Bowing out in style: Final chapter in the history of a jet age icon as DC10 airliner makes last passenger flight before being scrapped

T he DC10 was given the water arch salute as it landed a passenger flight for the last time in Birmingham

After more than 40 years in the air, no airlines will use the DC10 aircraft model in the future



The last passenger flight, operated by Biman Bangladesh Airlines, flew from Dhaka via Kuwait to the UK




After more than 40 years in the air, the DC10 passenger airliner bowed out in style this week, being given the water arch salute as it landed into the UK for the last time.

Flying from Dhaka, Bangladesh, via Kuwait, the plane landed its last commercial flight at Birmingham Airport at 5.55pm last Thursday, February 20.

Sadly, after plane enthusiasts were treated to scenic flights this week from Birmingham, the craft has now flown back to Bangladesh for it to be dismantled and its parts sold.

This is the moment the DC10 aircraft landed a passenger flight for the last time. It flew from Dhaka, Bangladesh, via Kuwait, to Birmingham, landing on February 20 This is the view of the cockpit on the last passenger flight of the DC10 aircraft, which was flown by Biman Bangladesh Airlines After landing in England, thousands of people got the opportunity to go on scenic flights north towards Scotland before looping back to Birmingham

The last commercial flight, which was operated by Biman Bangladesh Airlines and landed at 5.55pm on Thursday, February 20, took 14 hours - including the stopover in Kuwait. It had 35 passengers, who had travelled to Dhaka especially for the flight.

The Birmingham Airport fire service provided the water arch salute to mark the occasion as the aircraft landed.

And it left Birmingham Airport to return to Bangladesh - with no passengers - on Monday.

On the days between, more than a thousand passengers were treated to one-hour scenic flights on the craft, travelling towards Scotland before looping back towards England's second city.

Biman Bangladesh Airlines was the last airline to use the craft. It said it would now be retired and replaced with newer models.

The model, which first took to the air in 1971, will still be used in the military - for the U.S. Air Force for refuelling purposes, for instance - and freight services.



Biman Bangladesh Airlines was the last airline to fly the DC10, which it has now retired so it can begin using more modern aircraft This was the scene on the very last scenic flight of the aircraft, which took off from Birmingham Airport at 3pm on Monday, February 24

One of the 35 passengers on-board the final flight into the UK was Gordon Stretch, who had travelled to Bangladesh from Solihull a few days before to be a part of the journey.

'The reason I did this is because I'm an aircraft enthusiast,' he said.

'When the opportunity came and I heard that the last DC10 flight was coming to Birmingham, I thought "wow".

'I decided to go out to Bangladesh and fly back on the plane.'



One of the 35 passengers on-board the final flight was Gordon Stretch, who had travelled to Bangladesh from Solihull a few days before to be a part of the journey 'When the opportunity came and I heard that the last DC10 flight was coming to Birmingham, I thought "wow". I decided to go out to Bangladesh and fly back on the plane'

He said Bangladesh is not a country he'd choose to visit ordinarily, but he was happy to spend two and a half days there - after flying from Heathrow - in order to be on the flight.

If a 14-hour journey doesn't sound difficult enough, Biman Bangladesh Airlines is a non-alcohol airline.



Mr Stretch said: 'It was completely dry. We were only on the Diet Cokes, as they say.'

But he flatly refused to say he regretted the decision to go on the flight. 'It was definitely worth it,' he said.

The flight even gave passengers - all aircraft enthusiasts - the opportunity to venture into the plane's cockpit and speak to the pilots.



Mr Stretch spent 14 hours on the flight, had to travel to Bangladesh to board the flight and was not allowed to drink alcohol on the plane, but said: 'It was definitely worth it' The final DC10 was initially supposed to be flown from Birmingham to New York to go to a museum in Seattle, before the airline was told there was no room for it Then, until a week before it landed in Birmingham, the plane to scheduled to be housed at the Bruntingthorpe Aviation Museum in Leicestershire

The aircraft's final flight - which did not carry any passengers - took off from Birmingham and flew back to Dhaka for its parts to be sold.



It was originally intended that the plane be flown to New York from Birmingham, to be positioned in a museum.



But, when the Seattle museum said it could not accommodate for it, plans were changed so it would be exhibited at the Bruntingthorpe Aviation Museum, Leicestershire, instead.

Then, with days to go before its landing at Birmingham, the airline announced it had found a buyer for the craft's three jet engines, and it would be taken back to Bangladesh to be taken apart.



The last flight took off from Birmingham at 3pm on February 24.