Jun 25, 2019, 10:38 am
Last edit by: JDiver
AA McDonnell Douglas MD-80 “Super 80” (1983-2019)
“The McDonnell Douglas MD-80 is a series of twin-engine, short- to medium-range, single-aisle commercial jetliners. It was lengthened and updated from the DC-9. This series can seat from 130 to 172 passengers depending on variant and seating configuration.
American Airlines was the first US major carrier to order the MD-80 when it leased twenty 142-seat aircraft from McDonnell Douglas in October 1982 to replace its Boeing 727-100. It committed to 67 firm orders plus 100 options in March 1984, and in 2002 its fleet peaked at more than 360 aircraft, 30 % of the 1,191 produced.” AA used the “Super 80” name for this aircraft.
The first AA MD-80 was delivered in 1983, the last in 1999. (Wikipedia) The MD-80 was delivered with a standard tapered round fuselage tail cone, but it was found a “screwdriver” design somewhat similar to the Boeing 777 saved fuel. The “screwdriver” tail cone was applied to all AA MD-80s, and were fabricated by AA maintenance personnel at the Tulsa shop.
The last “Super 80s” operated by AA were TWA MD-83s built toward the end of the manufacturing run. “Their cockpits have digital engine instruments and dual flight management system (FMS) displays versus AA’s traditional ‘round dial’ presentation and lone GFMS keypad. The TWA computers’ formats and functionality are different from those of the single units—the Mac versus PC of the MD-80 world.” (Airways Magazine)
The last 23 “Mad Dogs” flew to a desert air park in Roswell, New Mexico, on 4 Sep 2019. One MD-80 remains at DFW Airport, to be used for future de-icing practice, and more will be donated to flight-training schools. (Bloomberg)
N984TW, a MD-83 assembled in 1999 (MSN 53634 / LN 2287), was the last MD-80 built (at the McDonnell Douglas plant at Long Beach / LGB, California, and was the last to be retired, flying AA 80 DFW-ORD before flying its final segment ORD-ROS. This aircraft is said to have “logged more than 61,000 hours in the air on 31,092 flights and is estimated to have carried more than 3.5 million passengers”.
Though wingtip devices and higher bypass ratio engines were proposed to create an “MD-80 Advanced”, there was never sufficient interest from the airlines to proceed with these advances. The 737’s GE CFM-56 engines offer 35% additional fuel savings per seat mile over the MD-80. An expensive to fulfill 2017 Airworthiness Directive governing the fuel pump system drove the nails into the coffin.
According to Airways Magazine,
“... the Chicago, St. Louis, and Los Angeles crew domiciles (closed, and) DFW will be the aircraft’s final hub because of its maintenance capabilities and proximity to Tulsa’s repair and overhaul station... The aircraft’s tenure will conclude in the way it started. Memphis, Houston, Kansas City, New Orleans, and other current MD-80 destinations mostly lay within a 500-mile radius of Dallas.”
The AA MD-80s were retired to ROW / Roswell International Air Center, Roswell, New Mexico (previously Walker Air Force Base / WAFB).
American Airlines MD-80s in their final 140 seat configuration:
16 First class seats, 38-40” pitch, 21” width (rows 3-6, the seats on the port / left side had slightly less seat pitch than the starboard side due to removal of a closet to install an extra seat pair.
35 Main Cabin Extra seats with 34” pitch, 17.4 - 17.8” width in 2 x 3 configuration in rows 7-11 and exit rows.
89 Main Cabin seats with 31” pitch, 17.4 - 17.8” width in 2 x 3 configuration.
The A-B overhead bins were small, and couldn’t accommodate rollaboards wheels first; these had to be stowed in the D-E-F side bins. MD-80 we’re equipped with full service galleys, WiFi, center overhead screens for IFE, cigar lighter type jacks providing 15 VDC. Onboard WiFi IFE streaming to passengers’ personal entertainment devices was added.
Many consider the MD-80 seats some of the most comfortable, as they were better padded than the newer generation of lightweight seats. The cabin was relatively quiet, with the air noise completely masking any engine noise in First. On the other hand, the offset rows 31 and 32 were very close to the aft-mounted engines and engine noise was very loud.
