Thinking about the McDonnell Douglas MD-11, the first characteristics to come to mind are for sure its long and elegant fuselage, and its peculiar trijet configuration. Among aviation enthusiasts and pilots, another thing will surely emerge: its reputation for being particularly demanding to land.

Why does this aircraft approach the runway at speeds so much higher than most other airliners? In our guide, we break down the aerodynamic, historical, and operational reasons behind the MD-11’s unusually fast landings, and why they continue to fascinate flyers even decades after this jet first entered service.

How MD-11’s Design Choices Created Unusual Landing Characteristics

With the introduction of the MD-11 in the early 1990s, McDonnell Douglas attempted to modernize the DC-10 with more efficient avionics, a stretched fuselage, and aerodynamic refinements. Yet many of these structural changes also played a role in fundamentally altering how the aircraft behaved at lower speeds. To understand the MD-11’s landing speed, we must first analyze how its design diverged from the DC-10 that came before it.

One of the most significant decisions made by McDonnell Douglas engineers was reducing the size of the horizontal stabilizer, in pursuit of better cruise performance. If a smaller stabilizer reduces drag and improves efficiency, on the other hand, it also provides less pitch authority, especially during low-speed phases like landing.

Engineers attempted to compensate by introducing a tail fuel ballast system to maintain an optimal center of gravity, but this solution brought its own complexities and did not fully eliminate the aircraft’s tendency toward sensitive pitch handling near the runway. The stability margin of the MD-11, compared with most widebodies, was thinned by a combination of factors:

• Aerodynamic refinements: The MD-11’s redesigned wing, winglets, and drag-reduction measures improved cruise efficiency but also reduced aerodynamic damping at low speeds, leaving the aircraft more sensitive to pitch changes during approach and flare.
• Longer fuselage: The additional fuselage length, carried over the same basic wing planform as the DC-10, shifted mass distribution and reduced rotational leverage during flare, requiring more precise control inputs to maintain a stable pitch attitude near the ground.
• Reduced stabilizer: The smaller horizontal tailplane, designed to cut drag and improve fuel burn, provided less pitch authority and trimming capability at low speeds, narrowing the safety buffer between commanded pitch inputs and unexpected pitch responses.

Pilots were left with an airplane that required very precise inputs during the flare, and the jet’s landing behavior became a subject of extensive operational training, especially once real-world incidents highlighted how easily the aircraft could punish even minor errors. It’s worth noting that the MD-11’s quirks remain relevant today: the type was the subject of intense scrutiny after a tragic UPS MD-11F accident on 4 November 2025 in Louisville, Kentucky, where an in-flight loss of an engine/pylon during takeoff led to a fatal crash.

That event prompted UPS Airlines and other operators to ground their MD-11 fleets “out of an abundance of caution,” and the FAA issued emergency inspection directives while the NTSB continues its investigation. The grounding and investigation have renewed industry attention on the type’s aging airframes and maintenance history, reminding pilots and engineers that the MD-11’s unique performance envelope demands careful respect.

The High Wing Loading Problem: Why More Weight Means More Speed

A second major factor behind the MD-11’s fast landings is its notably high wing loading, the amount of weight supported per square meter of wing surface. The aircraft’s long fuselage and large payload capability were never matched with a proportionally larger wing, and this imbalance created a fundamental aerodynamic constraint: the airplane simply needed higher speed to maintain lift and stay airborne, which can make landings more challenging.

Compared to similar long-haul widebodies, the MD-11 carries significantly more mass relative to its wing area. This means that approach speeds that might feel comfortable in an Airbus A330 or Boeing 767 become insufficient for the MD-11. Freight operators have reported landing speeds in the 155–170 knots range at moderate loads, and even higher during gusty conditions requiring speed additives. These values are intrinsic to the aircraft’s aerodynamic profile and observed consistently across decades of operation.

While high wing loading benefits cruise performance and reduces turbulence sensitivity, it forces a very narrow landing envelope. The need for higher landing speeds has also partially contributed to the MD-11’s reputation for difficult landings and is one reason why it was not as successful in passenger service as it was in cargo operations.

A final reason the MD-11’s landing speeds trend higher becomes clear when looking at how the landing speed (Vref) is actually calculated. By definition, Vref is based on 1.3 times the stall speed in landing configuration (Vs₀). Because stall speed rises with both weight and wing loading, an aircraft with a comparatively small wing supporting a very heavy fuselage, like the MD-11, naturally produces a higher Vs₀.

