McDonnell Douglas MD-80 / MD-90
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The McDonnell Douglas MD-80 and McDonnell Douglas MD-90 are twin-engine, single-aisle jet commercial aircraft derived from the DC-9. The MD-80 was first introduced in 1980 and was followed in modified forms by the MD-90 in 1989 and Boeing 717 in 1998. As of May 23, 2006, with the final two deliveries of the Boeing 717 to Midwest Airlines and AirTran Airways, production of the DC-9 aircraft family has ceased after 41 years.
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BackgroundThe MD-80 was introduced in 1980. The design was second generation of the DC-9 with two rear fuselage-mounted Pratt & Whitney JT8D turbofan engines, small, highly efficient wings, and a T-tail. The aircraft have a distinctive 5-abreast seating in coach class. The MD-80 was a lengthened DC-9-50 with a higher maximum take-off weight (MTOW) and the ability to carry more fuel. The MD-80 was designed for frequent, short-haul flights for approximately 140-170 passengers.Originally it was designated as DC-9-80 and marketed as the "DC-9 Super 80". It's designation was changed to MD-80 before the initial launch as a marketing move to show that McDonnell Douglas had a new airliner for the 1980s. The MD-90 was later developed from the MD-80 family. The MD-90 has IAE V2500 engines and a glass cockpit as does the MD-88. The last variant of the family was the MD-95, which was marketed as the Boeing 717-200 as a result of the merger between MDC and Boeing in 1997. The DC-9 family is among the most rugged, longest-lasting aircraft currently in operation. Operator Northwest Airlines still operates a large fleet of DC-9 aircraft, several of which are over 30 years old. That reputation for reliability and efficiency drove strong sales well into the 2000s. With total sales of over 2400 units, the long-lived DC-9 family is one of the most successful jet airliners ever made, ranking third behind the Airbus A320 (over 3700), and the Boeing 737 (over 6000). MD-80 series
 Typically known as the MD-80 or Super 80, the versions of the series were the MD-81/82/83/88 and the shortened MD-87. The MD-80 versions have cockpit, avionics and aerodynamic upgrades along with the more powerful, efficient and quieter JT8D-200 series engines, which are a significant upgrade over the smaller JT8D-15, -17, -11, and -9 series. The MD-80 series aircraft also have longer fuselages than their earlier DC-9 counterparts, as well as an increase in range. The MD-80's production ended in 1999. Notably, launch customers American Airlines and Alitalia still, as of 2006, refer to the planes in fleet documentation as "Super 80" or SP80. This model is still flown extensively by American Airlines and Delta Air Lines on domestic routes. The MD-80's closest competitor was the Boeing 737-400. Major customersThe MD-80 series has been very popular with major airlines around the world. Major customers include AeroMexico, Allegiant Air, Northwest Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Swissair, Alitalia, Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS), Finnair, Iberia, Japan Air System (JAS), China Eastern Airlines, Midwest Airlines, China Northern Airlines, Alaska Airlines,Korean Air, and Austral. Many of the airlines have, however, started to retire the type in the 2000s.MD-90The MD-90, first flew in 1993 and was a 1.4 m longer, updated version of the MD-88 with a similar EFIS (glass) cockpit and even more powerful, quieter and fuel efficient IAE V2500 engines. After Boeing acquired McDonnell Douglas in 1997, MD-90 production ended in 2001 with the final MD-90's being built under contract in China, due to internal competition with Boeing's own 737-800. The main competitors of the MD-90 included the Airbus A320 and the Boeing 737-800. Major customersThe MD-90 is the least successful member of the DC-9 series. Major customers include Delta Air Lines, Saudi Arabian Airlines, Japan Air System (JAS) and Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS). Of special note is Delta Air Lines, who initially had a large order for the MD-90 to replace some aging Boeing 727s. After McDonnell Douglas merged with Boeing, Delta cancelled their remaining MD-90 orders in favor of the Boeing 737-800.MD-95The shortened MD-95 was developed to satisfy the market need of a replacement for early DC-9 models, then approaching 30 years old. The project was a complete overhaul of the system, going back to the original DC-9 and reinventing it for modern transport. With an order from launch customer ValuJet, McDonnell Douglas proceeded on the project. The subsequent collapse of ValuJet, along with the merger of Boeing and McDonnell Douglas in 1997, put the program in jeopardy. Despite a bleak outlook, Boeing forged ahead. The MD-95 program was renamed Boeing 717 and entered service in September of 1999 with AirTran Airways. The aircraft is 1.45 m longer than the DC-9-30 and is powered by new Rolls-Royce BR715 engines. It shares the same modern, six-CRT EFIS cockpit design as the much larger MD-11. The Boeing 717 ended production on May 23, 2006. It was the end of the civilian Douglas-designed aircraft in production. The MD-95 / 717-200 saw major domestic orders from Trans World Airlines, Valujet Airlines (now AirTran Airways), and Midwest Express. Specifications
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