90 Days was "a video report about issues, events and people important to you and McDonnell Douglas

McDonnell Douglas

McDonnell Douglas was a major American aerospace manufacturer and defense contractor, producing a number of famous commercial and military aircraft. It formed from a merger of McDonnell Aircraft and Douglas Aircraft in 1967. McDonnell Douglas was based at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport...

." The video magazine was produced in St. Louis, MO

St. Louis, Missouri

St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...

 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

VHS

The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....

 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.

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:

• John McDonnell
  John McDonnell (businessman)
  John F. McDonnell is an American businessman and philanthropist. McDonnell served as the Chairman of the McDonnell Douglas Corporation from 1988 until its merger with Boeing in 1997 and its Chief Executive Officer from 1988 until 1994, he has been a corporate director at Boeing since the 1997...
  
   (episodes 1-17)
• Harry Stonecipher
  Harry Stonecipher
  Harry C. Stonecipher is a former President and Chief Executive of American aerospace companies McDonnell Douglas and, later, Boeing. Stonecipher orchestrated the merger between McDonnell Douglas and Boeing, and was widely credited with the resurgence of Boeing...
  
   (episodes 18-25)
• Guest host (episode 26)

Episode Summaries

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").

#	Title	Date	Host	Runtime
1	Number 1	Sept. 1989	John McDonnell John McDonnell (businessman) John F. McDonnell is an American businessman and philanthropist. McDonnell served as the Chairman of the McDonnell Douglas Corporation from 1988 until its merger with Boeing in 1997 and its Chief Executive Officer from 1988 until 1994, he has been a corporate director at Boeing since the 1997...	23:35
	A visit to the Douglas Aircraft Company (DAC) Douglas Aircraft Company The Douglas Aircraft Company was an American aerospace manufacturer, based in Long Beach, California. It was founded in 1921 by Donald Wills Douglas, Sr. and later merged with McDonnell Aircraft in 1967 to form McDonnell Douglas...  in Long Beach, CA Long Beach, California Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...  to meet an MD-80 assembly team thriving under TQMS Total Quality Management Total quality management or TQM is an integrative philosophy of management for continuously improving the quality of products and processes.... Financial performance review DAC Douglas Aircraft Company The Douglas Aircraft Company was an American aerospace manufacturer, based in Long Beach, California. It was founded in 1921 by Donald Wills Douglas, Sr. and later merged with McDonnell Aircraft in 1967 to form McDonnell Douglas... 's Dale Warren comments on the DC-10 in the wake of the Flight 232 tragedy United Airlines Flight 232 United Airlines Flight 232 was a scheduled flight from Stapleton International Airport in Denver, Colorado, to O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, with continuing service to Philadelphia International Airport... A feature on F-15E F-15E Strike Eagle The McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle is an all-weather multirole fighter, derived from the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle. The F-15E was designed in the 1980s for long-range, high speed interdiction without relying on escort or electronic warfare aircraft. United States Air Force F-15E Strike...  service reps at Seymour Johnson AFB, North Carolina North Carolina North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte... .
2	Number 2	Dec. 1989	John McDonnell	30:45
	Members of the Torrance, CA Torrance, California Torrance is a city incorporated in 1921 and located in the South Bay region of Los Angeles County, California, United States. Torrance has of shore-front beaches on the Pacific Ocean, quieter and less well-known by tourists than others on the Santa Monica Bay, such as those of neighboring...  parts manufacturing team take a field trip to Long Beach Long Beach, California Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...  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 AH-64 Apache The Boeing AH-64 Apache is a four-blade, twin-engine attack helicopter with a tailwheel-type landing gear arrangement, and a tandem cockpit for a two-man crew. The Apache was developed as Model 77 by Hughes Helicopters for the United States Army's Advanced Attack Helicopter program to replace the... 