MD 80 Commuter Airplane

MD 80

The McDonnell Douglas MD-80 airplane completed its first flight on October 18, 1979. It entered the market in 1980 as a mid-size, medium-range airliner designed to succeed the DC-9 as well as compete against Boeing’s popular 737-400. The airplane’s interior accommodated a row of five passengers each in coach seating, and could carry up to 172 passengers in total, depending on how the seats were arranged and the version of the MD-80.

At first, McDonnell Douglas marketed the plane as the DC-9-80, or DC-9 Super 80, however, the designation was eventually changed to the shorter “MD-80.” Though production of the plane ended in 2000, the MD-80 remains in service today on behalf of several major commercial airlines, including several based in Europe, China, Mexico, Korea, and the United States.

From 1979 to 1999, McDonnell Douglas built 1,159 of the MD-80 aircraft at the Long Beach Division of Boeing Commercial Airplanes. A second version of the MD-80 was soon introduced, and 117 of both aircraft types were manufactured between 1995 and 2000. The MD-80 versions included MD-81/82/83/88 and the MD-87 which had a shorter fuselage than the others in the series.

During their production life, all MD-80 variants received upgrades that included avionics, several cockpit improvements, and aerodynamic streamlining. Operation of the MD-80 series was eased with the replacement of the original Pratt & Whitney engines with the JT8D-200 engines. The newer engines have created a quieter ride and are much more fuel-efficient than the older and smaller engines. The Pratt & Whitney JT8D-200 engines have also extended the MD-80’s range. This has made the airplane popular for regional as well as national commercial airlines.

Another significant change for the plane in later years was the extension of the MD-80’s fuselage. That permitted the MD-80 to carry additional passengers and freight, which increased the plane’s value for cost-conscious carriers.

Maximum speed: 546 mph

Range: 1,600 miles

Length: 147′ 9″

Wingspan: 107′ 8″

Height: 30′ 5″

Empty weight: 140,000 pounds

Engine(s): Two 18,500-pound-thrust Pratt & Whitney JT8D-209 engines

Crew: Three, including the pilot, first officer, and flight engineer

Passengers: 155 passengers