Delta Seeks “Mad Dog” Captains
Joe Cortez September 01, 2017
Airline promises to promote pilots to captain in six months if they hold MD-88 certification.
Despite a planned aircraft retirement by 2020, Delta Air Lines is offering pilots the opportunity to become captains in six months if they are willing to fly the oldest aircraft in their fleet. Bloomberg reports the Atlanta-based carrier will offer promotions to those willing and capable of operating the McDonnell-Douglas MD-88.
Introduced in 1979, the MD-88 holds the distinction of the oldest aircraft still operated by an American airline. The Delta version offers all the modern amenities for passengers, including Wi-Fi and power outlets, but outdated annoyances for the aviators who fly them. For example: the MD-88 is one of the last aircraft with “eyebrow windows,” which were once used for navigation by the stars.
Because senior pilots are opting to fly newer equipment built by Airbus and Boeing, Delta is experiencing difficulty finding willing volunteers to fly the 149-seat aircraft last delivered in 1997. With operations planned for the next three years, the airline is using the archaic aircraft as an opportunity to promote a new generation of leaders.
“We hire folks who have the qualifications and airmanship and aptitude to become captains with Delta,” Delta spokesperson Michael Thomas told Bloomberg.
The push reflects the bigger problem of a potential pilot shortage in the aviation industry. Both international and regional carriers report fewer available pilots are joining their ranks. Boeing projects the world will need over 630,000 new pilots to meet commercial aviation demand by 2037.
Delta is one of two carriers in the United States still operating the MD-88. Allegiant Air still flies the McDonnell-Douglas aircraft, but plans to retire them by 2020 if they can purchase enough Airbus A319 and A320 aircraft to make up the fleet difference.
[Photo: Shutterstock]
This is such a poorly written article filled with a lot of inaccuracies. Firstly the picture with the article is of a MD90 which was first delivered in 1994/1995. Secondly, the MD88 was not introduced in 1979; the MD81 was first flown in 1979...the MD88 was first delivered in 1987 and first flew for Delta in 1988. And while eyebrow windows may have been used for navigation when they were on 707s, the reality is they were used on later aircraft models for better visibility...which was no longer necessary with TCAS, etc. And lastly, some MD90s are newer than earlier delivered 738s...and yet somehow that fact is easily forgotten.
Long live the DC-9! Pity that they no longer are allowed to "reverse thrust" away from the gate.
Smart move DELTA. Train up those new pilots and send those dinosaur aircraft to the bone yard. Two years is not soon enough!