Yester Year

10 Years Ago

• The first two-crew MD-10 freighter conversion of the DC‑10, N386FE, had its first flight from Long Beach, California, on April 10. After the four hour 25min test flight the aircraft landed at Williams Gateway Airport, Mesa, Arizona. Fedex has ordered 79 Boeing MD-10 conversions for DC-10s.

• Airbus Industrie will continue working on its 555 passenger double-deck A3XX despite delaying the full program launch because of the Asian financial crisis. Airbus will delay the program launch decision until later this year or even next year, prompted by airline statements that they don’t want the aircraft before 2005 at the earliest.