Negative Thinking on MD-11’s Future

“MD-11 May Be Doomed, Analysts Say, but McDonnell Douglas Says No Way” (Jan. 20) could be a college case study in negative thinking.

Certainly there is no joy at McDonnell Douglas about a very large accounting charge on the MD-11 in the last quarter of 1995. Just as certainly, there is none of the doom or gloom conveyed to readers of The Times through this “news analysis.”

The Times seems to put much weight on an unspoken assumption that prospects are dim for future MD-11 sales.

But in addition to 21 firm orders, there are more than 60 options and reserve orders on the books from satisfied MD-11 operators; they should not be dismissed with an airy “those aren’t firm orders.” Experience shows many--probably most--of those will become firm orders over time.

And there are several active sales campaigns which we’re confident will capture new bookings.

Then The Times says “only” 147 MD-11s have been delivered, and a “meager” 21 remain on order. Readers should multiply those numbers by the value of an MD-11 and decide if the multibillion-dollar total is “meager” in any business sense. A more balanced news analysis would have done that, and might have omitted the adjectives.

The second part of the headline is right. McDonnell Douglas says “No Way” is the MD-11 doomed. It’s alive and well in Long Beach and in the fleets of 19 airlines around the world. It was in service two to five years ahead of its main competitors, with a strong customer base in place. And it will be around for a long time to come. We want your readers to see that positive view too.

DOUGLAS L. JACOBSEN

General Manager

Douglas Aircraft Co.

Long Beach