McDonnell Douglas MD-11
McDonnell Douglas · jet, 3 engines · ICAO MD11
The McDonnell Douglas MD-11 has the tallest tail, the greatest length and the highest maximum takeoff weight in Design Group IV (20 types). Its wingspan stops 0.5 ft short of the 171 ft line where Design Group V begins.
Airport design codes
- IV
Design Group IV. Set by wingspan and tail height alike.
- D
Approach Category D. From its FAA reference approach speed of 158 kt (band 141 to 165 kt).
Gear and weights
| Cockpit to main gear | 101.7 ft | 31.0 m |
|---|---|---|
| Span-to-length ratio | 0.84 | |
| Max. takeoff weight | 602,500 lb | 273,289 kg |
| Max. landing weight | 430,000 lb | 195,045 kg |
| Main gear code | 2D/D1 | |
| Taxiway Design Group | 6 | |
| ICAO wake category | Heavy |
Where it sits
The MD-11 also has the 5th-highest FAA reference approach speed of the 364 types on this site (the input for its Approach Category), and the longest wingspan, the 2nd-widest main gear and the 2nd-longest wheelbase in Design Group IV (20 types). It also has the most US flight-plan operations in FY2024 among the 10 McDonnell Douglas types with an FY2024 count. Among the 11 McDonnell Douglas types, it has the 2nd-highest wingspan-to-length ratio. The runner-up in US flight-plan operations, the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, trails by 32.7%. The MD-11’s tail height stops 1.2 ft short of the 60 ft line where Design Group V begins. By length it falls between the Boeing 787-9 and the Boeing 767-400.
Main gear 41.3 ft wide (12.6 m), 24% of the span; wheelbase 80.8 ft (24.6 m), 40% of the length.
US records: 97,376 US flight-plan operations in FY2024; 132 on the US register.
One of 2 variants on the DC-10 and MD-11 page.
Closest in size on this site
- McDonnell Douglas MD-11
- Boeing 767-400
- McDonnell Douglas DC-10
- Boeing 787-9
Source: FAA Aircraft Characteristics Database, October 2024 release. How we measure.