90 Days is a video news magazine produced by McDonnell Douglas in St. Louis, MO and distributed at the end of every business quarter (hence the show's title) through the mail to employees and shareholders of the company in VHS format. From its inception in September 1989 until the final episode in 1996 under the "90 Days" title, the program routinely featured segments about employees and company programs or products, all while incorporating a review of financial results from the previous quarter. An example clip from the program can currently be found on the video website YouTube. It was "a video report about issues, events and people important to you and McDonnell Douglas."[1]
Overview
As Mr. McDonnell explains in "Number 1," the purpose behind going to the expense of producing and distributing 90 Days was to facilitate better communication between the company and its employees and shareholders. In fact, the first episode came with a postcard so viewers could share their comments on the show, and a special mailing address was established for comments throughout the life of the program. When "Number 1" debuted, the company was in the midst of a major transition, and at the time this was an innovative form of communication that served as an insight into the company's direction.
Hosts
Over the course of the program's production, 90 Days had three hosts:
Each episode of 90 Days was named according to its numerical order in the series, and featured a summary of that episode either on the reverse of the VHS video cover (early episodes) or printed on a label on the video itself (episodes after "Number 17").
Members of the Torrance, CA parts manufacturing team take a field trip to Long Beach to see how their parts help shape the MD-80
Third quarter financial performance review
A look into how assembly team members at McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Company improved efficiency in building the Apache
A look at the first commercial launch of a satellite by a private United States company, the Space Systems Company use of the Delta rocket in Huntington Beach, California
A visit to Douglas Aircraft's Flight Test Facility in Yuma, Arizona for the story of the non-stop efforts to secure the MD-11's FAA certification
7
Number 7
March 1991
John McDonnell
30 minutes
A visit to Motorola to learn how their quest for first-time quality and customer satisfaction earned them the Malcolm Baldrige Award
1990 financial results and fourth quarter highlights
A stop by the Missile Company's Harpoon Depot to examine how reducing cycle time speeds up repairs and retrofits on the formidable weapon
8
Number 8
June 1991
John McDonnell
30 minutes
How statistical process control techniques are improving productivity at McDonnell Aircraft's Machining Center
A tour of the McDonnell Douglas Research Laboratories
Field service representative Kirt Brown relates his experiences in Operation Desert Storm, and the outstanding performance of the Apache during the conflict
A review of first quarter financial performance
9
Number 9
Sept. 1991
John McDonnell
30 minutes
How MCAIR fixes parts that don't fit properly on the F/A-18
Test pilot Bill Casey & assembly manager Steve Waltman take 90 Days through final preparations before the C-17's first flight
The winners of the Spirit of Excellence Award
Second quarter financial results
10
Number 10
Dec. 1991
John McDonnell
37:04
John McDonnell discusses the MD-12 program, and gives third quarter financial results
A visit to the Electronic Systems Company to learn about lasers and microphotonics
A ride along with test pilot Bill Casey for the C-17's first flight
11
Number 11
March 1992
John McDonnell
30 minutes
How the criteria for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award is used to measure MDC's TQMS progress
1991 financial results
CFO Herb Lanese explains why better asset management & inventory control are essential to profitability & competitiveness
A tour of Space Station Freedom via the Space Systems Company
12
Number 12
June 1992
John McDonnell
30 minutes
A visit to Douglas Aircraft's Macon, Georgia facility to see employees work in self-managed groups and participate in running the plant
First quarter financial results in addition to an update of the MD-12 program
How MDC is improving first-time quality by building better relationship with a smaller number of preferred suppliers
A visit to the MD-11 production line to examine how new systems and processes are helping reduce costs, improve quality, and putting the program back on schedule
A behind the scenes look at efforts to test the C-17 for the rigors of military operations
A review of third quarter financial results
15
Number 15
March 1993
John McDonnell
30 minutes
Meet the new AV-8B Harrier II, and learn how Integrated Product Definition contributed to its successful first flight one month ahead of schedule
1992 financial results, and the findings of the 2nd annual TQMS improvement evaluation
A report about light-weight composite parts
16
Number 16
June 1993
John McDonnell
30 minutes
See the first flight of the MD-90 takes place in Long Beach, CA, and meet some of the people behind its development
The story of the Navy's next generation fighter and the revolutionary new way we build it
Credits (or lack thereof)
As you'll notice in the infobox, there is little information regarding the production staff that was behind the creation of each episode of 90 Days. This is because there are no formal credit titles either before or after episodes. So for now, everyone from the theme music composer to the graphics designers live on in anonymity.
Legacy of 90 Days
There are not any known plans to resurrect either 90 Days or its successor, Flight Times TV by Boeing.[2] However, at least one episode from the program is currently available on video site YouTube. As such (and considering Mr. McDonnell suggested during the first episode viewers could tape over the show after watching it), 90 Days has fallen into complete obscurity. But for those who look closer, 90 Days lives on as a valuable reference into the ups and downs of the aerospace industry in the late 1980s and most of the 1990s.
References
^"Number 1." 90 Days. By McDonnell Douglas. St. Louis, MO. Sept. 1989. Videocassette.