“McDonnell Douglas MD-83 (DC-9-83)
The MD-83 is a longer-range version of the basic MD-81/82 with higher weights, more powerful engines, and increased fuel capacity.
Powerplant: Compared to earlier models, the MD-83 is equipped with slightly more powerful 21,000 lbf (93 kN)-thrust Pratt and Whitney JT8D-219s as standard.
Performance: The MD-83 features increased fuel capacity as standard (to 6,970 US gal (26,400 L)), which is carried in two 565 US gal (2,140 L) auxiliary tanks located fore and aft of the center section. The aircraft also has higher operating weights, with MTOW increased to 160,000 lb (73,000 kg) and MLW to 139,500 lb (63,300 kg).
Typical range for the MD-83 with 155 passengers is around 2,504 nautical miles (4,637 km). To cope with the higher operating weights, the MD-83 incorporates strengthened landing gear including new wheels, tires, and brakes, changes to the wing skins, front spar web and elevator spar cap, and strengthened floor beams and panels to carry the auxiliary fuel tanks.” - (Wikipedia)
The scheduled final operations for these aircraft is shown in posts #1, #76, #166.
FlyerTalk threads:
MD-80 / Super 80 best seats (master thread)
The slow end of an era....the retirement of the AA MD-80
20 Mad Dogs / MD-80 (retiring) to ROW today (23 Aug 2016)
MD-80 “Super 80” aka “Mad Dog” memories, “longest goodbye”
Age of AAs MD-80 fleet?
External resources:
Link to MD-80 article in Airways Magazine, Nov 2015 issue
Link to (unofficial) AA Fleet Site retired MD-80 page
Link to Wikipedia MD-80 page
“The McDonnell Douglas MD-80 is a series of twin-engine, short- to medium-range, single-aisle commercial jetliners. It was lengthened and updated from the DC-9. This series can seat from 130 to 172 passengers depending on variant and seating configuration.
American Airlines was the first US major carrier to order the MD-80 when it leased twenty 142-seat aircraft from McDonnell Douglas in October 1982 to replace its Boeing 727-100. It committed to 67 firm orders plus 100 options in March 1984, and in 2002 its fleet peaked at more than 360 aircraft, 30 % of the 1,191 produced.” AA used the “Super 80” name for this aircraft.
The first AA MD-80 was delivered in 1983, the last in 1999. (Wikipedia) The MD-80 was delivered with a standard tapered round fuselage tail cone, but it was found a “screwdriver” design somewhat similar to the Boeing 777 saved fuel. The “screwdriver” tail cone was applied to all AA MD-80s, and were fabricated by AA maintenance personnel at the Tulsa shop.
The last “Super 80s” operated by AA were TWA MD-83s built toward the end of the manufacturing run. “Their cockpits have digital engine instruments and dual flight management system (FMS) displays versus AA’s traditional ‘round dial’ presentation and lone GFMS keypad. The TWA computers’ formats and functionality are different from those of the single units—the Mac versus PC of the MD-80 world.” (Airways Magazine)
The last 23 “Mad Dogs” flew to a desert air park in Roswell, New Mexico, on 4 Sep 2019. One MD-80 remains at DFW Airport, to be used for future de-icing practice, and more will be donated to flight-training schools. (Bloomberg)
N984TW, a MD-83 assembled in 1999 (MSN 53634 / LN 2287), was the last MD-80 built (at the McDonnell Douglas plant at Long Beach / LGB, California, and was the last to be retired, flying AA 80 DFW-ORD before flying its final segment ORD-ROS. This aircraft is said to have “logged more than 61,000 hours in the air on 31,092 flights and is estimated to have carried more than 3.5 million passengers”.
Though wingtip devices and higher bypass ratio engines were proposed to create an “MD-80 Advanced”, there was never sufficient interest from the airlines to proceed with these advances. The 737’s GE CFM-56 engines offer 35% additional fuel savings per seat mile over the MD-80. An expensive to fulfill 2017 Airworthiness Directive governing the fuel pump system drove the nails into the coffin.