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 Delta rocket Delta is a versatile family of expendable launch systems that has provided space launch capability in the United States since 1960. There have been more than 300 Delta rockets launched, with a 95 percent success rate. Two Delta launch systems – Delta II and Delta IV – are in active use...  in Huntington Beach, California Huntington Beach, California Huntington Beach is a seaside city in Orange County in Southern California. According to the 2010 census, the city population was 189,992; making it the largest beach city in Orange County in terms of population... A celebration of McDonnell Aircraft Company McDonnell Aircraft The McDonnell Aircraft Corporation was an American aerospace manufacturer based in St. Louis, Missouri. The company was founded on July 16, 1939 by James Smith McDonnell, and was best known for its military fighters, including the F-4 Phantom II, and manned spacecraft including the Mercury capsule... 's 50th Anniversary.
3	Number 3	March 1990	John McDonnell	30 minutes
	A visit to the McDonnell Douglas Missile Systems Company's training center financial performance review Engineering and manufacturing teams prepare the MD-11 for first flight How teamwork is leading to faster solutions on the F-15E production line A feature on the Navy's Blue Angels Blue Angels The United States Navy's Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, popularly known as the Blue Angels, was formed in 1946 and is currently the oldest formal flying aerobatic team...
4	Number 4	June 1990	John McDonnell	30 minutes
	A visit to MAC McDonnell Aircraft The McDonnell Aircraft Corporation was an American aerospace manufacturer based in St. Louis, Missouri. The company was founded on July 16, 1939 by James Smith McDonnell, and was best known for its military fighters, including the F-4 Phantom II, and manned spacecraft including the Mercury capsule...  to see examine how a partnership has been built between labor and management A review of first quarter financial results, and a discussion of the challenges and opportunities the company faces The military commanders of plant representative offices give their perspective on MDC's performance
5	Number 5	Sept. 1990	John McDonnell	32:40
	A look at the issues, questions and emotions surrounding recent corporate-wide cost reductions Chairman John McDonnell discusses second quarter results Techniques being tried at the Space Systems Company in Huntington Beach to improve white-collar productivity Meet the first winners of the Spirit of Excellence Award
6	Number 6	Dec. 1990	John McDonnell	30 minutes
	Representative from American Airlines American Airlines American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport... , Finnair Finnair Finnair Plc is the flag carrier and largest airline of Finland, with its headquarters on the grounds of Helsinki Airport in Vantaa, Finland, and its main hub at Helsinki Airport. Finnair and its subsidiaries dominate both the domestic and international air travel markets in Finland. The largest... , and Delta Air Lines Delta Air Lines Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a major airline based in the United States and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving all continents except Antarctica. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 4,000 flights every day...  comment on the performance of MDC McDonnell Douglas McDonnell Douglas was a major American aerospace manufacturer and defense contractor, producing a number of famous commercial and military aircraft. It formed from a merger of McDonnell Aircraft and Douglas Aircraft in 1967. McDonnell Douglas was based at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport... 's commercial jetliners Third quarter financial performance review An in-depth look at the YF-23 Advanced Tactical Fighter as MCAIR's Bill Lowe pilots it on its first supersonic flight A visit to Douglas Aircraft's Flight Test Facility in Yuma, Arizona Yuma, Arizona Yuma is a city in and the county seat of Yuma County, Arizona, United States. It is located in the southwestern corner of the state, and the population of the city was 77,515 at the 2000 census, with a 2008 Census Bureau estimated population of 90,041....  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 Motorola Motorola, Inc. was an American multinational telecommunications company based in Schaumburg, Illinois, which was eventually divided into two independent public companies, Motorola Mobility and Motorola Solutions on January 4, 2011, after losing $4.3 billion from 2007 to 2009...  