Last DC-10 in service bids a fond farewell from Birmingham Airport

Birmingham Airport is the setting for a sentimental ending today as the last ever commercial flight of the iconic Douglas DC-10 comes into land, complete with a water arch salute to mark the special occasion.

Arriving at Birmingham after its final flight from Dhaka, this specific Biman Bangladesh Airlines aircraft was the 445th aircraft to be built out of a total of 446, with the first entering commercial service in 1971.

The DC-10 belongs to the original trio of dual aisled ‘wide-bodies’ alongside the 747 and the Tri-Star. It was a fairly rare visitor to UK skies, with Gatwick seeing the most flights during the era of British Caledonian, before Monarch began a charter service from Birmingham in the nineties.

But, before the DC-10 is lost from our skies forever, Biman Bangladesh Airlines is operating special fanfare flights from Birmingham, offering enthusiasts the opportunity to come aboard the BG1015 for the very last time in a series of nine scenic tours.

The flights will follow a special round trip route that will take in the sights of northern England, up towards Glasgow before looping back down to Birmingham.

These final flights take place on February 22, 23 and 24, but with only 152 seats per flight available from Biman Bangladesh Airlines, you’ll have to move fast to guarantee your part in a moment in aviation history.

The DC-10 will now be replaced by the 777 on the Birmingham to Bangladesh route, but in the meantime here’s hoping the last flight of the DC-10 is subject to a very fond farewell, before she enjoys a well earned retirement in an aviation museum.

Do you have any fond memories of the DC-10? Let us know in the comments section.

[Images by Aero_Icarus, Deanster1983 and Anhedral via Flickr]