According to Airways Magazine,
“... the Chicago, St. Louis, and Los Angeles crew domiciles (closed, and) DFW will be the aircraft’s final hub because of its maintenance capabilities and proximity to Tulsa’s repair and overhaul station... The aircraft’s tenure will conclude in the way it started. Memphis, Houston, Kansas City, New Orleans, and other current MD-80 destinations mostly lay within a 500-mile radius of Dallas.”
The AA MD-80s were retired to ROW / Roswell International Air Center, Roswell, New Mexico (previously Walker Air Force Base / WAFB).
American Airlines MD-80s in their final 140 seat configuration:
16 First class seats, 38-40” pitch, 21” width (rows 3-6, the seats on the port / left side had slightly less seat pitch than the starboard side due to removal of a closet to install an extra seat pair.
35 Main Cabin Extra seats with 34” pitch, 17.4 - 17.8” width in 2 x 3 configuration in rows 7-11 and exit rows.
89 Main Cabin seats with 31” pitch, 17.4 - 17.8” width in 2 x 3 configuration.
The A-B overhead bins were small, and couldn’t accommodate rollaboards wheels first; these had to be stowed in the D-E-F side bins. MD-80 we’re equipped with full service galleys, WiFi, center overhead screens for IFE, cigar lighter type jacks providing 15 VDC. Onboard WiFi IFE streaming to passengers’ personal entertainment devices was added.
Many consider the MD-80 seats some of the most comfortable, as they were better padded than the newer generation of lightweight seats. The cabin was relatively quiet, with the air noise completely masking any engine noise in First. On the other hand, the offset rows 31 and 32 were very close to the aft-mounted engines and engine noise was very loud.
“McDonnell Douglas MD-83 (DC-9-83)
The MD-83 is a longer-range version of the basic MD-81/82 with higher weights, more powerful engines, and increased fuel capacity.
Powerplant: Compared to earlier models, the MD-83 is equipped with slightly more powerful 21,000 lbf (93 kN)-thrust Pratt and Whitney JT8D-219s as standard.
Performance: The MD-83 features increased fuel capacity as standard (to 6,970 US gal (26,400 L)), which is carried in two 565 US gal (2,140 L) auxiliary tanks located fore and aft of the center section. The aircraft also has higher operating weights, with MTOW increased to 160,000 lb (73,000 kg) and MLW to 139,500 lb (63,300 kg).
Typical range for the MD-83 with 155 passengers is around 2,504 nautical miles (4,637 km). To cope with the higher operating weights, the MD-83 incorporates strengthened landing gear including new wheels, tires, and brakes, changes to the wing skins, front spar web and elevator spar cap, and strengthened floor beams and panels to carry the auxiliary fuel tanks.” - (Wikipedia)
The scheduled final operations for these aircraft is shown in posts #1, #76, #166.
FlyerTalk threads:
MD-80 / Super 80 best seats (master thread)
The slow end of an era....the retirement of the AA MD-80
20 Mad Dogs / MD-80 (retiring) to ROW today (23 Aug 2016)
MD-80 “Super 80” aka “Mad Dog” memories, “longest goodbye”
Age of AAs MD-80 fleet?
External resources:
Link to MD-80 article in Airways Magazine, Nov 2015 issue
Link to (unofficial) AA Fleet Site retired MD-80 page
Link to Wikipedia MD-80 page
AA MD-80 requiem - final 2019 routes and 4 Sep 2019 final flights
Jun 27, 2019, 1:16 pm
#106
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
Reminiscing, I remember the Wings of Pride, a Mad Dog the employees of TWA secured for their airline, paying the monthly lease of $133,000.
The MD-83 (N948TW, SN 49575 / LN 1414), first flew in1987 with Spantax, a short-lived Spanish LCC, and thence to another LCC, LAC. Soon after, to BWIA through 1994. The aircraft flew for TWA in the final livery, then in a reverse livery honoring the employees who gifted this aircraft to TWA.
It flew with AA in AA colors through 2014, was ultimately salvaged and resides at the TWA Museum at MKC.
Link to Airline Reporter article
The MD-83 (N948TW, SN 49575 / LN 1414), first flew in1987 with Spantax, a short-lived Spanish LCC, and thence to another LCC, LAC. Soon after, to BWIA through 1994. The aircraft flew for TWA in the final livery, then in a reverse livery honoring the employees who gifted this aircraft to TWA.