to learn how their quest for first-time quality and customer satisfaction earned them the Malcolm Baldrige Award Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award The Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award recognizes U.S. organizations in the business, health care, education, and nonprofit sectors for performance excellence. The Baldrige Award is the only formal recognition of the performance excellence of both public and private U.S. organizations given by... 1990 financial results and fourth quarter highlights A stop by the Missile Company's Harpoon Boeing Harpoon The Harpoon is an all-weather, over-the-horizon, anti-ship missile system, developed and manufactured by McDonnell Douglas . In 2004, Boeing delivered the 7,000th Harpoon unit since the weapon's introduction in 1977...  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 AH-64 Apache The Boeing AH-64 Apache is a four-blade, twin-engine attack helicopter with a tailwheel-type landing gear arrangement, and a tandem cockpit for a two-man crew. The Apache was developed as Model 77 by Hughes Helicopters for the United States Army's Advanced Attack Helicopter program to replace the...  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 Microphotonics Microphotonics is a branch of technology that deals with directing light on a microscopic scale. It is used in optical networking.Microphotonics employs at least two different materials with a large differential index of refraction to squeeze the light down to a small size. Generally speaking... 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 Macon, Georgia Macon is a city located in central Georgia, US. Founded at the fall line of the Ocmulgee River, it is part of the Macon metropolitan area, and the county seat of Bibb County. A small portion of the city extends into Jones County. Macon is the biggest city in central 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 The T-45 Goshawk undergoing sea trials on the USS John F. Kennedy USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67) USS John F. Kennedy is a John F. Kennedy class aircraft carrier, the last conventionally powered carrier built for the United States Navy. The ship is named after the 35th President of the United States, John F...  aircraft carrier
13	Number 13	Sept. 1992	John McDonnell	30 minutes
	MCAIR's new systems and process to help improve program management on the Super Hornet The winners of 1992's McDonnell Douglas Spirit of Excellent Award A visit to the Space Systems Company at Kennedy Space Center Kennedy Space Center The John F. Kennedy Space Center is the NASA installation that has been the launch site for every United States human space flight since 1968. Although such flights are currently on hiatus, KSC continues to manage and operate unmanned rocket launch facilities for America's civilian space program...  to see how they put payload aboard the Space Shuttle Space Shuttle The Space Shuttle was a manned orbital rocket and spacecraft system operated by NASA on 135 missions from 1981 to 2011. The system combined rocket launch, orbital spacecraft, and re-entry spaceplane with modular add-ons... Second quarter financial performance
14	Number 14	Dec. 1992	John McDonnell	30 minutes
	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 C-17 Globemaster III The Boeing C-17 Globemaster III is a large military transport aircraft. Developed for the United States Air Force from the 1980s to the early 1990s by McDonnell Douglas, the C-17 is used for rapid strategic airlift of troops and cargo to main operating bases or forward operating bases throughout...  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 AV-8B Harrier II The McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II is a second-generation vertical/short takeoff and landing ground-attack aircraft. An Anglo-American development of the British Hawker Siddeley Harrier, the Harrier II is the final member of the Harrier family that started with the Hawker Siddeley P.1127 in... , 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 Learn about the new DC-X First quarter financial results
17	Number 17	Sept. 1993	John McDonnell	30 minutes
	A look at the T45 Training System in action at Naval Air Station Kingsville Naval Air Station Kingsville Naval Air Station Kingsville or NAS Kingsville is a military airport located 3 miles east of Kingsville, Texas.Under the current US Navy organization known as Commander, Naval Installations , NAS Corpus Christi and NAS Kingsville are part of Navy Region Southeast headquartered at NAS Jacksonville,... TQMS groups thriving at the Salt Lake City, Utah Salt Lake City, Utah Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...  facility where MD-80 & MD-11 parts are made The winners of the annual Spirit of Excellence awards Second quarter financial results
