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Home | Update | Latest Issue | Gallery | FR Profile | Datafiles | FR 4/97 MCDONNELL DOUGLAS INTENSIFIES C-17 MARKETING by Wolfdietrich Hoeveler In an interview with FLUG REVUE, McDonnell Douglas spokesmen pointed out that there is significantly more interest in the C-17 Globemaster III from other countries. The US Air Force's procurement decision for a lot of 120 aircraft has supposedly decreased the average fly-away price for one aircraft to $173 million (price level 1996). The manufacturer furthermore points out that the worldwide need for air transport of large and bulky freight has increased. However, the interest in new developments is decreasing due to the high costs, Europe's FLA is being considered a good example of this develpoment. Due to this, the McDonnell Douglas Military Transport Aircraft Division is hoping to log orders for the C-17 Globemaster III. Hopes are also on the civil variant MD-17. The civil version will differ significantly from the military C-17 version. All the military functions, that are either not necessary or are not granted for export by the administration in Washington, will be omitted, such increasing the aircraft's payload and range capabilities. Following the board's decision in December of last year, the aircraft can now actively be marketed. Although there has been no price given as of yet, it is alleged to be just a little above the costs for a 747 freighter, which would be around 160 to 170 million dollars. The manufacturer also points out the C-17's short take-off and landing capabilities and its pressurized cabin, something that the Ukrainian competitor Antonov An-124 cannot offer. McDonnell Douglas expects a market potential of 32 aircraft until 2004, such covering 15 percent of the market for large and oversized freight. Deliveries of the MD-17 could begin two to three years after placing the order. The aircraft would need to be FAA certified at the same time. However, critics don't see the sales prospects for the aircraft as being very promising. As long as the Antonov An-124 is available for the relatively limited number of special missions, a possible investor will thoroughly think through spending 170 million dollars. The fact that there have been no intended orders being logged in Long Beach in the past two years is supporting the critics' evaluation. Still, McDonnell Douglas is not giving up, even though it doesn't have a tight grip on all markets. In the same way as C-17 components were used in the MD-90 and MD-95, this could also be done to develop a transport aircraft similar to the European FLA in which the US Air Force might be interested, too. The Air Force is supposedly only procuring the Hercules since there is no other aircraft in this category on the market. The C-17 test aircraft T-1 and the YC-15, which was reactivated at Davis-Monthan AFB/Arizona and which will fly again in March, could be used for this purpose. From page 37 of FLUG REVUE 4/97 Home | Update | Latest Issue | Gallery | FR Profile | Datafiles | FR 4/97 Copyright 1997 by Motor-Presse Stuttgart. All rights reserved. Last updated March 7, 1997