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Expert: - 8/6/2004


Question
With reference to the MD as in the MD -11 - The MD stands for McDonnell Douglas. What does the DC stand for regarding such aircraft as the DC-3, DC-9, DC-10 etc ? Am I correct in saying it stands for Douglas Corporation ?
A collegue says it stands for Douglas Curtis - but Curtis was a company on its' own years ago.  

Answer
Hi, Jim:

Yes, DC stands for Douglas Aircraft Company, based in Long Beach, CA, now the Long Beach Division of The Boeing Company.

The Curtiss Aircraft Corp was based in New York and later became Curtiss-Wright, focusing on building aircraft engines and other aviation products.  Where there might be confusion is that Curtiss-Wright engines powered the DC-3, which was the aircraft that made history for the Douglas Aircraft Company.  But, the engines had no relation to the "DC" portion of the aircraft name....

Sincerely,

David A. NewMyer, Ph.D., Professor and Chair
Aviation Management and Flight
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
http://www.aviation.siu.edu

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David A. NewMyer

Expertise

I can answer questions about aviation industry employment, airports and airport planning and aviation industry regulation (overall regulation of the industry--who regulates what and why).

Experience

I have worked in aviation since the late 1960s, primarily in airports, airport planning and in aviation education. I have done major research in aviation employment and in graduate education in aviation.

Organizations
University Aviation Association since 1982 (President, 2009-2010)

Publications
Collegiate Aviation Review Journal of Aviation/Aerospace Education and Research Journal of Air Transportation ATEA Journal SIU Press

Education/Credentials
B. S. in History and Government, University of Redlands, California, 1969 M. A. in Political Science (Metropolitan Studies), Drew University, Madison, New Jersey, 1971 M. S. in Transportation, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, 1974 Ph.D. in Education (Education Aministration and Higher Education), Southern Illinois University Carbonale, 1987

Awards and Honors
United Airlines William Wheatley Award from the University Aviation Association, 1994 for excellence in Post Secondary Aviation Education Sorensen Award for Excellence in Research, University Aviation Association, 2008

Past/Present Clients
Prepared airport master plan and environmental assessment reports for several Illinois Airports; prepared two separate airport systems plans for the Chicago area

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