Left: The surgery room viewed from the wing of the plane. It is similar to a land-based hospital and is outfitted with safety features such as a back-up generator and early alert monitoring systems. The hospital is a converted McDonnell Douglas MD-10 donated by FedEx and can fly twice as long as its predecessor. Right: #2 in Kaoshiung on August 12th 1999 - BY WILLIAM SU In June 2016, Orbis revealed its third-generation Flying Eye Hospital. On September 11th 2001, the date of the terrorists attack on New York and Washington, ORBIS ceased operations, but resumed them in July 2002. The doctors on this plane change from time to time and are all volunteer as well as the pilots. This is the McDonnell Douglas-10 Orbis Flying Eye Hospital, a reformatted FedEx donated jumbo jet which has been on tour in the UK for the first time this week since it came into service in June. This DC-10 now flies to several countries all over the world carrying hope for millions of eye patients in developing countries. Although 46501/ 2 is the second oldest DC-10, it has still an expected long life because of its low number of flight hours. In 1992, the new aircraft started for its first mission in Beijing/China. With generous donations, including again donations from United, 46501/ 2 (the second DC-10) was purchased and converted to the new flying eye hospital. Some years before, Orbis realized that the DC-8 was too small and too old (it was the fourth DC-8 to be built and one of only a hand full of non-fanned jets at that time!) and looked for a larger aircraft. In 1982, project Orbis started its first mission and visited more than 40 countries until 1992. United Airlines cooperated with project Orbis since its early days and donated a DC-8 which was converted into the first flying teaching hospital. The idea was to teach the skills of modern ophtalmolocigal surgery in the developing countries. David Paton started "Project Orbis" a flying eye hospital and ophtalmological school. In the mid-1970s a great idea was born when Dr. MC DONNELL - DOUGLAS DC - 10 - PROJECT ORBIS
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