I'm on ORD-LAS AA2427 next Sun on a MD-80.

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Can you use a sound level meter in flight? Would that fall under the banned electronics category? Also, many modern ones have datalogging feature, also electronic. What about frequency (octave band) measurements; they might also be a factor. I do find the sound level data to be very interesting; I wonder if Boeing/Airbus report such numbers. Any problems with TSA bring SLM on board in carry-on?

I'll freely admit that mine is just an app on my phone - someone with access to a real decibel meter may be able to give more accurate numbers, this was just for my own personal edification.

Test around row 16 on the MD80. I've observed there seems to be a sweet spot of quiet.

There was a lot of hate for the F100s- until they were gone...

I see the same thing happening for the mad dogs- especially if an RJ or 319 is the replacement.

Only thing I don't like about them is the old/outdated cabin and lake of any IFE. Other than that they are no worse than a 737, and leagues ahead of the 757.

If they weren't phasing them out, I'd say it would be mandatory for AA to give them an interior refurb.

+1

I was wondering the same thing just the other day -- and lo' and behold -- I'm on an MD80 from ABQ-DFW

Shoot, a really good cleaning would help. ;)

Agreed. Each plane must be holding 5lbs worth of beer farts.

There are phone apps that can do this. :)

Only 163 of them left in service with AA according to one of the fleet list websites so still some time to enjoy the MD ;)

[QUOTE=mvoight;22767901]Phones must remain switched off during flight, it "interferes" with the navigation equipment :rolleyes:;):p

It would be interesting to see the difference in noise levels between an aisle and window seat up front in an MD-80. Qualitatively I feel that the window seats seem a shade noisier than aisle seats and this would make sense given that slipstream is the source of all the noise. Would be great to see some data though.

A 3 db difference in noise between 737 and MD-80 seems pretty small so hopefully we can put to rest the oft repeated falsehood that MD-80s are "whisper quiet" up front in the cruise phase of flight.


I haven't found it publicly reported for airliners but they certainly engineer and test for it. Business jet manufacturers even more so. Cabin noise levels are part of the specification and/or completion specification for bizjets so an airplane has to come in below a certain threshold or risk a customer being able to refuse to accept delivery on the basis of it not meeting the spec.


Why would there be?

My firm used to do a lot of technical consulting on completions. We had staff that traveled with real decibel meters to take readings on aircraft. I don't seem to recall them ever saying they had to check that equipment or that it posed problems at checkpoints.

Yes, the real question is, as some of us complain about the MD80:

Will we like what they replace them with better?

737-800?

A319?

E175?

Various US Airways aircraft?

While I can see some reasons to like the 738 better, particularly on longer flights, I also see some reasons not to like it.

As for the other three, they are IMHO all inferior to those 163 MD80s, and I hope the mad dogs stay flying for some time to come.

Daze