Employment Aerospace Industry

After three years of development that cost well over $500 million, McDonnell Douglas flew its new MD-11 jumbo jetliner for the first time Wednesday before as many as 20,000 cheering employees at the firm's Long Beach plant. The new jetliner, which carries 323 passengers over its maximum range of 8,000 miles, is critical to the future success of the firm's Douglas Aircraft Co. unit.

After three years of development that cost well over $500 million, McDonnell Douglas flew its new MD-11 jumbo jetliner for the first time Wednesday before as many as 20,000 cheering employees at the firm's Long Beach plant. The new jetliner, which carries 323 passengers over its maximum range of 8,000 miles, is critical to the future success of the firm's Douglas Aircraft Co. unit.