The MD-11 is also considered to be a difficult airplane to fly. In particular, the center gravity is a bit different from other aircraft and my pilot friends tell me it is more difficult to land than other large aircraft.

While that's a pilots problem, it also impacts passengers interest in flying a particular aircraft. That's less of a concern at the largest operator of MD11's - FedEx. FedEx picked up the aircraft from -- AA.

I've flow the MD-11 with a charter carrier and it seemed like a pretty nice aircraft. At the time World Airways was using their MD-11's on military charters most of the year. During the Haj, however, they used their MD-11's on charters to Saudi.