It flew with AA in AA colors through 2014, was ultimately salvaged and resides at the TWA Museum at MKC.
Link to Airline Reporter article
Jun 27, 2019, 1:18 pm
#108
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
Jobs are put up for bid. The MD80 pilots have already bid on and received other job assignments flying other aircraft types after the retirement. It's not a simple task to extend the retirement, because then the MD80 pilots, now scheduled to fly 737s and Airbuses, have to be replaced on those 737s and Airbuses. And where do you find the pilots to do that? They can't just scrape up the entire spare pilot pool in case someone calls in sick, and I don't think there are that many spare pilots anyway.
Jun 29, 2019, 4:13 am
#109
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: New England
Programs: American Gold, Marriott Gold, Hilton Silver
Posts: 5,640
Aside from the fact the 737-800 is 35% more fuel efficient per passenger seat mile, the MD-80 was hit by an AD note that caused significant expense that had to be completed by October 2017. So, some were fixed and retained, but I’m guessing some of these may be approaching expensive required (usually every specified number of hours in service) periodic maintenance.
A C check occurs every 20-24 months and requires thousands of man hours over a couple of weeks as well as requiring inspection of most aircraft systems.
A D check may be 6-10 years apart, but virtually results in stripping and rebuilding an aircraft over a couple of months and tens of thousands of man hours.
I’m sure AA decisions about which aircraft went to ROW and which remained in service took these issues into consideration, and that at least some of the birds due to retire in September are nearing heavy maintenance. Fall experiences less demand than summer, and they’re probably betting the MAX issue will be resolved by the time Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday peak demand times roll in - though I’m not entirely sanguine about that.
A C check occurs every 20-24 months and requires thousands of man hours over a couple of weeks as well as requiring inspection of most aircraft systems.
A D check may be 6-10 years apart, but virtually results in stripping and rebuilding an aircraft over a couple of months and tens of thousands of man hours.
I’m sure AA decisions about which aircraft went to ROW and which remained in service took these issues into consideration, and that at least some of the birds due to retire in September are nearing heavy maintenance. Fall experiences less demand than summer, and they’re probably betting the MAX issue will be resolved by the time Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday peak demand times roll in - though I’m not entirely sanguine about that.
They had a similar plan for the E190s, but didn't have the aircraft available to immediately replace that fleet so they scrambled to install the transponders on them. They won't finish the entire fleet before the end of the year, so either they'll retire the planes that they don't get to, or they'll be grounded until the transponders are installed.
Jun 29, 2019, 11:21 am
#110
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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Good primer from the FAA here:
https://www.faa.gov/nextgen/equipads...arch/airspace/
It costs a lot of money and takes a lot of time to install them...
Jul 3, 2019, 8:22 am
#112
Join Date: Jul 2019
Posts: 1
Time changes all
I was on the delivery flight of AALs first "Super 80" (LGB-DFW) and remember it like it was yesterday. The AAL flight attendants telling me that AA would not take more then the original 20 the company had leased from DAC. They said they airplane was too small and liked the 727 3X3 seating much better. 260 + airplanes later I guess they were wrong.
AAL had a big event in at DFW having a DC-3 meeting our Super 80 in flight and landing right after us and then both airplanes taxied to the DFW gate where Bob Crandall and one of the McDonnell family members were present and made some speeches.
The Super 80 was a new technology airplane for the 1980s and had to live through the learning stage of older pilots getting comfortable with the "digital airplane". But in time that was overcome and all was good. Not like the mess that happened with the MD-11 in the years that followed.
Will miss the Mad Dog.
AAL had a big event in at DFW having a DC-3 meeting our Super 80 in flight and landing right after us and then both airplanes taxied to the DFW gate where Bob Crandall and one of the McDonnell family members were present and made some speeches.
The Super 80 was a new technology airplane for the 1980s and had to live through the learning stage of older pilots getting comfortable with the "digital airplane". But in time that was overcome and all was good. Not like the mess that happened with the MD-11 in the years that followed.
Will miss the Mad Dog.