Once that stall speed increases, the required Vref rises proportionally. Pilots must manage both the elevated approach speed and the steep descent rate typical of the aircraft. Because a stable approach is crucial on the MD-11, operators emphasize strict adherence to stabilized-approach criteria, and many note that adding even small amounts of drag or thrust at the wrong time can destabilize the jet.

The MD-11’s Narrow Flare Window And Bounce-Prone Tendencies

Once the MD-11 arrives on short final, another quirk emerges: the aircraft’s flare window is remarkably short and unforgiving. Most modern jets allow pilots to begin the flare between 30 and 50 feet, depending on weight. The MD-11, by contrast, requires a flare that is not only precisely timed but also extremely subtle and sometimes initiated later than pilots expect.

The jet’s reduced stabilizer size and rapid pitch response mean that pulling back too early or too much can cause the aircraft to float, while delaying the flare can result in a high-rate descent directly onto the main gear. Complicating matters further, the MD-11 has a documented history of pitch oscillations after touchdown, in which the nose rises unexpectedly after the main gear compresses. Several incidents across its service history, including Lufthansa Cargo, FedEx and China Airlines examples, originated from bounce sequences that rapidly escalated beyond recoverability.

This behavior is not widely seen on other large jets, making the MD-11 an outlier. As a result, operators trained their crews extensively on bounce-recovery procedures, and pilots were often instructed to go around immediately if a bounce occurred. The combination of high landing speed, reduced pitch authority, and reactive gear dynamics represents one of the most distinctive and unforgiving characteristics of the MD-11’s landing profile.

The Automation Gap: Why LSAS Doesn’t Help During The Flare

Another layer to the MD-11’s landing challenge stems from the behavior of its Longitudinal Stability Augmentation System, or LSAS. Designed to improve pitch stability in manual flight, LSAS performs admirably during most phases of flight, except the one where pilots arguably need it most.

During the hand-flown flare, the autopilot disengages, and LSAS reduces much of its intervention. This exposes the aircraft’s raw aerodynamic characteristics and leaves pilots responsible for managing pitch behavior that can feel both sensitive and underdamped.

The combined effect is that pilots experience a sudden shift in handling qualities just seconds before touchdown, a moment when stability and predictability are critical. While crews were trained extensively to anticipate this transition, the MD-11’s accident history suggests that even experienced teams occasionally struggled when confronted with turbulence, tailwinds, or runway contamination.

Why Pilots Report That The MD-11 “Never Stops Flying” On Approach

A common question among enthusiasts is why the MD-11 seems so difficult to “settle” onto the runway. Even at idle thrust, pilots frequently note that the aircraft carries energy unusually well and takes longer to decelerate both before and after touchdown. Pilots who transitioned from the DC-10 often commented that the MD-11 required significantly more finesse on landing, and that without the benefit of digital fly-by-wire systems like those found on Airbus models, the jet demanded a more hands-on approach.

This is partly due to the jet’s aerodynamic efficiency, the very trait McDonnell Douglas sought to prioritize. Its long fuselage, blended wing surfaces, and winglets all contribute to reduced drag, allowing it to maintain speed much more easily than bulkier widebodies with higher drag profiles. While excellent for cruise performance, this efficiency makes speed management on approach more demanding.

The result is an aircraft that often requires small, continuous adjustments in pitch and thrust to stay on profile. Pilots frequently mention that the MD-11 “flies like a long-range jet even at 50 feet,” meaning it retains aerodynamic energy and resists settling in a way many other aircraft do not. This trait makes the landing both distinctive and unforgiving, especially when the aircraft is heavy or the winds are unstable.

The MD-11’s Legacy: A Complex But Admired Aircraft

Although the MD-11’s landing profile has drawn scrutiny, it remains an aircraft respected for its engineering ambition and long-term reliability in cargo service. The remaining fleet, mostly operated by UPS, FedEx, and Western Global Airlines, continues to perform missions that require range, payload, and efficiency that few other aircraft in its class can match.

For aviation enthusiasts, the MD-11’s high landing speeds are not simply a quirk but a reflection of design priorities that favored cruise efficiency and performance over low-speed handling. While this balance introduced operational challenges, it also gave the aircraft a unique character that distinguishes it from both its DC-10 predecessor and from the more modern twins that eventually replaced it.

As cargo operators begin planning for the MD-11’s eventual retirement, the jet’s distinctive landing profile will likely remain one of the most memorable features of its operational life. Its fast, dramatic approaches and the skill required to execute them ensure that the MD-11 will continue to hold a special place in aviation history long after its service days conclude.