo International Airport

[hawk45653]

When was this filmed? An MD11 in 2012?

[martinairtransat]

@hawk45653 they still fly but this aa md11 is out of service for a long time now

[victormanflo]

Does anyone know the month and year that American did the final flight to Heathrow and from where?

[martinairtransat]

@Starboard76 Hahaha youre right (sadly)

[martinairtransat]

wow an AA MD-11 not a plane you see everyday

[Starboard76]

@martinairtransat ..or not anymore..ever!

[Scandinavian92]

When was the clip taken?

[Caveman25Mr]

why did american retire the fleet ?

[trent8002003]

Beautiful bird. Too bad it's an underperformer.

[jenf777]

Really great footage of an awesome plane!!!

[Starboard76]

@jenf777 thanks

[hotelgulf]

There is many interior and exterior MD-11 out there to see. I particularly like Simon Lowe in the UK. His videography is the best on YouTube. His MD-11 at Ringway is the best I've seen. I think you have the same potential. Stating a trademark or copyright is only necessary at the very beginning on your title page and at the closing page. Perhaps you can re-edit your footage so it's easier to view without the copyright distractions?

[Starboard76]

@hotelgulf but very few 'American Airlines MD11 vids',,most are interior or crappy sim vids.

Simon's work is brilliant and I subscribe to him, but his work usually focuses on 1 location, mine are global..which means it cost money, and like Simon, cretins have hijacked his vids to take credit for themselves, I've put way to much work,effort time & money over years to allow anymore of that nonsense. So it's either, a little discomfort for you or let others take my work - discomfort it has to be.

[hotelgulf]

Nice footage but your copyright constantly bouncing and blocking the frame is distracting and had me back in MD-11 "search mode" after about 15 sec. Nice try though.

[Starboard76]

@hotelgulf good luck with your search..you won't find much.

[spanishlover78]

nice video; thanks for posting it! Too bad these great aircraft are no longer produced and flown as pax carriers........

[GRUsbgrHD]

Oh nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo­oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo­ooo

are you trying to kill me???????

That Wonderfull livery in that Wonderfull MD11 crossing with another wonderfull MD11 ..... Golden times that never backs

[Starboard76]

@GRUsbgrHD ...hahaha..nooo I can't kill youtube's best South American aviation shooter...but you should see my MD11 collection, esp. VASP and every Varig MD11 they ever owned! Infact, I have every airline that flew the MD11 except Air Namibia : (

Glad you like this one!

[GRUsbgrHD]

@GRUsbgrHD Woooow!

What a honor!

and i dont believe that you have a video with a MD11 colection

i really dont believe!

if i watch that ( and show to another big friend that i have here ) you never more will have new videos from GRU, for i wont live to post more

[Starboard76]

@GRUsbgrHD lol..well please don't show him!

[MrXenomorph22]

Nice landing and taxing!

[Starboard76]

@MrXenomorph22 ..thanks MrX

[tbird209]

Nice bird and nice memory.

[hmasurg]

I have yet to fly on an MD11. I never was a big fan of the aircraft and yet I find it sad that it has been been getting less as a passenger jetliner nowadays, seems like in the few year ahead it will only have a life as a friegter (even that is starting to be replaced by 777F, 767F). Was it more comfortable from a passenger standpoint? It is nice to see such a rare AA MD11 video.

[Starboard76]

@hmasurg yep..Finnair was the last pax operator. I can only speak for myself, every MD11 trip I took was F or C never in the back alyjought it looked okay to me..and as I've flown coach in a lot of DC-10s on AA CO and Western..I can't imagine it being much different on a MD11..if I had to guess had to be about the same.

[ceevan]

@Starboard76 The pax version of the MD11 is still flying with KLM.

[Starboard76]

@ceevan ..my goodness ceevan, you're absolutely correct! And even more embarrassing..I have the video of it right here on my Channel! Doh..!!!

[lolpo555]

The MD11 was replaced with Boeing 777, right?

[Starboard76]

@lolpo555 indeed it was..

[lolpo555]

@Starboard76 ¬¬! Most of us loved this aircraft, but it was used for a short time period

[Starboard76]

@lolpo555 I must admit, I was no big lover of the MD11 at 1st and esp. when AA/Crandall bought it instead of the 747-400. Then Crandall man's up and admits he should have gotten the 744, and in truth had they done so, AA would virtually own US-Asia routes from ORD and LAX - he had a killer deal on 'locked-in' fuel prices at the time so nothing stood in the way. The MD11 fell short of operational performance goals and they couldn't get the 777 fast enough..however, I began to miss the MD11s

[lolpo555]

@Starboard76 I see. I've read different articles that said that american bought "smaller aircraft" because of repair cost.. looks like is more easy to repair a 777 than a 747.. is what I heard

[Starboard76]

@lolpo555 that's a non-issue, the 747-400 debuted in around 1992, the 777 wasn't even dreamed of at that time. The MD11 came on line in 1991..it was either MD11 or 744 - the issue, AA was simply too conservative and trying to play it safe. Had they jumped in with the route authority they'd been given, they'd own the place now like NW did (and Delta does). Their MD11 flew from San Jose to San Francisco (then topped off) and on to Tokyo. How much sense did that make? The 744 delivered for United!