Jul 3, 2019, 9:57 am
#113
Join Date: Apr 2009
Programs: American EXP; British Airways Gold
Posts: 1,896
I was on the delivery flight of AALs first "Super 80" (LGB-DFW) and remember it like it was yesterday. The AAL flight attendants telling me that AA would not take more then the original 20 the company had leased from DAC. They said they airplane was too small and liked the 727 3X3 seating much better. 260 + airplanes later I guess they were wrong.
AAL had a big event in at DFW having a DC-3 meeting our Super 80 in flight and landing right after us and then both airplanes taxied to the DFW gate where Bob Crandall and one of the McDonnell family members were present and made some speeches.
The Super 80 was a new technology airplane for the 1980s and had to live through the learning stage of older pilots getting comfortable with the "digital airplane". But in time that was overcome and all was good. Not like the mess that happened with the MD-11 in the years that followed.
Will miss the Mad Dog.
AAL had a big event in at DFW having a DC-3 meeting our Super 80 in flight and landing right after us and then both airplanes taxied to the DFW gate where Bob Crandall and one of the McDonnell family members were present and made some speeches.
The Super 80 was a new technology airplane for the 1980s and had to live through the learning stage of older pilots getting comfortable with the "digital airplane". But in time that was overcome and all was good. Not like the mess that happened with the MD-11 in the years that followed.
Will miss the Mad Dog.
Jul 3, 2019, 10:09 am
#114
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Austin
Programs: AA EXP +2MM- LT PLT! HH Diamond
Posts: 6,087
I was on the delivery flight of AALs first "Super 80" (LGB-DFW) and remember it like it was yesterday. The AAL flight attendants telling me that AA would not take more then the original 20 the company had leased from DAC. They said they airplane was too small and liked the 727 3X3 seating much better. 260 + airplanes later I guess they were wrong.
AAL had a big event in at DFW having a DC-3 meeting our Super 80 in flight and landing right after us and then both airplanes taxied to the DFW gate where Bob Crandall and one of the McDonnell family members were present and made some speeches.
The Super 80 was a new technology airplane for the 1980s and had to live through the learning stage of older pilots getting comfortable with the "digital airplane". But in time that was overcome and all was good. Not like the mess that happened with the MD-11 in the years that followed.
Will miss the Mad Dog.
AAL had a big event in at DFW having a DC-3 meeting our Super 80 in flight and landing right after us and then both airplanes taxied to the DFW gate where Bob Crandall and one of the McDonnell family members were present and made some speeches.
The Super 80 was a new technology airplane for the 1980s and had to live through the learning stage of older pilots getting comfortable with the "digital airplane". But in time that was overcome and all was good. Not like the mess that happened with the MD-11 in the years that followed.
Will miss the Mad Dog.
Jul 4, 2019, 1:15 pm
#116
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Wanting First. Buying First.
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And even if that's the plan as of two months before day of departure, I give the chance of it actually happening to be about 1/n where n is the number of MD-80s arriving DFW that morning or already there as RONs/aircraft parked pending sale.
Jul 9, 2019, 1:01 am
#117
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: somewhere
Programs: their are many of them
Posts: 1,614
Anyone find it oddly fascinating the AA is running a non standard flight number for the STL-DFW flight on the 4th AA flight 1999..... which is isn't any of the normally flight numbers/ could it be that AA is honoring legacy of TWA, by having that flight be flight 1999 which was the year last MD was delivered to TWA of course.... maybe it would be cool.
Jul 14, 2019, 11:55 am
#119
Join Date: May 2001
Location: (AA EXP)
Posts: 609
I just cancelled a First Class award containing Sept 3-4 flights from DFW-CVG on the MD80 (flights 2309/2500) if that helps anyone. Really wanted to be on one of the last flights on the Mad Dog, but life happens! Will drink a toast of that awful wine (MD20/20) on the 4th. Hope everyone enjoys their ride!
Jul 14, 2019, 3:34 pm
#120
Join Date: Nov 2017
Programs: AA EXP, Marriott Bonvoy titanium
Posts: 537
Flew on the mad dog today up front. Great plane and seats in j really are more comfortable padding wise than the oasis config. I marveled at the size of the lavatory too
so speculative odds the mad dog flys a bit longer than previously advertised given the announcement today the max stays grounded until nov?
so speculative odds the mad dog flys a bit longer than previously advertised given the announcement today the max stays grounded until nov?