First time i’ve seen an MD-11 in the air since UPS 2976. Anyone got any info? In Socal it flew out of Ontario airport most likely
Posted by MysteriousCup3958@reddit | aviation | View on Reddit | 50 comments
SwimySwamySlipySlapy@reddit
N140SC. Rare to catch in flight, it’s an L-1011.
MysteriousCup3958@reddit (OP)
Oh wow thanks for the correction! that’s a pretty crazy catch lol
Guadalajara3@reddit
Its the only one, so crazy indeed
Actual_Environment_7@reddit
It’s wild that we live in a world where there are more L-1011s flying than MD-11s.
gsmitheidw1@reddit
Especially since not that many L-1011 were actually built to begin with. If they'd been built to the same volume as the DC10+MD11 I think they'd be more commonplace now. They were very ahead of their time. I wish Lockheed had made a twin engine version to compete with the A300.
Sufficient_Client_68@reddit
Damn! Hits blunt*
crazystein03@reddit
Sad that this is the only one still flying, such a great aircraft
Plastic-Serve5205@reddit
I was about to respond that it looked more like an L-1011. Great plane.
hoppertn@reddit
I was about to make an L-1011 joke and it’s actually real! 😂
Tristar is a beauty. That’s a real unicorn spotting OP.
Mike__O@reddit
Word is MD11s might start doing test flights next week
Admirable_Sign_2664@reddit
Oh wow that's cool. I assume it's FedEx since UPS and I guess Western global retired theirs and FedEx want their MD-11's back in service by the end of May iirc. It would be nice to see the MD-11 safely flying again for however long FedEx will keep them flying assuming it passes the test flights and is no longer grounded.
DillDeer@reddit
Congrats, you spotted the one and only L1011 still flying today.
flynryan692@reddit
That looks like an L1011 which I’m surprised there are any still flying
xXCrazyDaneXx@reddit
I think there's just the one.
MidlandsSpotter@reddit
"It's just the one tristar actually"
JaaacckONeill@reddit
Yep, I can't remember where I read that but I read the same thing
RedEyeView@reddit
According to Wikipedia its the only one left flying and belongs to Northrop Grumman
crazystein03@reddit
It’s used as a orbital rocket launch platform for mostly lightweight satellites
comptiger5000@reddit
Stargazer (N140SC) is the only L1011 still flying and has been for a few years.
tacomasgrande@reddit
They had a contract with LOFT in Carlsbad, CA to operate the last sim for them but it’s been gone about two years now. So they must be doing all their training in the plane.
MysteriousCup3958@reddit (OP)
Wow that’s awesome. first time i’ve ever seen one
WhiskeyMikeMike@reddit
It’s used for launching rockets
flynryan692@reddit
Because of course it is! 🇺🇸
nuts4sale@reddit
That’s Stargazer up there!!! Getting ready to launch the last Pegasus rocket in July. Taking a robotic tug up to boost the Swift observatory radio telescope!!! IT IS AWESOME.
16thmission@reddit
https://globe.adsbexchange.com/?icao=a0a443
Vau2ville@reddit
Got it this morning flying over Disneyland!
TacticalP00P@reddit
Saw it fly into KLGB today and park at Atlantic
fergehtabodit@reddit
I was at ONT a couple weeks ago and saw 3 or 4 off to the side (not on the active cargo ramp areas) and asked a friend in Louisville. My guy at UPS told me they are gathering their remaining planes at ONT, and other locations. Some are being parted out, others are being sold complete. They could not get enough pylons, UPS will no longer fly the MD11. His story was that FEDX bought up all of the pylons that were available. I saw Kallita 777s mixed in with UPS planes on the tarmac, and caught one on flightradar24 leaving for HNL...so temporarily farming out long hauls maybe.
sevgonlernassau@reddit
Northrop is doing flight testing for a classified customer.
MilesHobson@reddit
Let’s see, we’ve already demonstrated our capability to knock down an orbiting satellite using a fighter and missile. Here we have an actual passenger jet able to masquerade as a passenger jet with rocket launch capability with a mad man’s finger on the button. The mind boggles
Flight1sim@reddit
tristar from LGB! felt lucky getting a video of it taking off
MysteriousCup3958@reddit (OP)
Dude lucky!! i got the bad angle of it haha
Flight1sim@reddit
https://www.reddit.com/r/aviation/s/E4Oa2Dr64j
B1BLancer6225@reddit
Even better that you caught the last flying L-1011... That's awesome.
guillotr@reddit
Nice catch, OP!
lordscrotus1984@reddit
Always had a soft spot for the Tristar... According to my parents, it was the first plane I could name as a small child (I had one of those children's books back then, with all sorts of mashines in them 😁).
ForsakenRacism@reddit
It’s pretty crazy the FAA hasn’t even let them reposition the md11s. They let everyone fly their 737 max to the desert
IAmTheHype427@reddit
All are destined for the Boneyard.
Except for the Buff.
BagOfMoneyNoChange@reddit
Not true. FedEx is going to keep flying em
MysteriousCup3958@reddit (OP)
It makes me so sad to see them rotting away. They’re my favorite planes. I used to see the FedEx and UPS ones fly over my work all the time
iamsotiredofthiscrap@reddit
Stargazer!!!! I heard and saw her take off. Nothing sounds like a trijet!
WorldTour66@reddit
She's the last airworthy example, lives in Mojave
_Zenyatta_Mondatta@reddit
Not an MD-11 and not a DC-10. It’s an L-1011, which is even more of a rarity.
Slappa_Alpaca@reddit
FedEx is still flying them
DeathByFluffy@reddit
Not presently. All grounded with a return to air scheduled to begin May 2026
Substantial_Point_57@reddit
This flew out of LGB, you probably saw it circle around ONT, and it just landed at VCV.
MysteriousCup3958@reddit (OP)
Thank you for the info! Pretty psyched on this spot
dstan1856@reddit
https://www.flightaware.com/live/flight/N140SC
JelloBooBoy@reddit
Hard to say, but looks more L1011 then MD11, the # 2 engine looks like the S-dock of the L1011.
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