18	Number 18	Dec. 1993	?	?
	summary: unknown
19	Number 19	March 1994	Harry Stonecipher Harry Stonecipher Harry C. Stonecipher is a former President and Chief Executive of American aerospace companies McDonnell Douglas and, later, Boeing. Stonecipher orchestrated the merger between McDonnell Douglas and Boeing, and was widely credited with the resurgence of Boeing...	30 minutes
	F/A-18E/F Super Hornet F/A-18E/F Super Hornet The Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet is a twin-engine carrier-based multirole fighter aircraft. The F/A-18E single-seat variant and F/A-18F tandem-seat variant are larger and more advanced derivatives of the F/A-18C and D Hornet. The Super Hornet has an internal 20 mm gun and can carry air-to-air...  update Improving the MD-11 via design A flight aboard a DC-3 1993 financial results
20	Number 20	June 1994	Harry Stonecipher	30 minutes
	MDC helps introduce the C-17 C-17 Globemaster III The Boeing C-17 Globemaster III is a large military transport aircraft. Developed for the United States Air Force from the 1980s to the early 1990s by McDonnell Douglas, the C-17 is used for rapid strategic airlift of troops and cargo to main operating bases or forward operating bases throughout...  into the USAF's fleet at Charleston Air Force Base Charleston Air Force Base Joint Base Charleston is a United States military facility located in North Charleston, South Carolina. The facility is under the jurisdiction of the United States Air Force 628th Air Base Wing, Air Mobility Command... A T-45 team tackles manufacturing problems by measuring defects per unit First quarter financial results
21	Number 21	Sept. 1994	Harry Stonecipher	30 minutes
	A customer assessment of performance & how it's being improved with Process Action Teams 1993's Spirit of Excellence Award winners Second quarter financial highlights The Annual Meeting product & '93 highlights video
22	Number 22	Dec. 1994	Harry Stonecipher	30 minutes
	A look at the Navy's "Desert Bogeys" squadron A feature about the MD Explorer NOTAR system helicopter Stereo lithography used to make prototypes rapidly Third quarter financial results
23	Number 23	March 1995	Harry Stonecipher	30 minutes
	Learn why and how the 16th production C-17 C-17 Globemaster III The Boeing C-17 Globemaster III is a large military transport aircraft. Developed for the United States Air Force from the 1980s to the early 1990s by McDonnell Douglas, the C-17 is used for rapid strategic airlift of troops and cargo to main operating bases or forward operating bases throughout...  was delivered ahead of schedule FAA certification of the MD-90 A look at the Phantom Works 1994 financial results and the results of the 4th annual TQMS-IE
24	Number 24	June 1995	Harry Stonecipher	30 minutes
	An interview with Laurie Broedling, the new VP of human resources Testing the MD-11 before customer delivery A look at new wind tunnel technology First quarter financial results
25	Number 25	Sept. 1995	Harry Stonecipher	36 minutes
	MDC helicopters help the Phoenix Phoenix, Arizona Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...  Police Department maintain law and order The Phantom Works Boeing Phantom Works The Phantom Works division is the advanced prototyping arm of the Defense and Security side of The Boeing Company. Its primary focus is developing advanced military products and technologies, many of them highly classified, and has produced breakthroughs in defense, space and security.Founded by...  finds new ways to build airplanes faster, better, and more affordably Meet 1994's Spirit of Excellence Award winners Second-quarter financial results and highlights
26	Number 26 - F/A-18E/F Super Hornet F/A-18E/F Super Hornet The Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet is a twin-engine carrier-based multirole fighter aircraft. The F/A-18E single-seat variant and F/A-18F tandem-seat variant are larger and more advanced derivatives of the F/A-18C and D Hornet. The Super Hornet has an internal 20 mm gun and can carry air-to-air... : A 90 Days Special Report	Feb. 1996	?	?
	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

Boeing

The Boeing Company is an American multinational aerospace and defense corporation, founded in 1916 by William E. Boeing in Seattle, Washington. Boeing has expanded over the years, merging with McDonnell Douglas in 1997. Boeing Corporate headquarters has been in Chicago, Illinois since 2001...

. However, at least one episode from the program is currently available on video site YouTube

YouTube

YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....

. 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.