Book Your Sunday Off for KLM's MD-11 at YVR !

Looks like KLM's MD-11 will operate the last AMS-YVR flight this Sunday, 29 April 2012!

KL681, AMS-YVR, Scheduled Arrival at 1340
KL682, YVR-AMS, Scheduled Departure at 1600

(Picture taken on 23 April 2011 - KLM MD-11 touched-down at YVR 26R)

Over the past year, I've noticed that I've really fell in love with MD-11s.  Now, don't mix up DC-10 and MD-11, because MD-11 has a set of well-designed winglet.  I do not like the DC-10s at all.  Launched in December 1986 (hey, just 6 months after I was born), the MD-11 was designed for a greater range, capacity, and technological components than the DC-10s.  After the first flight in January 1990, the first MD-11 was delivered to Finair in 1990 and entered first commercial service on 20 December 1990.   
                      

Why am I addicted to MD-11s and in particular the KLM MD-11s?  Well, I really don't have an explanation for that.  It's a feeling; you know, the feel of it.  The KLM livery just fits so well on the body frame of the MD-11s.  The little KLM logo on the winglets make it further hot!  One thing I noticed is that regardless how nice air carriers design their liveries, there will be aircraft types that will not take on the livery well.  It's just like Cathay's livery; it's a very nice livery, but it will only look best on the 747s (in my opinion).

First received in December 1993, the first KLM MD-11 entered commercial serivce in 1994, celebrating the airline's 75th anniversary.  The first routes include flying to Africa and the Caribbean.  KLM currenly has a fleet of 10 MD-11s, and sadly, they will be phased out by 2014.  It is also the only remaining carrier that operates the MD-11s for intercontinental routes.  The MD-11s operated the AMS -YVR route over the past many years and it looks like KLM decided to replace this spectacular aircraft for the AMS-YVR route sooner than 2014.  KLM currently also operates the MD-11s to another Canadian city, Montreal.

I love the KLM MD-11s, and it will be a very sad Sunday afternoon for me as I catch the last MD-11 touch-down and take-off at YVR.  Hey, but you never know, Aviation is ever-changing!  I'm looking for one day, due to capacity alteration and fleet changes, the MD-11s will be arranged back to YVR again!  Stay tune for a detailed rundown of this coming Sunday!

History Sources:  Wikipedia.org (2012), KLM.com (2012), McDonnell Douglas Corp (1993)