[lolpo555]

@Starboard76 It seems like you know a lot of american's history! thanks for sharing your info! :) (it has resolved some doubts I had!)

[lolpo555]

@lolpo555 sorry. finishing this. nowdays american lost its interest about 747, I dont know why, but a 748 would be perfect.. they have choosen a 773, not bad, but it is rare!

[Starboard76]

@lolpo555 yes, American finds itself at that very same crossroads again..as when they were faced with MD11 & 747-400 decision. And they are sticking with the 777 - which is a phenomenal aircraft. But there's no question the 748 would work perfectly on the DFW-SYD run or DFW-NRT or PEK or anywhere else virtually. Hopefully they've crunched the numbers to death..and know exactly what they are doing. Because just absorbing carriers doesn't seem to be achieving much but dismal air service.

[Starboard76]

as I saw their numbers start to dwindle. I'm glad I got to ride on a few before it was all over, my most memorable trip was an AA MD11 from Heathrow to ORD. Some trips just stand out more than others. I'm thankful for the footage I have of this unique jetliner!

[jgstargazer]

The MD-11 is a beautiful plane. If planes were cars, I would own one.

[tonyde52]

Bob Crandall was SUCH an idiot! He trashed American Airlines.

[Starboard76]

@tonyde52 .. I think his ultra aggressive attitude was what made the foundation to make AA be the fortress of a carrier it is..but at the same time, it is also the a good part of the reason why our airline carriers are in the vicious cycle of a predatory mess they are in now.

[tonyde52]

@Starboard76 I agree to SOME extent, but he was not well liked by the employees, and did NOT treat the employees well. he was RUTHLESS, and caused ALOT of anymosity & tension between labor & management. He also helped HIMSELF to HUGE bonuses, while cutting funds for teh employees.

[Starboard76]

@tonyde52 hmmm...food for thought, did u work for AA then?

[tonyde52]

@Starboard76 Uh no. but my partner did. He HATED BOB Crandall. He almost quit to work for TWA, but I talked him out of it.

[Starboard76]

@tonyde52 hmmm..smart move, cuz talk about a blood bath, Icahn should be in jail!

[tonyde52]

@Starboard76 Don't EVEN get me STARTED on the demise of TWA, or Pan Am, OR EASTERN, etc etc etc. The airline industry of TODAY is PITIFUL. At the rate these mergers are going, we'll be down to TWO or three airlines, and SOUTHWEST, which I can't stand! It makes me ILL when I think of all of the wonderful world class airlines that are defunct. Give me back BRANIFF INTERNATIONAL. I blame Jimmy Carter for deregulating the industry, BAD MOVE!

[Starboard76]

@tonyde52 I had to think about this, 'deregulation wholesale' was a bad idea, but a staggered implementation - in stages - probably would have resulted in a better outcome rather than just opening the flood gates. Pan Am and the other legacy carriers earned that much consideration after how well the represented the US abroad for so many years. The president and Congress as we've seen..know next to nothing re the airline industry - and lobbyist pushed them thru. Good example of how bad they are!

[tonyde52]

@Starboard76 You know...I would have to AGREE with you. It was TOO drastic of a measure. Too much, too fast, too soon. Kind of like stopping smoking COLD TURKEY. It should have been phased in gradually, instead of letting them fend for themselves with NO guidlines or help. They literally took a NOSEDIVE! We may very well STILL have SAVED quite a few of the grand legacy carriers like TWA & Pan Am, instead of losing 1/2 of our airlines needlessly. A BIG mistake, and a terrible loss.

[Starboard76]

@tonyde52 yes, the legacy carriers of TWA, Pan Am, Eastern and Braniff did all the heavy lifting in promoting American goodwill abroad for years. It has been said that if you were overseas and had trouble .. don't go to the American Embassy..go to the nearest Pan Am office they could solve it in a jiffy! The Legacy's, for building the foundations they did..deserved better, they certainly deserved a gradual phasing in of the Dereg Act. I remember those who said 'let the market dictate the course

[Starboard76]

@tonyde52... of the industry, of all the factors they (the gov) considered in this act, the one they left out completely was ''human greed' the one lethal thing that had brought down empires. Thus yielding us men-er-sharks like Icahn and Lorenzo who did absolutely nothing but destroyed great companies and 100's of 1000s of lives/livelyhoods....getting uber rich in the process.

[MultiMinigun]

Congrats for your 76TH vid Starboard76!!!!!

I've been always a fan of your vids

[Starboard76]

@MultiMinigun thanks man, I appreciate that!