Orbis’s MD-10 ‘Flying Eye Hospital’ Lands in Narita

Known as the “Flying Eye Hospital,” the MD-10 aircraft (registration number: N330AU) owned by Orbis International, arrived at Narita Airport on August 1st.

The Flying Eye Hospital is the world’s only aircraft equipped with ophthalmic treatment facilities owned by Orbis International, an NGO that performs eye care missions globally. It was donated by FedEx Express and has been operational since 2016 after being converted from an MD-10F.

This plane flies to countries with less developed medical technology, where volunteer doctors, specialists, and clinical staff transfer knowledge and expertise as an ‘ophthalmic educational hospital.’ The interior includes an operating room, pre- and post-operative care rooms, and equipment for laser treatments and simulation training.

Visits to Japan are rare, with the last visit being on April 21, 2023, to Kansai International Airport as part of a goodwill tour. It was the first time the interior was opened to the public in Japan.

According to the aircraft location service ‘Flightradar,’ this flight departed from Victorville at 6:59 AM local time on July 31st, passed through Anchorage, and landed at Narita Airport at around 12:58 PM on August 1st.

The aircraft stayed at spot 504 for about an hour before departing just after 2 PM. It took off from Runway A at approximately 2:35 PM. Activities in Ulaanbaatar are planned for August, and the stopover at Narita Airport is believed to be for technical layover purposes (refueling).

The current Flying Eye Hospital is the third iteration of the aircraft. The first was a DC-8 (registration number: N220RB) donated by United Airlines, which entered service in 1982. The second was a DC-10 (registration number: N220AU) acquired through funding, active from 1992 to 2016. Over three generations, they have provided medical expertise to local ophthalmologists in over 95 countries.