McDonnell Douglas

McDonnell Douglas MD-80

M80 MD80 Out of Production

Crews knew it as the 'Mad Dog': the MD-80 is a slim twinjet that McDonnell Douglas first flew in 1979. A pair of Pratt & Whitney JT8D-219 engines seats 155 typically and up to 172, ranging about 4,635 km at speeds near 811 km/h. The jet runs 45.06 metres long on a 32.87-metre wing, grosses up to 67,812 kg, and works to a service ceiling of roughly 11,277 metres. Pilots respected its handling and airlines its reliability, and it formed the spine of American Airlines' fleet for decades before that carrier retired the type in 2020. Its ICAO code is MD80.

Dimensions

Length: 45,06 m
Wingspan: 32,87 m
Height: 9,04 m
Cabin Width: 3,14 m

Performance

Range: 4.635 km
Cruise Speed: 811 km/h
Max Speed: 876 km/h
Service Ceiling: 11.277 m
Category: medium-haul

Capacity

Typical Seats: 155
Max Seats: 172
Cargo Volume: 30,00 m³
Size: narrow-body

Engines

Count: 2
Type: Turbofan
Model: Pratt & Whitney JT8D-219

Engine Profiles

Pratt & Whitney JT8D

About McDonnell Douglas MD-80

O 'Mad Dog', adorado por pilotos por seu manuseio e por companhias aéreas por sua confiabilidade. A série MD-80 serviu como espinha dorsal da frota da American Airlines por décadas antes da aposentadoria em 2020.

Frequently Asked Questions

The McDonnell Douglas MD-80 series typically seats 155 passengers in a two-class configuration. In a single-class high-density layout, the MD-83 can carry up to 172 passengers. The cabin is 3.14 m wide with a 2-3 seating arrangement. The MD-80 family includes the MD-81, MD-82, MD-83, MD-87, and MD-88 variants, differing primarily in engine thrust and range.

Range varies by variant: the MD-82 has approximately 3,800 km (2,050 nautical miles), while the longer-range MD-83 reaches about 4,635 km (2,500 nautical miles). The aircraft uses two Pratt & Whitney JT8D-200 series engines mounted on the rear fuselage. The JT8D was one of the most successful jet engines ever produced, though its fuel efficiency lags behind modern turbofans.

The 737-800 offers significantly better fuel efficiency, longer range (5,765 km vs 4,635 km), and lower noise levels. The MD-80 has a wider cabin by a small margin (3.14 m vs 3.54 m — actually the 737 is wider). However, the MD-80's rear-mounted engines provide a quieter forward cabin. The 737-800 was the primary replacement for MD-80 series aircraft. American Airlines famously operated the world's largest MD-80 fleet with over 360 aircraft.

The MD-80 has a distinctive look with two JT8D engines mounted on either side of the rear fuselage and a T-tail. The fuselage is long and narrow with a pointed nose featuring a small radar cone. The low-mounted wings are swept and relatively clean without engines underneath. The overall silhouette — long tube, rear engines, T-tail — is one of the most recognizable in aviation history, derived from the original Douglas DC-9.

The MD-80 family was one of the most successful narrow-body programs, with 1,191 aircraft delivered between 1980 and 1999. It evolved from the DC-9 design dating back to the 1960s, making the MD-80 part of one of the longest aircraft lineages in commercial aviation. American Airlines retired its last MD-80 in September 2019 in an emotional ceremony. Delta Air Lines retired its MD-88/90 fleet in June 2020. The type served as a workhorse for US domestic aviation for four decades.